Historic Panel Sends 22 Burnett Street Addition Back to Subcommittee After Second Rejection

At its May 4 meeting, the Glen Ridge Historic Preservation Commission again declined to sign off on a proposed attic-level addition at 22 Burnett Street, the second time owners Kevin and Edith Brennan have returned with revisions. Their architect, John Guadagnoli, presented a new three-dimensional rendering meant to address concerns about the addition's bulk raised at the previous meeting, but commissioners said it didn't resolve the issue. Joaquin Stearns said the addition's roof ridge sits two to three feet above the existing ridge, making it "top heavy," and recommended it be pushed further back with its ridge lowered; Peter Korian and Nicholas Colello had somewhat less severe concerns about the massing. The Brennans said they worried that returning again without more concrete guidance could leave the project unapproved. Rather than vote it down, Chair Geoffrey Darby proposed forming an advisory subcommittee to work through alternate designs with the owners before the next meeting. Christine Yewaisis recused herself from this application.

The commission did act on several other projects. At 190 Midland Avenue, Nicole Rizzuto won unanimous approval to reduce the height of an existing chimney that commissioners agreed was a safety hazard -- it sways and has significant cracks. At 259 Ridgewood Avenue, Craig and Michele Snyder's plan to add a parking spot next to their garage and reconfigure a retaining wall and fence was approved with conditions requiring more detail on paving materials; Yewaisis abstained from that vote, though the minutes don't record why. Also approved unanimously with conditions: a return application at 65 Woodland Avenue from Steven Kuyan to expand his fire-damaged house with a kitchen and mud room addition; a two-part application at 107 Clark Street from Dave Surti and Nina Patel to remove a balcony door and reconfigure kitchen windows; a new garage at 22 Hamilton Road for Lin and Chris Gavin; and a two-story rear addition at 66 Sunset Street for Martin Kurzwell and Fiona Graff, which required switching to wood shutters and cladding an exposed fireplace back in shingles.

In subcommittee business, a request to remove an additional window at 346 Ridgewood Avenue was turned down because it would have left the second-floor side elevation without any windows at all. A new slate roof at 222 Ridgewood Avenue (Blue Foundry Bank) was approved administratively by subcommittee.

What to watch

• 22 Burnett Street's owners are expected to return with an alternate design developed with the commission's new advisory subcommittee.
• The commission's Arts and Eco Fair pamphlet is being prepared for the fair on May 21 (rain date May 22).