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Bashetti home renovation draws technical questions on drainage and setbacks; hearing continues
Summary
Attorney and architect for Keith and Jennifer Bashetti presented plans for a modest second-floor addition above a garage, a porch enlargement and minor FAR increase on an irregular, undersized lot. Board and professionals pressed for drainage coordination and clarified a small deck projection that encroaches on the rear-yard setback. The hearing remained open for neighbor comment and further engineering review.
The Land Use Board heard a multi-part presentation from counsel Bruce Whitaker and architect/planner Mr. Santini on behalf of Keith and Jennifer Bashetti, who seek variances to expand a house on an irregular lot in the Double A zone.
Whitaker summarized the zoning relief sought (side- and rear-yard setbacks, modest FAR increase) and argued the property’s irregular shape and undersized lot area create a hardship for compliance. Architect/planner Santini showed elevations, noted the majority of the proposed 818 square feet of new space would be over the existing garage (771 sq ft on the second floor; 47 sq ft on the first), and described aesthetic updates including a widened front porch and new gabled elements to break the massing.
Board professionals focused on technical items that would need to be resolved before any approval: final stormwater/drainage calculations and details on the proposed water-quality chamber location (which is currently close to the rear property line), minor deck projections that affect the rear-yard setback, and confirmation of exterior lighting and mechanical-equipment siting. The board’s consulting engineer asked the applicant to consider an overflow tie-in to prevent runoff onto abutting properties if soil percolation is limited.
The applicants acknowledged the concerns and said they will coordinate with the borough engineer; the hearing was left open after neighborhood comment began and the board requested additional engineering revisions and clarifications before it would take any vote.
Next steps: Applicant will supply revised drainage calculations, clarify the extent of the deck projection and provide a finalized landscape/lighting plan. The board will schedule continuation for the next meeting once materials are filed.
