A Poplar Street resident now has permission to construct a garage.

On Nov. 12, Lee Hildebrand of 640 Poplar St. asked the Catasauqua Zoning Appeals Board for a setback variance of two feet that would allow him to build a carport. The area around Poplar is a medium density residential development. Houses are predominately twin homes.

Hildebrand has a vintage auto that he presently stores under a plastic auto cover on his parking pad.

All houses in the neighborhood have single-car parking pads for off-street parking. If a homeowner has more than one vehicle, the cars are either stacked on the pad or parked on the street, causing some traffic congestion. The board has granted variances in the past to allow homeowners to erect garages as long as there was not opposition from the adjoining homeowners.

After a review of Hildebrand's proposed carport, the board granted the variance.

Also at the zoning hearing, Justin Bowersox asked the board for a special use approval for property at 18 W. Race St. The property in question is a multitenant building with local service businesses and includes the Poletalian Deli.

The service businesses are on the upper level, the most visible to customers entering the property from Race Street. Around the back of the building on the lower level, facing a metal recovery company, is a shop that has been used solely as a welding center. Several other businesses surround the area behind the Race Street building that service vehicles or serve as storage facilities. Further back on the property is the borough's sewer plant.

Bowersox asked the board to allow him to operate an auto repair servicing business in the lower level. The intent of the special exception in a General Commercial (GC) zoning district is to allow the board to determine if the proposed use would in any way damage the existing business in the area.

The buildings behind the main center are specialty business that appeal to specific customers. The board allowed Bowersox the special exception for his auto repair business.