Orange Zoning Board of Appeals approves four variances allowing two pools, a garage expansion and a master‑suite addition

ORANGE, Conn. — The Orange Zoning Board of Appeals on June 1 approved four variances that will allow two homeowners to install in‑ground pools, one homeowner to enlarge a garage and another to add a master suite and a vertical expansion.

The board met at 617 Orange Center Road and heard petitions from Richard George of 691 Buttonball Road (petition 1845), Michael and Kimberly Haggerty of 22 Briarwood Drive (1846), Michael Marchetti of 849 Birchwood Drive (1847) and Amy and Christian Malerba of 845 Briarwood Drive (1848). Each applicant described lot‑size constraints and sought relief from setback and maximum ground‑coverage requirements in the town’s zoning regulations.

The most contested item in discussion was the Haggertys’ request for a front‑yard variance on a corner lot. Mike Haggerty told the board his lot is about 45,635 square feet and said the proposed pool site is the most tucked‑away location on the property. Board members and staff walked through required separations from sanitary lines and septic fields (in‑ground pools must be at least 15 feet from sanitary lines and 25 feet from septic tanks or leaching fields). A neighbor letter read into the record expressed support for the Haggertys’ plan. The board approved the amended application on a 4‑yes, 0‑no, 1‑abstain roll call.

Two other pool petitions were approved with similar findings. Richard George said the pool will meet safety requirements and will be fitted with an automated cover and fencing; the board approved his requested rear‑setback and ground‑coverage variances by unanimous vote. The chair reminded George that zoning relief does not take effect until the variance is recorded on the land records.

The board also granted a side‑setback and ground‑coverage variance to Michael Marchetti to replace and expand a garage on a small, nonconforming lot (about 22,000 square feet). The board recorded multiple corrections to the language of that petition on the record before voting and approved the request unanimously.

Amy and Christian Malerba received approval for a garage reconfiguration and a master‑suite addition that required side‑setback relief and a vertical expansion variance. Board members and staff concluded the vertical expansion should be explicitly included in the application; the motion to approve as amended carried unanimously.

Attorney comments after the votes prompted a procedural clarification. Attorney Carvath noted the Malerba approval explicitly referenced vertical relief while the Marchetti record did not, and suggested the board reopen the Marchetti hearing or place a brief July item to amend the record to include vertical relief for consistency. The board agreed to schedule a brief July item rather than reopen closed hearings tonight.

Roll calls and outcomes: petition 1845 (George) approved unanimously; petition 1846 (Haggerty) approved 4 yes, 1 abstain after amendment; petition 1847 (Marchetti) approved unanimously after an oral amendment to correct cited code subsections; petition 1848 (Malerba) approved unanimously with the vertical expansion noted on the record. The board repeatedly reminded applicants the variances become effective only after recording on the land records.

The board closed the meeting after deciding to add a brief July agenda item to correct the Marchetti record and set the next meeting for July 6. No appeals or continuing votes were taken at this session.