Edison Zoning Board approves FAR variance at 61 Livingston Ave to add ADA-accessible living space

The Township of Edison Zoning Board of Adjustment on March 31 unanimously approved a floor-area-ratio (FAR) variance for 61 Livingston Ave that will let the homeowners reconfigure their bilevel house and add living space to accommodate elderly parents.

Attorney Tim Little, representing the applicants, told the board the application had been narrowed to a single FAR variance. "We have pared the application down to just this one variance," he said, adding the extra space is intended to provide ADA-compliant living arrangements for the owners' parents.

Applicant Sheetal Parikh, one of the homeowners, described the family need in testimony: "We have two parents with complex medical needs. One of them is a cancer survivor" and has neuropathy that "affects his balance," she said. Parikh said the plan would relocate a bedroom and the kitchen to the lower level and create an ADA-accessible bathroom with a 36-inch door and a 60-inch turning diameter so a wheelchair can be maneuvered.

Architect Ronald Kasmarski outlined the interior changes and circulation: the proposed layout brings the kitchen, dining and family areas to the lower level, enlarges a room for a bedroom and bathroom, and provides grade access via the garage with a small ramp if needed. He confirmed there is no basement and that interior closets could be removed to meet turning-radius requirements.

Planner Paul J. Fletcher described the legal standard for a D4 FAR variance, advising the board to consider whether the lot can accommodate the increased floor area and whether the changes would cause substantial detriment to the public good. Fletcher noted lot coverage and impervious surfaces were within allowable limits and said many Edison homes achieve similar mass through differing floor-area calculations.

Several nearby residents spoke in support. "It's a wonderful neighborhood," said Sachin Gupta, who said he has lived at 60 Livingston Ave for more than a decade and urged the board to approve the request so the family can bring their parents into the home.

After questions and deliberation, Board member Mister Dave moved to approve, saying the applicant "has met all the negative and positive criteria" and that the site is suited for the use. The board approved unanimously, imposing two conditions: the first-floor bathroom must be made handicap-accessible and a permanent ramp must be installed in the garage to accommodate a wheelchair.

The decision was announced by Chairman Campbell, and the board closed the public portion of the hearing. The approval allows the homeowners to begin required revisions to drawings and to proceed with the project subject to complying with the board's conditions.