Directional signs have been approved for the entrance and exit at the Arts Academy Charter Middle School in Salisbury Township.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board voted 5-0 at its Feb. 14 meeting to approve the variance appeal of Arts Academy Charter Middle School, 1610 E. Emmaus Ave., to erect two directional signs with each having a face of 18-square-feet (3-square-feet permitted).

The zoning board members and the board’s attorney set aside the matter of whether or not the signs contain advertising.

The signs will include the name of the charter school. At issue was whether the name would constitute information or advertising.

‘You don’t have to determine if it’s advertising or not,” Salisbury Township Zoning Board Solicitor Attorney William J. Fries said to the zoning board members.

The property is in the township R3, Medium Low Density Residential zoning district.

Eight residents attended the two-and-one-half-hour hearing. The portion of the hearing concerning the school signs was about two hours.

Attorney James F. Preston, partner, Broughal & De Vito LLP, Bethlehem, represented the charter school in its appeal at the zoning hearing.

Testifying were William M. Fitzpatrick, executive director, Arts Academy Charter Middle School and Bill Cecchini, principal, Arts Academy Charter Middle School.

The charter school includes students in grades 5 to 8 and 288 students are enrolled of a maximum capacity of 400, Fitzpatrick said during the hearing.

Students are from more than 20 area school districts, according to the charter school website. The school opened in 2012, the website states.

The school’s board of directors approved purchase of the building about one year ago, Fitzpatrick said.

“This is part of our overall improvements and safety plan,” Fitzpatrick said of the signs.

“It’s a PennDOT [Pennsylvania Department of Transportation] road, with one lane going east and one lane going west with a speed limit of 40 miles per hour, which is sometimes observed,” Fitzpatrick said of East Emmaus Avenue.

“The signs are to clearly mark where we have entrance to the property and exit to the property,” Fitzpatrick said.

Right-hand exit turns only are allowed to the eastbound lane of East Emmaus Avenue.

The signs will facilitate access by school buses, vendors, scheduled and unscheduled student bus trips and private vehicles, Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said the signs will assist those attending evening performances and events at the school.

“Because it’s a performance school, we have so many activities,” Cecchini said.

“It will be 100% better,” Cecchini said of the directional signs.

“The paramount concern is the safety of those exiting and entering the property,” Fitzpatrick said.

“The visibility of the school is blocked by a house and a curve,” Fitzpatrick said.

Preston presented photos of signs along East Emmaus Avenue, including for Salisbury High School, a church, market and chiropractor’s office.

The charter school signs, with the school name displayed on one side, would be lighted on the informational side.

The bottom of the signs would be approximately two feet above the ground for a height of about five feet from the ground.

“I don’t really see how this is advertising. I think it’s a directional sign. I don’t think it’s going to ruin the neighborhood,” Alison Leayman, zoning hearing board alternate said.

“A directional sign without a name is kind of useless,” zoning board member Joseph Kovach said.

“This is going to be a functional sign,” Zoning Hearing Board Vice Chairman Attorney Ian Baxter, who chaired the hearing said. Zoning Hearing Board Chairman Attorney Kent Herman recused himself from the hearing.

“The board may attach safeguards,” Fries advised the zoning hearing board.

The zoning hearing board attached conditions to the approval of the appeal whereby lighting must be directed to the signs and cannot spill over onto adjoining properties and the lighting must be turned off at 10 p.m.

“We will be in compliance with any illumination requirements of the township,” Fitzpatrick said.

The zoning hearing board also attached conditions whereby the signs would be a minimum of 40 feet from the double yellow traffic lane line on East Emmaus Avenue. The signs will be subject to PennDOT triangle sightline requirements.

Before the charter school hearing, zoning hearing board members voted 6-0 to:

- Re-elect Herman, chairman and Baxter, vice chairman, of the zoning board for 2024;

- Appoint Attorney William J. Fries of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba P.C., zoning hearing board solicitor for 2024;

- Appoint Attorney Matthew J. Deschler of Shay, Santee, Kelhart & Deschler, LLC, zoning hearing board alternate solicitor for 2024 and

- Approve the zoning hearing board schedule, 7 p.m. second Wednesdays for 2024.

The zoning hearing board is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. March 13.

Salisbury Township municipal meetings include: 7 p.m. Feb. 21, environmental advisory council; 7 p.m. Feb. 22, board of commissioners, and 7 p.m. Feb. 28, planning commission, all in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.