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Red Bank zoning board unanimously approves variance to replace dilapidated ADA ramp at 194 East Bergen Place
Summary
The Red Bank Zoning Board of Adjustment on March 5 approved a C1 bulk variance allowing HFA Properties LLC to replace a deteriorated handicap ramp at 194 East Bergen Place that sits within a 2-foot sideyard setback; the replacement ramp must meet ADA standards, obtain required permits and be certified by a professional within 24 months.
The Red Bank Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously on March 5, 2026, to grant a C1 bulk variance that allows HFA Properties LLC to replace a dilapidated handicap ramp and deck at 194 East Bergen Place.
The board approved the application after hearing testimony from Craig Johnson, the managing member of HFA Properties LLC, and John Tyena, a licensed professional planner. Johnson said the existing ramp has been roped off and out of use for about 90 days and described the structure as "totally dilapidated." He testified the ramp must remain at the same general location to connect with the site’s accessible parking and that the tenant — an accounting firm occupying the building — relies on the ramp for client access.
Tyena told the board the project requires a C1 (hardship) variance because the ramp is attached to the building and the existing configuration creates a sideyard setback as small as 1 foot 3 inches at the narrowest point; the borough ordinance requires a 10-foot sideyard setback. He said the proposed replacement will match the existing width, be longer to achieve ADA-compliant slope and therefore will not materially worsen the nonconformity: "we are matching it in terms of its width. It just gets longer ... to conform with ADA," he said. Tyena argued the application meets both the positive and negative criteria for relief and cited the borough's 2023 master plan goals to enhance mobility and accessibility.
Board attorney Kevin Kennedy summarized the board’s findings and the practical need for the ramp, saying in part that "the lack of an ADA compliant ramp at the site is neither safe nor functional nor practical," and recommended conditions including required permits and a professional certification that the work matches the approved plans.
The board’s approval includes standard conditions: construction must comply with ADA requirements, the applicant must secure demolition and building permits if needed, and a licensed professional must certify that the work was installed per the approved plans. The board indicated a 24-month time frame for completion but encouraged the work be done as soon as possible.
The board’s action replaces an existing pre‑existing, nonconforming ramp that currently sits approximately 2 feet from the easterly property line (1 foot 3 inches at the closest point) in a professional office zone (block 101, lot 28). No public opposition was recorded in the hearing record and the planner said the change would not create a substantial detriment to the public good or to the borough's zone plan.
The applicant was advised to file for required permits and return any requested certifications to the board staff as conditions of the resolution.
