The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board voted 6-0 to grant variances for a proposed apartment, 1493 E. Emmaus Ave.

NuVision Properties, LLC, proposes to convert the building into 12 garden apartment units in the R4, Medium Density Residential zoning district.

NuVision Properties was represented by Attorney William G. Malkames, on behalf of Julius Ewungkem and Frank Ndi, NuVision owners, who attended the June 8 zoning hearing.

NuVision was granted dimensional variances for: parking lot illumination, landscaping, stormwater management and illumination requirements, paved area setback, loading spaces; street tree screening and shade tree and paved area landscaping.

“We do have a lighting and landscaping plan,” Ewungkem said.

“The lighting plan is conditioned by the lot,” Ewungkem said.

“This is a very constrained lot. We have to work with what we have,” Ndi said.

“Because of the PPL line, we can have trees in certain parts,” Ndi said.

“We’re making every effort to do the best we can, while recognizing the restrictions of the lot,” Ndi said.

During the public comment portion of the approximate one-hour part of the 3 and 1/2 hour hearing, Heidi Traub, a neighbor, said, “I am concerned with the stormwater management of the project.”

“We spent over $12,000 on the backyard because of runoff,” Mark Traub said.

It was the second time the NuVision project was before the zoning board. The project was twice previously before the township planning commission.

“Everything they’re asking for is reasonable,” Salisbury Township Planning and Zoning Officer Kerry Rabold said before the vote on the variances.

“I commend their commitment to the whole process,” zoning hearing board member Nicole Ortiz said of the NuVision partners.

“It does look like you gentlemen have worked to improve the property,” Attorney Kent Herman, zoning hearing board chairman, said.

In the second case, zoners voted 5-0 to grant the appeal of Jessica Ritz, Joseph T. Kuriger and Elizabeth A. Ritz, 3054 S. Pike Ave., for a special exception and dimensional and use variances.

The appellants want to convert a single-family detached dwelling into a duplex, which is only permitted by special exception.

The appellants requested variances: to increase the number of dwellings without public water, for fire safety requirements, for evergreen screening and for buffer yards with evergreen screening.

It was pointed out during the approximate one-hour of testimony there is no public water system in the vicinity of South Pike Avenue where the house is located. Water for the house is provided by a well.

“There is no public water to connect to,” Attorney Stephanie A. Kobal, shareholder, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba law firm, representing the appellants said.

In the third case, zoners voted 5-0 to grant the appeal of Cityline Construction, 2844 S. Pike Ave., for a special exception and to appeal the zoning officer decision related to ordinance interpretation (or in the alternative request dimensional and use variances).

The appellant proposes to expand the use as a construction company headquarters, which is only permitted by special exception.

The appellant also seeks to appeal the zoning officer’s decision related to ordinance interpretation (or in the alternative seeks variances) regarding: to increase the number of dwellings without public water, for front yard setback, for evergreen screening, for parking aisle width, for paved area setback, for paved setback from a commercial building and required buffer yard, for fire lane, for loading space and for buffer yard.

Thomas Williams, owner, Cityline, said the residence is for a company employee.

Attorney Richard B. Somach, Norris McLaughlin P.A., represented Williams during the approximate one hour and 20-minute portion of the hearing pertaining to Cityline.

The Cityline property is in an area not served by a public water system. Well water is provided.

There is no public access to the property. A sign will be placed to that effect.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board next meets 7 p.m. July 13 in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission next meets 7 p.m. June 22 in the meeting room of the municipal building,

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners next meets 7 p.m. June 23 in the meeting room of the municipal building.