Zoning board approves expanded renovation, driveway changes for undersized Stonehouse Road lot

The Bernards Township Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday approved multiple variances to let homeowners Lewis and Taylor Madden renovate and expand a nonconforming house at 81 Stonehouse Road in Basking Ridge.

The board granted relief for front-yard and side-yard setbacks, combined sideyards and an increase in lot coverage to permit a squared-off addition at the rear, creation of a full second floor with two bedrooms, a laundry and a bathroom, and a new rear open deck. The applicants also asked permission to reconfigure a tight driveway that currently uses part of adjacent quarry property and to add space for an air-conditioning pad and a backup generator.

“The house is extremely nonconforming,” said Frederick Zelli, attorney for the applicants, describing an 8,436-square-foot lot in a one-acre zone with front-yard and lot-width shortfalls. Civil engineer Edward S. Deck testified that two different coverage figures exist: the real-world impervious area the owner measured and the ordinance-defined lot area the board uses for zoning compliance. Deck told the board the package uses the conservative, ordinance-based numbers for official calculations and that runoff calculations will be conservative if larger coverage values are used in models.

Applicant Lewis Madden described the work as a renovation, not a tear-down: “We’re just making a nice simple square house,” he said, describing a modest front porch, a new rear deck and interior reconfigurations to create three bedrooms and modern living space. He said new landscaping and replacement plantings would be provided as required.

Board members focused most of their questions on driveway safety for the property’s Stonehouse Road frontage, which is a county road. Engineers and board members discussed sight distance, the existing U-shaped driveway that encroaches on adjacent quarry property, and options for a K-turn or a small turnaround apron. The applicant agreed to narrow the driveway slightly and to add up to 50 square feet of additional impervious area (allocated at a minimum of 25 square feet to a defined driveway turnaround) to create a safer maneuvering area; the board also agreed allowance for a small AC/generator pad was acceptable and to include those pads in the plans.

As conditions of approval, the board required that: - Final plans show the redesigned driveway and indicate the 25-square-foot minimum allocation to the turnaround; any net additional coverage must be shown on the drawings. - The porch remain open (no roof enclosing it) so it does not increase coverage beyond what was approved. - Any trees removed be replaced at least one-for-one, and native screening/landscaping be installed where practical. - The applicant provide evidence of any county approvals or waivers required for the driveway opening prior to issuance of building permits and comply with any county requirements. - Stormwater measures be included where feasible; the applicant agreed to provide some infiltration on the property subject to town engineer review.

Board members voted unanimously to approve the application as amended and subject to the conditions described. The board’s roll call recorded affirmative votes from the members present.

The board chairwoman closed the hearing by reminding the applicants that any demolition beyond the partial-demolition scope shown in the plans would trigger a separate review for additional variances.

The board’s decision allows the Maddens to proceed with the renovation while requiring them to document final engineering details and to secure any county approvals needed for driveway work.