By MICHAEL HIRSCH

Special to The Press

The South Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board met Dec. 29, 2022, to discuss and consider the appointment of a hearing officer due to issues related to having a quorum during January and February.

Chairman Don Klein said that at the upcoming meetings they will not have a quorum and turned the discussion over to Solicitor Tom Dinkelacker.

He said they must have the hearing within 45 days of the previous hearing and the first hearing was Dec. 1, 2022.

Typically, a zoning hearing board would have alternate board members, but there are three positions currently open.

Klein will be out of the area but will be able to stream the meeting.

Vice Chairman David Eisenberg will be having surgery toward the end of January and will be unavailable for a few months after that.

Kenneth Navitsky asked to recuse himself because he lives close to the proposed sober living residence under discussion, and is concerned about the facility being near Cetronia Elementary School.

Member Lee Solt was appointed zoning hearing officer for January, February and March.

Dinkelacker referred to Solt as the most senior board member available.

The third board member is Dennis Toomey.

The zoning hearing board can determine if the sober living residence proposed for 3599 Broadway, next to Cetronia Elementary School, is sufficiently similar in character and impact to the permitted use of an assisted living residence, which is permitted in the R5 Zoning District.

The first hearing of the new year was on Jan. 5.

Moyer Construction, the applicant, seeks a determination that there is sufficient similarity to an assisted living facility.

South Whitehall resident Julissa Pena, the first witness, said she is employed by Pyramid Healthcare but was speaking for herself.

She said the house isn’t just for treatment, it’s where residents start feeling independent again and can start working.

Pena said substance abuse is a disease, not a character flaw.

Jeremy Rios was asked to explain his understanding of assisted living.

Rios operates Rios Recovery LLC, which operates five houses in Allentown and Bethlehem.

Two of the houses are licensed by the state. The others are in the process of being licensed.

Rios said similarly they conduct resident intake and interview to support careful recovery. They also interview for post treatment aftercare and suggested care management.

“Assisted living facilities are subject to periodic inspection from the state,” he explained.

Although there were approximately 40 residents who signed up to speak, they were not able to at this hearing.

Two more hearings are planned. Dinkelacker said he hopes to have the hearings completed by mid-February, and the board will need to meet as well at the end.

The next hearings are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 9.