Anyone who thought public officials in Secaucus could pull strings and get things done for themselves weren’t around to witness the grilling the Board of Adjustment gave several officials at its meeting on Feb. 13, although, in the end, the board approved three requests for variances.
The board approved variances for expansion of Mike’s Ice Cream at 1540 Paterson Plank Road; the leveling and reconstruction of a house to Police Captain Joseph Kickey (brother of Councilman Robert Kickey) on 286 Born Street; and approved the addition of a third floor to a house at 166 Meadow Lane, owned by Town Engineer Gerald Pericone.
Mike’s Ice Cream – a particularly popular store with the kids at Huber Street School – asked for a variance that would allow the store to expand into an apartment at the rear of the property, cut a door in the back of the building and set up an eating area in the back yard.
Michael Flaherty, owner of Mike’s Ice Cream, said his project would expand the store into the three-room apartment in the rear, constructing an indoor eating area as well. Several board members questioned him closely over possible exits from both the building and the yard if a fire should break out. Flaherty said his yard had access to other yards, which would make for easy escape if a fire should occur. He also noted that he would be providing an additional exit from the building so patrons would not be trapped in the rear room. The board approved the project unanimously.
Kickey requested variances that would allow him to level his existing house and expand the footprint by four feet to one side on the newly constructed house. Kickey said the house would remain a one-family and that the residence would maintain its current off-street parking spots. One neighbor questioned whether the new building would cut off light and air to her house, but plans showed nearly five feet would remain between houses on that side. The board also approved Kickey’s request unanimously.
Concern over house’s height
Board members, however, seemed to split over the request by the town engineer to add a floor to his newly purchased house on Meadow Lane. Pericone said he needed the additional floor to accommodate his family and he said the house would remain a single family home. To accomplish this, however, Pericone would exceed the town’s height limit of 30 feet.
His project planner, Kevin Bulger, argued that many of the homes in the area exceeded 30 feet and presented the board with photographs of these houses, claiming the addition Pericone proposed would fit in with the neighborhood.
The house is built on property 15 square feet short of a double lot, and Bulger said the addition would have a less negative impact on the neighborhood than the four housing units that could be built on the lot with less of a variance. He argued also that by going up, the house would leave more open space around it. The impact is also lessened, he said, by the fact that the house is located next to a particularly wide driveway leading into the high school’s property.
Board member Raymond Leonard noted that many of the buildings in the area were constructed over 50 years ago, prior to the town’s adopting the 30-foot restriction. Some of the buildings were also constructed under zoning imposed by the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission, which allowed the greater height.
“I think it is important that we remain consistent,” Leonard said, in arguing his side of the issue. “Many people have come in here asking for this very thing and we’ve turned them down. If we allow this, we will have more coming in.”
Board member Elizabeth Giele, however, argued that the board did not set precedents.
“We review each request on its own merits,” she said, making it clear that she would vote to approve Pericone’s request. She did, however, ask that a stipulation be added to the approval to keep the house as a single-family dwelling.
Several residents in the area spoke in support of the addition. Bruce Canajero, who lived on Meadow Lane, said he would rather see another floor added than see the house expanded outward.
Mike Gonnelli, the town’s superintendent of Public Works, and a resident of the neighborhood, also spoke in favor of the addition, claiming that Pericone’s house would match the height of other houses in the area.
Louise Rittberg, a resident of the area, said she understood Leonard’s opposition to the height, but said Pericone’s house was located in an area where a 35-foot height is appropriate.
The board approved the addition, and though Leonard voted with the board, he maintained his concern over the board’s being consistent on such matters.
Since this was the first meeting of the year, the Board of Adjustment also elected its officers, naming Leonard, chairman, Giele as vice chair, and Cecelia Formisano as secretary.