Grossman Variance Proposalrcd 3 23 2026

Max Grossman 15 Alan Street, West Orange, NJ 07052 Proposal The objective of this project is to extend the length of the existing garage by eight feet (8’) to adequately accommodate parking a modern truck and add additional storage/recreational area for part time hobby business work. The current garage interior length of eighteen feet (18’) is insufficient for the length of a modern truck. Furthermore, a small “bump-out,” previously added by the prior owner, is situated too close to the property boundary fence and has deteriorated due to accumulation of organic debris that cannot be cleaned out. The bump-out is the cause of the existing rear yard setback measurement of only ten inches (10”) in that area. The proposal includes the removal of this bump-out and the restoration of permeable soil and grass seed in its place, which will improve the rear yard setback in that location from 10” to 4.65 feet. The proposed extension will maintain the full height of the structure and be constructed over the existing driveway area. The second component of this proposal involves the addition of a second floor to the garage for dedicated storage and a hobby woodworking space. Woodworking is a longstanding personal hobby and part time business that currently is very difficult to practice at the residence due to the lack of any suitable dedicated space within the 1,479 square foot dwelling and the small accessory structure. The second floor will provide a clean, insulated environment for hand and power tool woodworking, entirely contained within the structure. This addition would result in a total structure height of 20.6 feet, which exceeds the town’s fifteen-foot (15’) limit for accessory structures, necessitating a variance for height. The structure would be modified from a 1.5-story garage, measuring 18.5’ x 18.5’ (15’ tall), to a 2-story garage, measuring 18.5’ x 27’ (20.6’ tall). The existing standard pitch roof will be replaced with a gambrel roof featuring a shed dormer, designed to complement the gambrel roof of the main residence and the existing garage to the north of the property. The footprint will remain in the exact current location, utilizing the existing foundation, with the eight-foot (8’) extension requiring the replacement of the asphalt driveway in that location with a new concrete foundation. The finished exterior will be painted to match the residence

tion, with the eight-foot (8’) extension requiring the replacement of the asphalt driveway in that location with a new concrete foundation. The finished exterior will be painted to match the residence and feature a roof color consistent with the main dwelling. The ground floor layout features a single garage door bay sized for the owner’s truck, with the remaining ground floor area serving as a utility entry and dedicated woodworking workspace. A single garage door is appropriate and sufficient given that the structure is designed to house one vehicle. If a future owner of the property decides, the header will be appropriately sized to accommodate a second garage door on the other side. The second floor woodworking studio will be accessed via an interior stair and will include windows on the east elevation for natural light and ventilation, as shown in the submitted elevation drawings. There will be a “loading door” located on the second floor so materials can easily be placed directly on the second floor.