A 600-space surface parking lot at Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest has been approved.

The parking lot, south of the hospital entrance road and north of Fish Hatchery Road, is for hospital employees' vehicles.

The plan for the lot was approved 4-0, with one member absent Nov. 5, by the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board.

The parking lot will need to be reviewed by the township planning commission.

Construction of the lot is planned for summer 2015.

Township zoners ap- proved two variances, in identical separate votes, in approving the lot.

The first variance approved was for accessory use of a parking structure which is not permitted by special exception or conditional use in the R-2 low density residential district.

The second variance approved was for exceeding the maximum number of 15 consecutive and contiguous parking spaces in a row without being separated by a landscaped area.

James A. Rothdeutsch, senior manager at The Pidcock Company, the engineering firm that did the parking lot plan for LVHN, delivered sworn testimony under questioning by Atty. Timothy J. Siegfried, member attorney at Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, representing LVHN.

Rothdeutsch said outpatient services use of the hospital parking deck necessitates the lot.

"It has had a very high demand. More parking is needed for the public," Rothdeutsch said.

Employee vehicles are being parked now in the area, which is covered in crushed stone. Paving should cut down on dust.

Temporary lighting is on telephone poles. Permanent lights should cut down on lighting spill.

Parking lot islands will be landscaped with grass and trees.

Stormwater is discharged into an existing detention pond.

Access to the lot is from the perimeter employee drive. Traffic can exit onto Fish Hatchery Road.

The parking lot would not need variances and would be allowed in the new health care overlay district that is part of the zoning ordinance recommended for approval by the township planning commission but is yet to be considered by the township Board of Commissioners.

The zoning hearing was held on a Wednesday night, rather than the regular first Tuesday of the month because of the Nov. 4 mid-term election. Voting takes place in the township municipal building where the zoning board meets.