A minor subdivision of property owned by James Jones at 507 Hunter St. was approved by the North Catasauqua Borough Council Feb. 12, following discussion of the proposal at a borough planning committee meeting before the council meeting.

Jones' property was a multifamily unit on a single lot. Jones proposed converting it to a twin home, each with its own lot.

Borough engineer Roy Stewart, of Keystone Consulting Engineers, said in its previous use as a building divided into apartments, it was not a conforming use.

"Its existing multifamily use is not allowed," he said. "He's making it more conforming [to the zoning ordinance] now."

Stewart and the committee members discussed some other details of the plan, including a side yard where there is a distance of only 8 feet from the house to the property line, when the minimum should be 10 feet. This was permitted because the 10-foot minimum was not in existence in the zoning ordinance when the home was built, but was approved as a zoning ordinance revision later.

Notations will be made to the property plan that stipulate restrictions to the amount of new construction that is allowable on the property side yards in order to keep it in compliance.

Council President Joseph Keglovits said each side of the house has separate water and sewer service and asked that this be noted on the plan as well.

The committee, and later the council, voted to approve the plan once it is updated with the council's comments and instructions.