With approvals in place, Western Salisbury Fire Company is poised to launch a capital campaign for expansion of its Ott Street facility.

While the design, cost and timetable for the project is still in the offing, fire company officials are ready to move forward.

"The fundraising will be very soon," Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Department Chief Joshua G. Wells said following the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board's unanimous 5-0 vote April 7 to approve the expansion.

"This is to ensure training so that they can protect the township residents," Atty. Richard Brent Somach, of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., said, representing the Salisbury fire company.

The northwest side building addition at the facility's 950 S. Ott St. location would provide a needed area for firemen, who train for about three hours Monday nights.

Western Salisbury would sell its 3425 Eisenhower Ave. facility, where training now takes place. The sale is expected to help fund the project. The fire company envisions saving money by not having to maintain two buildings.

"We do a lot of training," Wells said. "We want to utilize our building we have. We have nowhere to grow in it."

In questioning by Atty. Victor F. Cavacini, Gross McGinley LLP, zoning hearing board solicitor, Wells explained, "We want to consolidate into one."

Wells has been Western Salisbury fire chief for four years and a volunteer fireman there for 17 years.

"It will improve our efficiency and what we need," Wells said.

Western Salisbury covers a township area including Lehigh Valley Hospital Center - Cedar Crest; Interstate 78 from the Summit Lawn exit to Route 309 North and the Norfolk Southern east-west railroad line.

Equipment includes a 2012 Ford Expedition UVT, 2008 Sparta, 2005 American LaFrance 110 foot ladder truck, 1998 American LaFrance Pumper, 1995 Freightliner Spill Control, 1988 GMC brush truck and a restored 1965 American LaFrance Pioneer.

The new building will meet Americans With Disabilities Act requirements.

The Western station has been there since 1972. There are about 28 volunteer firemen.

The parking lot would be moved from the building's northwest side to the southeast side. Parking spaces are expected to increase from five to 17, with one space for the handicapped.

With the added parking, volunteer firemen are expected to no longer have to park their vehicles along the Swain School student bus access road and along neighborhood streets.

Parking will now be on the side opposite to where houses are located. The building and a field at Swain are expected to reduce exposure to car lights at night.

A portion of the existing 4,734-square-feet building would be demolished with 3,534-square-feet retained and an addition of 1,200 square-feet for a new total of 7,280-square-feet. Two floors are planned.

An overhead door would be installed to allow access to the fire company's brush truck without having to move other trucks.

Wells said he has spoken with most of the residents in the area of the fire company and none objected to the project. There were no objectors to the plan at the April 7 planning commission meeting

The arrow-shaped lot was donated to the fire company by Swain School, which is donating an additional 25 feet on the southeast side to the fire company.

"Swain has been very much the benefactor to this fire company and this township," Somach said.

Township zoners voted 5-0 to approve a special exception to allow an emergency service station in the R-2 Zoning District and two variances; one to allow a 12-foot setback (a 14-foot setback now exists) where 50-foot is required and one to allow 59 percent impervious coverage where 50 percent is required.

"We've mitigated the maximum building setback ratios," Amit Mukherjee, principal, Base Engineering, Inc. said. Base Engineering, Inc. prepared the fire company plan.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission recommended approval of the plan in February.

A letter of support, signed by Charles Beck, planners' chairman, was presented to zoners.

Planners voted unanimously 7-0 to authorize the letter at their Feb. 10 meeting when a sketch plan was presented. The township planning commission must still review the plan.

The fire company's proposal was on the agenda of the March 3 township zoners' hearing, which was canceled because of a snowstorm.

The zoning hearing lasted about 40 minutes.