Do I Need a Variance to Renovate My Home?
If you own a home in Summit, New Jersey and are considering making renovations to your home, it is essential to know that you will likely need to apply for a variance with the City of Summit Zoning Board. In order to receive the variance you need to begin and complete renovations, your application will need to be heard by the Zoning Board, and members of the public will also be able to comment. Even if you are considering what seem like relatively minor renovations, such as adding a patio and reducing your lawn space, or replacing an in-ground hot tub with grass, or adding a shed to your property or relocating a shed currently on your property, or adding a fence to your property. None of the renovations can be undertaken without first obtaining a variance. You will also need a variance, as you might expect, for much larger renovations.
Accordingly, if you are wondering whether you need a variance to renovate your home, the answer is likely yes. Our Summit, New Jersey land use lawyers can provide you with more information.
Renovations and Bulk Variances
Most homeowners in Summit who are thinking about renovating in any capacity will need to obtain a variance, and the variance is typically of a type called a bulk variance. As the City of Summit explains, a bulk variance involves a request related to bulk requirements, such as property line setbacks, building coverage, or lot coverage. In other words, if you are planning to make any changes to your home that could affect property line setbacks or building coverage or lot coverage on your property, you will likely need to seek a bulk variance. The other type of variance is known as a use variance, where the property owner is seeking to use the property in a manner other than how it was zoned.
How Your Request for a Variance Will Be Considered
In order to obtain a bulk variance to complete renovations on your home, you will need to submit an application and make a presentation before the City of Summit Zoning Board. The Zoning Board will review the application in connection with your presentation, and the Zoning Board can ask questions and request additional information or calculations or plans in some circumstances. The Zoning Board can consider a wide range of factors in deciding whether to approve a variance application, including the effects of renovations on adjacent properties, aesthetic implications for the area, noise or light pollution, and more.
The prospect of seeking a variance in order to do renovations on your Summit home can be stressful, but a lawyer can help you with all aspects of your application and proposal, including the presentation before the Zoning Board. In order to limit any additional requests that might come from the Zoning Board, your attorney can ensure that your proposal is viable and that your application is as complete as possible so that the Zoning Board can approve your variance application.
Contact a Summit Land Use Attorney
Are you considering home renovations? One of the experienced Summit land use lawyers at Dempsey, Dempsey & Sheehan can begin working with you today on your variance application. Contact us for more information.
Source:
cityofsummit.org/313/Zoning-Board
