Wednesday, June 21, 2006

No More McMansions For Wayne

From the Record/Herald:

Wayne wants to stop 'supersized homes'
By MARGARET K. COLLINS

If you buy a small building lot, you'll have to settle for a small house.

That premise is embodied in a proposed rule change that would particularly impact the "hot" lake communities where officials say they expect more redevelopment but want it to conform to what's already there.

The Township Council is voting on adoption of an ordinance tonight that aims to prevent "supersized homes" in the lake communities, where log cabins, small ranches and classic Cape Cods built in the '50s and '60s have been the norm. For the past five years, during the latest real-estate boom, such modest homes have been targets for buyers who modify them with major expansions or simply knock them down and build huge mansions on the lots.
...
Many towns in North Jersey have already instituted such laws to try and stop the construction of "McMansions" -- those monster homes that gobble up entire lots and dwarf homes around them. In Paramus, for example, living space on a 10,000-square-foot lot cannot exceed 3,500 square feet. In Kinnelon, the limit is 2,400 square feet on a 10,000-square-foot lot.
...
The large-home trend is a national one: In 1950 the average home was 938 square feet. In 2005, the average new home built in the Northeast had a floor area of 2,556 square feet. Nationally that figure was an all-time high of 2,434 square feet, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
...
"This is occurring at a time when the average family size is actually decreasing," said Township Planner John Szabo.

In Wayne, the average family size in 2000 was 2.86, down from 3.17 in 1980, he said.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if "Living Space" includes basement space? Would basement space be included in these totals or does "living space" generally mean above grade only?

6/21/2006 08:50:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Never understood why someone would want a giant house on a tiny lot. It looks ridiculous.

6/21/2006 09:03:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yay! I live in the older part of Leonia. There's a quiet dignity and warm comfort to making do with >2200 sf, a town with sidewalks, and a stripmall-less downtown.

6/21/2006 09:49:00 AM  
Blogger chicagofinance said...

UnRealtor said...
Never understood why someone would want a giant house on a tiny lot. It looks ridiculous.
6/21/2006 10:03:55 AM

My wife has a theory, but I won't discuss it in mixed company.

6/21/2006 09:55:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe they like to vacuum but not mow.

6/21/2006 01:31:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I live in the Packanack Lake section of Wayne, and definitely notice the many home renovations and demolitions around the lake. While many are tasteful and beautiful, others are quite monstrous and tower over their neighbors.

I currently live in a 5 bedroom cape cod on a street of $550,000 to $800,000 homes. Already since moving to Wayne last year, 2 homes on my street have been demolished and rebuilt. Packanack Lake is changing from a modest down to earth community to a community with million dollar homes, luxury cars, and everyone trying to keep up with their neighbors.

6/21/2006 02:31:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks folks. Have always wondered that.

6/21/2006 03:06:00 PM  

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