The first case of the Oct. 28 zoning hearing board meeting was about 810 and 813 Monacacy St. This was the second hearing about the property, with the board having rejected the owner’s first request back in August, when 28 apartments were proposed. Owner Plamen Ayvazov, on behalf of Monocacy General Contracting, LLC was now seeking to convert the building into 24 apartments, a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. He also plans to raze the building at 813 Monocacy St. to create a parking area for the units. Ayvazov was represented by attorney James J. Holzinger, who indicated the city would have to approve the use of 813 for parking. Architect Christine Ussler reviewed the new plan, which removed four third level apartments, due in part to the condition of that part of the building.

Attorney Christopher Spadoni, representing the neighboring Old Brewery Tavern, questioned the use of the building and size of the units. This was ground which was already covered in the previous hearing, though not by Spadoni.

Ussler also described new, sound dampening windows that would be installed.

The board went into executive session. On its return, they voted to approve the appeal, with the conditions that the sound dampening windows be installed, that 813 could not be sold separately from 810-812, that there would be 40 parking spaces guaranteed, and that all units have either one or two bedrooms.

The next case was 118 West Fairview St. Owner David Piperato was seeking variances to convert the single family property into a two unit property. He was represented by his brother, attorney Frank Piperato. The owner testified he has owned the property as a legal two unit property since 2003. He lived in one of the units until his he married Heather Piperado in 2006, and they moved out. Heather Piperado is co-owner of the property. In 2009 the Piperados returned to live on the first floor of the property, and were informed by the city that the property would be reclassed as a single family home. The Piperados subsequently found tenants for both units. They were not aware that using the still two-unit building as two units constituted a violation.

The board agreed to approve the variances needed to reclassify the property as two units.

After taking the site plan for a Wawa at 74-84 Hellertown Road, attorney James Holzinger appeared before the Zoning Hearing board to request specific variances for the site.

He sought a variance to move a billboard to the north side of the property. An agreement with Adams, the company that owns the billboard, depended on the zoning board’s decision. A new sign, welcoming visitors to Bethlehem, would go in the billboard’s present location.

Kostas Herousis, of Veraxia Real Estate Solutions, testified that the site would need to be elevated, and Wawa has the resources to take on the sizable project.

A variance was also requested for the height of the gas canopy, to raise it several inches to accommodate large trucks.

Board member James Schantz noted the site plan included indoor seating, and asked if a drive-through would also be included. Holzinger indicated a drive-through is not in the plan.

The board approved the variances with the condition that the canopy be 20 feet, eight inches high.