Bernardsville zoning board grants dimensional‑variance for home renovation at 40 Turnbull Lane

The Bernardsville Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 20 approved a dimensional‑variance resolution for 40 Turnbull Lane, allowing the owner, Gregory Toussar, to renovate the main house and relocate and expand rear patio and pool areas.

Chair (reading the resolution) told the board that the record showed required notice and a complete application had been filed and that consultants and witnesses testified the changes would restore the home to an early‑20th‑century appearance while reducing certain impervious areas. The resolution recited the property is in the R‑110 residential zone and contains approximately 411,226 square feet (about 9.44 acres) and listed specific variance relief for impervious coverage, steep‑slope disturbance and front‑yard setback.

The board’s findings, read into the record, concluded that the applicant met the statutory criteria for dimensional relief under NJSA 40:55D‑70 and that any negative impacts would be mitigated by significant landscaping and by limiting proposed activities to the plan submitted. The resolution binds the applicant to the testimony and plan, requires compliance with board consultants’ recommendations and requires final plan review by the zoning officer and board engineer prior to permits.

A board member moved to adopt the resolution, a second was recorded and the roll call vote carried. The resolution includes standard conditions: submission of final variance plans, payment of outstanding fees, posting of performance guarantees, proof of tax payment, and compliance with any additional approvals required by outside agencies.

The matter was recorded as approved; the record shows no members of the public spoke for or against this application during the hearing.