County approves variance for accessory dwelling unit
A snag created in a miscalculation by Milton-area homeowners was resolved Oct. 6, when the Sussex County Board of Adjustment approved a variance for an accessory dwelling unit.
County law enacted in June 2024 allows for accessory dwelling units up to 1,000 square feet. The ordinance was intended to help create affordable housing options in Sussex County, where in some areas rising prices have made the cost of housing unattainable for many.
Gary Wexler and Christopher Moy bought a house on Stockley Road near Milton a couple of years ago. Wexler told the board of adjustment Oct. 6 that they measured the inside portion of the nearly 4,000-square-foot house that they will separate for the unit and concluded it met the county requirements.
They later learned that they should have included the width of the walls, which pushed the dimensions to over 1,300 square feet. They reduced the area for the accessory dwelling unit but had difficulty making it work within 1,000 square feet, so they requested a variance from the board.
Wexler said he and Moy found the lawn on the large parcel too much to mow themselves, and hiring someone to cut just the front yard cost $200 to $250. They decided creating an accessory dwelling unit would provide enough money from rent to help cover their household expenses, and the tenant might agree to mow the lawn as well, Wexler told the board.
Nobody from the public spoke during a public hearing that preceded the board’s 4-0 vote to approve the variance.
After the vote, Wexler and Moy said they were happy with the county’s handling of the variance issue, noting the Planning & Zoning Office guided them through the process.
“It’s not too bad,” Moy said. “They were extremely friendly and helpful.”
Wexler and Moy said they are renovating the house before they move in. Wexler told the board the new unit will have its own parking space and an exterior entrance.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
