Board approves large detached garage on Dante Court with strict non‑habitable, drainage conditions

The Jackson Township Board of Adjustment approved a variance allowing Mary and Anthony Gazzaniga to build a detached accessory garage for their Dante Court property after extended review of size, access and drainage.

The applicants told the board the structure is intended to house classic cars and a travel trailer and will be designed to match the house’s stone and stucco facade. Anthony Gazzaniga said the building is intended for vehicle storage: “I have four classic cars that are going to go on the car side,” and he emphasized the garage would not be rented or used commercially.

Board members and the township engineer pressed the applicants on several points that led to conditions attached to the approval. The board recorded the proposed dimensions at approximately 45 feet wide by 42 feet deep and discussed a maximum building height near 25 feet; the applicants and their architect agreed the second‑level space would be attic storage only, not habitable space. The board required:

- No plumbing or running water inside the structure; electric only for outlets and potentially climate control.
- Gutters and a dry well (or equivalent) to capture roof runoff and reduce impact to the existing swale and neighboring properties.
- Submission of a detailed plot plan and architectural interior plans at permit stage showing grading, stormwater controls and the access surface.
- A permanent access surface (gravel or similar), compacted as required, shown on the plot plan so heavy vehicles (pickup truck, RV) do not track sediment into the swale.

The board majority said the design and finish—matching the house and keeping the attic non-habitable—helped mitigate concerns about converting the structure to residential use in the future; the board noted that enforcement of any unauthorized conversion would be a code‑enforcement issue. The township engineer recommended a gravel or other permeable shoulder rather than turf for the access approach to reduce sediment and to maintain swale infiltration. The applicants said they would show the required details at the permit stage and agreed to the conditions.

The motion to approve passed on roll call with recorded yes votes by board members present. The board’s decision now requires the applicants to submit the architectural plans and a plot plan for township-engineer review before building permits may be issued. If any DEP or other external permits become necessary (for example owing to wetland buffers or changed site conditions), the applicants must obtain those approvals before construction.