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Harvey Cedars board delays Melker plan to raise house and add decks after neighbors object to privacy and setbacks
Summary
Michael Melker told the Land Use Board he plans to raise his home at 7403 Long Beach Boulevard 6 feet 10.75 inches to meet base flood elevation and create a garage beneath, but neighbors objected to larger rear decks and exterior stairs; the board carried the application to Nov. 20 for a planner and revised drawings.
Michael Melker told the Harvey Cedars Land Use Board on Oct. 16 that he plans to raise his two-story home at 7403 Long Beach Boulevard "6 feet 10.75 inches" to reach the current base flood elevation and create a garage beneath the house to improve off-street parking.
"Our plan is to raise the existing house 6 feet 10.75 inches so that we can create garage underneath," Melker said, describing two new equal-sized rear decks and an exterior stair connecting them. Designer Jeffrey Stocklos said the existing upper deck is 11 feet by 26 feet 6.5 inches and the proposed new deck would be 11 feet by 35 feet 6.5 inches — a roughly 99-square-foot increase across the rear.
The application (2025:08) included architectural plans, a survey and an engineer review letter. Board engineer Frank Little, P.E., clarified that the district allows roof heights up to 30 feet; the planned flat roof was described at about 26 feet 7.75 inches.
Neighbors raised privacy and setback concerns. Judith Putt, a contiguous neighbor in the rear yard, said tall decks would affect the privacy of her master bedroom and outside shower. Attorney Robert Rue, speaking for neighboring property owners Bonnie Richmond and June Mears, asked that any exterior stairs be incorporated into the deck so the project would maintain a 10-foot rear-yard setback. Mary Ann Vermont of 7405 Long Beach Boulevard flagged the lot’s small size and the potential increase in impervious surface area.
Board members said they had no planner testimony to support a use variance and asked for evidence of "special reasons" and public benefits required for such a finding. Board attorney Kevin Quinlan and member Mindy Berman recommended the applicants provide professional planning testimony and revised drawings that could keep rear steps within the deck footprint.
Melker agreed to carry the application to the Nov. 20, 2025 Land Use Board meeting and to submit revised plans at least 10 days before that hearing. The board approved the carry motion (moved by Mindy Berman, seconded by Robert Romano) with all voting members in favor.
The application remains open; the board requested a planner’s testimony and a revised plan showing the rear stair configuration to address the neighbors’ setback and privacy concerns.
