This hearing will be held in person at the Township Municipal Building at 4444 Walbert Ave. It will also be live streamed. You can access the stream HERE. Please note that there will be no virtual public participation and no recording will be posted on the Township website.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of South Whitehall Township will hold a public hearing on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023, at 7:00 P.M. in the South Whitehall Township Municipal Building located at 4444 Walbert Avenue, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, for the following zoning appeal:
ZHB-2023-05: United Church of Christ Greenawalds (“Applicant”), in conjunction with a non-profit organization known as Family Promise of the Lehigh Valley, seeks to utilize an existing parsonage located at 2325 Albright Avenue, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104, as temporary housing for non-transient individuals and families. Applicant appeals from the Zoning Officer’s denial of Building/Zoning Application No. 202300500 and denial letter dated June 12, 2023, wherein the Zoning Officer determined that Applicant’s proposed use is a Community Shelter pursuant to Section 350-48(c)(9) of the South Whitehall Township Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”).
Applicant seeks the following forms of relief pursuant to the Sections of the Zoning Ordinance cited herein: a favorable interpretation from Section 350-48(c)(9) that the proposed Use is not a Community Shelter, but rather an Accessory Dwelling Unit in accordance with Section 350-48(a)(1); a favorable interpretation from Section 350-38(c)(9) that the proposed Use is a single detached dwelling in accordance with Section 350-24(c)(6); a favorable interpretation from Section 350-47(d)(2) that the parsonage is an established nonconforming use of an undefined residential dwelling; and, to the extent the Zoning Hearing Board finds the proposed Use to be a Community Shelter, a Use Variance from Section 350-48(c)(9) in accordance with Section 350-16(h). The subject property is zoned R-4 (Medium Density Residential). Place of Worship is a permitted Use in the R-4 Zoning District, but the Use of a Community Shelter is not permitted. Tax ID No. 548779405334 1.
The above-referenced property is located in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Copies of any plans, applications, and/or supporting documents that were submitted can be available for public inspection at the Township Building during normal business hours where they may be examined without charge or obtained for a charge not greater than the cost thereof (it is recommended that appointments be made in advance).
Laura Harrier, Zoning Officer
