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Board approves variance allowing Tamakuwala family to rebuild at 293 Hollywood Ave with single‑family condition
Summary
Fairfield’s board granted variances to allow a rebuilt, larger single‑family home at 293 Hollywood Ave after testimony that floodplain rules and lot topography make filling impractical; approval conditions include a requirement the house remain a one‑family residence.
Fairfield’s Board of Adjustment voted on Feb. 18 to grant variances that will allow Mehul and Swata Tamakuwala to reconstruct and enlarge their home at 293 Hollywood Ave, concluding that environmental constraints and lot topography create practical difficulties that justify relief.
The applicant described the proposal as a long‑planned family home; Mehul Tamakuwala told the board the dwelling is intended for himself, his wife and his elderly parents and said the house will not be rented. "This home is not just a structure for us, it represents a lifelong dream," Tamakuwala said.
Joseph Hogan, the project engineer from Map Engineering, testified that the structure’s ridge-to-average‑grade height (33.8 feet) complies with the ordinance’s height limit but that the rear walkout basement is treated by the zoning code as a story. Because the property lies partly in a flood hazard area and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) restricts filling in the floodplain, Hogan said the team could not mitigate the "story" count by filling; the DEP approval they obtained was a General Permit by Certification for reconstruction and expansion. "The footprint of the addition is 650 square feet...we do meet that requirement," Hogan said.
Architect Lawrence Appel described the design as a two‑and‑a‑half‑story house from the street, consistent with neighboring architecture. Planner Charles Heydt testified the application satisfies both positive and negative criteria under the municipal land‑use standards (C1/C2) given lot size, limited footprint increase and environmental constraints; he emphasized the proposal reduces impervious coverage (proposed 28.2% vs. 35% permitted) and places the structure well back from the rear lot line (95.8 feet proposed).
Board members questioned the percentage of the exposed foundation and the practical safety of the horseshoe driveway; members said the evidence showed the proposal would not harm neighboring properties. One commissioner moved to approve application 2024‑13 with the explicit condition that the house remain a one‑family residence; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call.
The approval includes conditions described at the hearing: the dwelling must remain a single‑family home and the applicant must meet the engineering and DEP permit requirements reflected in the submitted plans.
