Zoning board approves 6 Evelyn Place variance after HPC raises no objection

The Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment voted Dec. 10 to grant variance relief for 6 Evelyn Place (Block 34.01, Lot 7) after finding the 2‑foot incursion into the mean prevailing front‑yard setback to be a limited, de minimis condition.

Staff explained that the selected prevailing setback for the street segment was 33 feet and that the constructed foundation sits at 31 feet from the front property line, creating a two‑foot difference. The applicant’s attorney argued the difference is small, results from the curved geometry of the street and lot, and that altering the foundation would require removing and reconstructing prefabricated elements and would likely harm significant trees near the property.

Elizabeth, the Historic Preservation Commission officer, told the board that HPC reviewed the project and had no objection to the design or its effect on the historic streetscape; she also confirmed that the items in the HPC memo had been satisfied. The board approved the application using C2 criteria with the condition that the previously‑approved front‑facing garage and any subsequent change to the garage would need separate HPC review.

Approval will be conditioned on the items listed in the HPC memo and the as‑built survey the commission requested.