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Beach Haven board approves variance to add stair for Surflight property housing
Summary
The Beach Haven Land Use Board approved a small bulk-variance allowing a 46.9-square-foot stair extension and renovations at 209 Engleside Avenue on the Surflight Theater property, citing improved egress and historic-preservation work; the application drew no public comment.
The Beach Haven Land Use Board voted to approve a bulk-variance for 209 Engleside Avenue, allowing the reconstruction and modest extension of an exterior staircase that will provide a second means of egress to a dwelling on the Surflight Theater property.
Attorney James Raven presented the application on behalf of applicant Al Parado Entertainment LLC, saying the change affects a single-family house that fronts Engleside Avenue and lies on a consolidated parcel that includes the Surflight Theater. Raven introduced photographs and site plans and said the additional stair will not alter the theater itself but will extend existing stairs to reach a second-story landing.
Engineer James Rosski, who identified himself as a licensed professional engineer and planner, told the board the site totals 27,337 square feet and that the proposed stair and landing add 46.9 square feet. He said that increases building coverage from 81.4% to 81.5% (the ordinance allows 75%) and raises impervious coverage from 98.1% to 98.3% (the ordinance allows 60%). Rosski said the modest increase is needed to provide a safe, code-compliant second means of egress and to support exterior rehabilitation that has already been vetted by the applicable historic-preservation reviewers.
"The additional ingress and egress to 209 Engleside outweighs any detriment of the increased building coverage," Rosski said, explaining the stairs will be elevated and not alter the ground surface beneath them.
Architect Kevin Schwarz said the new stair will allow a compliant path from the second floor to grade for four bedrooms and that sprinklers will be extended from the existing mixed-use building. Schwarz said elevations are included in the packet; the applicant offered to provide a color rendering if the board wanted one.
Steve Steiner, executive director and producing artistic director of Ocean Professional Theater Company (the theater tenant), described the lease relationship with the property owner and the company’s use of the house for occasional employee housing. Steiner said the Surflight-related rehabilitation has been supported by a $250,000 New Jersey Historic Trust grant and that the company has spent roughly $353,000 to date on related repairs and improvements.
Board members raised questions about why the applicant must seek relief for a very small numerical increase in pre-existing nonconformities. Raven and Rosski said local land-use rules require relief whenever an existing nonconformity is further increased, even by a small amount. The board opened the meeting for public comment; no members of the public spoke.
After discussion the board moved, seconded and approved the variance by roll call. Multiple members voted in favor; the chair announced the motion carried and congratulated the applicants. The board did not condition the approval on additional public-notice requirements.
The approval allows the applicant to proceed with the stairs and planned exterior rehabilitation; the applicants previously coordinated siding and related work with the New Jersey Historic Trust and local preservation reviewers. The board also noted that the borough’s zoning nonconformities (lot coverage, impervious coverage, parking and loading) will remain as existing, and that the vote approved relief only for the modest increase tied to the stair extension.
