Haverford Zoning Board Approves Variance for Porch at 433 Cathmir Road, Imposes Four Conditions

The Haverford Township Zoning Hearing Board voted 5-0 on June 18 to grant a variance allowing a front-porch setback of 22 feet at 433 Cathmir Road, where 30 feet is normally required, to permit a rebuilt porch that the applicant said matches the original footprint.

The board approved the relief as a de minimis change and attached four conditions: the porch shall not be enclosed; electric shall be the only utility serving the porch; rainwater must be managed so as not to adversely impact neighboring properties; and the project must be completed within six months of the approval. Board member Jesse Point read the motion and cast his vote as his final official act before leaving the board.

Applicant Douglas Apena testified the new porch is the same size as the prior porch and was rebuilt after rot made the original structure unsafe. "It's exactly the same. I didn't make it any bigger," Apena said while under oath, and his representative, Peter Delbone, entered photographs marked as Exhibit A1 showing the front elevation and adjacent neighborhood houses.

Neighbor Michael Wilson opposed the variance, saying the house had been stripped down to the foundation during demolition and expressing concern that the work amounted to a new build rather than a renovation. "This house has been stripped down exactly down to the stone foundation," Wilson said, raising questions about whether the project should have been presented differently to the board.

Another resident, Flossy Delgion, testified in support of the demolition and rebuild, saying the basement contained mold and that removal of damaged material was necessary for a healthy house. Board members pressed the applicant on future uses and impacts; the applicant agreed to the board's three substantive conditions on enclosure, utilities and stormwater.

The board admitted Exhibit A1 into the record, closed testimony, and rendered the approval the same evening. The board recorded the vote as 5-0; four voting members are named in the record (Jessica Vitalia, Ed McGari, Bill Rhodess and Jesse Point) and the board announced a unanimous five-member vote in favor. A written decision will be prepared and entered into the case file.

What happens next: the applicant must complete the work in accordance with the board's conditions and applicable permits. If the project is not finished within six months, the board's approval notes may require follow-up or enforcement action.