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Monroe Township zoning board approves use variance for 1829 Orchard Drive pole barn
Summary
At its Feb. 9, 2026 meeting the Monroe Township Zoning Board of Adjustment approved Heather Kantagallo’s request to build a 40-by-60-foot pole barn at 1829 Orchard Drive, allowing the accessory structure to exceed the house’s square footage with conditions including a revised survey within 30 days and standard outside‑agency permits.
At its Feb. 9 meeting, the Monroe Township Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a use variance allowing applicant Heather Kantagallo to build a 40-by-60-foot pole barn at 1829 Orchard Drive.
Planner Adam told the board the proposed pole barn is roughly 2,400 square feet and that an existing 160-square-foot shed on the property would bring combined accessory area to about 2,560 square feet—larger than the principal dwelling cited at about 2,200 square feet. He cited a township code provision in the record (referred to by staff as “17589D”) that generally bars accessory uses from exceeding the principal structure, and explained the board must weigh positive and negative criteria under the code before granting a use variance.
Heather Kantagallo, who gave her address for the record, said the barn is intended for private storage—lawn equipment, pool supplies and vehicles—and insisted “no business being run out of it.” She said the lot is “just under two acres,” the barn would sit in a back corner behind the pool and that colors would be “brown and black” to match the property’s log‑cabin home so it would blend in with the surroundings.
Board members asked about setbacks, visibility and driveway access. The applicant testified the pole barn would be about 12 feet from the sideyard line, conforming to the 10-foot sideyard minimum, and that the rear and front setbacks would conform. The board noted several pre‑existing nonconforming bulk conditions read into the record, including lot area and frontage figures.
The board also discussed a site‑plan‑waiver request; staff recommended the board explicitly weigh whether a waiver should be granted if the use variance is approved. The board approved the waiver in conjunction with the use variance and placed conditions on the approval: the applicant must submit a revised survey showing whether the existing stone driveway extends to the pole barn and update lot‑coverage calculations within 30 days, and all work remains subject to any required outside‑agency approvals and building permits.
The motion carried on roll call. The board directed staff to draft a resolution memorializing the approval for the next meeting and to provide the applicant with a copy so she may proceed with permit processing.
