MINUTES OF ZONING HEARING BOARD MEETING

The zoning hearing board of Palmer Township met on Tuesday April 1, 2008, at 7:30 P.M. in the Palmer Memorial Library, One Weller Place, to hear the following appeals. In attendance were Nicholas Noel III, zoning board solicitor for hearing 08-08, Maura McGuire, alternate solicitor for hearings 08-04 to 08-07, Charles Roseberry, board chairman, alternate board members R. Margaret Kennedy and Robert Gibbons sitting in place of board members Cherie Kavanaugh and Daniel Caravetta, John A. Embardino, zoning officer, and court reporter Ted Rewak.

R. Margaret Kennedy made a motion to approve the minutes of the hearings of March 4, 2008. The motion was seconded by Charles Roseberry with all in agreement.

08-04 7:30 p.m. Mathew and Jamie Benol, residing at 2519 Swanson Street, located in a medium density zoning district, are seeking a special exception pursuant to section 190-38 B, to operate a hair salon as a home occupation.

WITNESSES: Mathew and Jamie Benol, Jonathan Romanoff, 2503 Swanson Street.

ACTION: R. Margaret Kennedy made a motion to grant the special exception for a home occupation as a hair salon with the stipulations that business hours are as depicted in exhibit A-2 and clients scheduled by appointment only. There can be no customer parking on the street and a one square foot sign as allowed by ordinance may be displayed on the premises. The motion was seconded by Robert Gibbons, with all in agreement.

08-05 7:40 p.m. John Lawler, residing at 1302 Howard Lane, located in a medium density residential zoning district, is seeking a variance from section190-42 D in order to build an addition on his home which would cause the home to exceed the 25% building coverage limits on a lot.

WITNESSES: John Lawler, tenant, Jamie Schultz of Champion Patio Rooms, and Lois Remp, owner of the property.

ACTION: Robert Gibbons made a motion to deny the application for relief of building area coverage. The motion was seconded by R. Margaret Kennedy, with all in agreement.

08-06 7:50 p.m. Curtis Cooke, operating a business at 606 Stones Crossing Road, said premises being owned by John S. and Irene E. Cooke, is seeking a special exception pursuant to section 190-199 to expand the size of a sign and add a second use as a physical therapy business. The premises encompass a previously approved nonconforming business use in a medium density residential zoning district.

WITNESSES: Curtis Cooke, Steve Super

ACTION: The applicant requested an amendment to his application to ask for an approval of a second business. On this matter, Charles Roseberry made a motion to approve a second business on these premises with a second on this motion by Robert Gibbons and all were in agreement. On the matter of the request for an addition to the free standing sign for the physical therapy business, Charles Roseberry made a motion to either incorporate the new business signage into the existing free standing sign or to allow a wall sign with a maximum area of 4.5 square feet. This motion was seconded by R. Margaret Kennedy, with all in agreement.

08-07 8:00 p.m. Lawrence Gray, residing at 2726 Queen Street, located in a medium density residential zoning district, is seeking relief from section 190-211 E (15) (a) [2] [a] [ii] to construct an addition on an existing detached accessory building in excess of 800 square feet in area.

WITNESSES: Kevin Gray, Lawrence Gray

ACTION: A motion to deny the application for a variance to build an addition on the existing accessory building was made by Robert Gibbons and seconded by R. Margaret Kennedy, with all in agreement.

08-08 8:10 p.m. Easton Area School District, Joseph Kish, Superintendent, 1801 Bushkill Drive, Easton, PA, is proposing to expand a school bus parking and storage area to house school buses that service the entire school district and to be located at Tracy Elementary School, 1243 Tatamy Road. The school district is seeking variances from sections 190-33 D, impervious coverage restrictions; 190-168 H (3), requiring 5% landscaping in a parking area; 190-168 H (5), requiring landscaping in islands in a parking lot; and 190-211 E (7) (e), requiring gates at 250-foot intervals. The subject premises are located in a medium density residential zoning district.

WITNESS: Terry DeGroot of Terraform Engineers, Alan McFall, Esq., Joseph Kish, acting school district superintendent, Ron Heckman, EASD maintenance, Henry Guarriello of D’Huy Engineering. Also present were Christopher McLean, Esq., representing James McKiniry, 1266 Pine Grove Drive, Karen Stocker, owner 2159 Stocker Mill Road, Larry Winter, Bath, PA., Justin Gugh and Amy Stocker, residents 2159 Stocker Mill Road, Larry LaBar, 1246 Pine Grove Drive, Dawn Kurylo, 2201 Stocker Mill Road, Carol Winter, 100 Lewis Street, and Edward and Pat Corcoran, 2149 Stocker Mill Road and Lee Mearhoff, 1262 Pine Grove Drive.

ACTION: Objectors Edward and Pat Corcoran, Dawn Kurylo, Karen Stocker, Larry LaBar, Lee Mearhoff, Justin Gugh, Amy Stocker and attorney McLean on behalf of James McKiniry have requested and agreed to a continuance of this hearing to June 3, 2008 in order to present evidence in support of their objections. The applicant has acknowledged the need for a continuance in order to amend the zoning application to include the expansion of a nonconforming use, and agreed to the continuance to June 3 and waived the 60 day time limitation for a hearing.

Having no further business to discuss, the hearing was adjourned.

John A. Embardino

Zoning Officer