Signs have been approved for the new Swain Station.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board voted 4-0 with three members absent at the June 12 meeting, to approve the appeal of Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company, requesting variance relief for its new Swain Station, 950 S. Ott St.

The appeal approved is for the installation of two wall signs with a total of 75-square-foot of sign face when a maximum of 20-square-feet is permitted.

The main sign will state “Western Salisbury Fire Company.” A separate sign will state “31,” designating the station number among Lehigh County fire departments.

The property is in the R2 Low Density Residential zoning district.

There were no objectors to the appeal at the meeting.

Jerry Royer, Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company safety officer, emergency medical technician, board member, trustee and life member, represented Western in its appeal at the zoning hearing.

Royer updated zoners at the June 12 hearing and township commissioners at the June 13 meeting on construction progress at Swain Station.

Western, founded in 1959, first operated out of the Eisenhower Fire Station. The Swain School donated land for the Swain Station in 1979 and made subsequent land donations.

Groundbreaking for the $3.6-million new Swain Station was Oct. 2, 2023.

The new Swain Station will house six apparatus under one roof, a four-bay capacity, will have properly-sized doors, a decontamination area, training and meeting rooms, offices, storage and appropriate bathroom facilities.

Zoning hearing board Chairman Attorney Kent Herman asked Royer, “Is the volunteer model sustainable?”

“We just got two new people,” Royer said.

Construction on the Swain Station is expected to be completed in mid-July.

“We’ve had no problems. Everything is going really well,” Royer told commissioners.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. July 10 in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.