Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Setback Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hampton hearing: two homeowners seek front-deck setbacks; board flags scale concerns for larger proposal
Summary
Contractor Casey Walsh asked for a roughly 3-foot variance for a front deck at 4978 Meadow Crest Drive on behalf of John Wang; William and Laura English seek about a 14.2-foot variance at 2837 Tremonte Lane for a 20-by-16-foot deck. The township took no position on both cases; the board expressed particular concern about the large front-deck proposal. Decisions are due within 45 days.
The Zoning Hearing Board on March 24 heard two front-deck variance requests for homes in Hampton Township.
Case No. 26-05: Contractor Casey Walsh, representing John Wang, said he enlarged an existing front porch slightly to meet handrail code, increasing width by about six-and-a-half inches and producing a projected encroachment of roughly three feet, one inch into the 40-foot right-of-way setback at 4978 Meadow Crest Drive. "We enlarged it by six-and-a-half inches," Walsh said, explaining the work was to meet code for handrails and door operation. Kara Wang, co-owner, said neighbors have expressed support and the township took no position. The board has 45 days to render a decision; applicants will receive written notice.
Case No. 26-06: William and Laura English requested a variance to build a 20-by-16-foot front deck at 2837 Tremonte Lane that would encroach approximately 14.2 feet into the 40-foot right-of-way setback on a corner lot. The applicants submitted photos and engineering drawings. William English said the deck would make grilling and entertaining more practical given the split-level layout of the house, noting that accessing the back patio requires multiple interior steps and passage through the garage. "We're trying to have access through those front doors to just go right out," he said. Laura English added that the house configuration makes rear access impractical.
Board members and staff questioned the scale and streetscape effect of the larger English proposal, noting front porches are typically intended for ingress/egress rather than as full entertainment spaces. The township again took no formal position. The board reminded applicants that it typically announces decisions at its next meeting and must issue a written ruling within 45 days.
