Board Approves Garage Conversion and Front Driveway at 111 Hudson Avenue After Debate Over Parking and Safety

WALDWICK, N.J. — After extended questioning about neighborhood precedent and parking consequences, the Waldwick Board of Adjustment voted to approve a proposal at 111 Hudson Avenue that removes two enclosed garages, converts that space to living area, and adds a 20‑foot‑wide front driveway intended to provide up to four off‑street parking spaces.

The homeowner, Jade Castro, described the property as a Cape Cod with a short driveway and two existing garages that are difficult to use. "I have a three‑month‑old... I can't get in the car, open the door and take out the baby," Castro said, describing a practical need for more accessible parking on Hudson Avenue rather than a garage approach on Waldwick Avenue that requires negotiating a hill and stairs.

Board members pressed on alternatives, asking whether a single garage bay could be retained or whether a shed might provide storage. The applicant’s representatives and a board inspector explained structural and economic constraints to widening existing garage bays — including lally columns and a need for substantial structural work — and said the proposed driveway would place more cars off the street during snow events and improve sight lines for drivers on flat Hudson Avenue.

Several members expressed concern about eliminating garages as a matter of long‑term housing stock and resale value, citing the borough’s past policy emphasis on retaining garages. The board’s discussion noted past amnesty programs and conversions granted at the board’s discretion.

After debate the board moved to approve the application. As with other approvals, the chair reminded the applicant that the approval will be embodied in a written resolution published at a later meeting and that the statutory 45‑day challenge period runs from the date of publication.