In a meeting that took less than five minutes Aug. 16, the Catasauqua Zoning Hearing Board issued a decision it had delayed from a previous board hearing.

Last month, the owners of the building housing the Malvern Institute asked the borough for a variance on the height of a fence between two buildings on its property at 124-126 Bridge St. Patients at the Malvern Institute are private clients dedicated to rehab from drug addiction. Part of the agreement for patients in the program is a degree of anonymity.

According to local director Jennifer Lively, patients usually stay in the treatment facility at 124 Bridge St., while the building at 126 Bridge St. is primarily for administrative use. Lively indicated in earlier hearings that patients often use the courtyard between the two buildings for activities, and the fence provides privacy.

The zoning hearing board did not like the wooden stockade fence, which stretches between the two buildings and at one point is over the 6-foot height limit, and had voiced their concerns at the prior hearing. They did not render a decision at that time but agreed to look at possible ways around the dilemma. With few practical alternatives, the board voted to deny the request for a fence.

The attorney representing the building’s owner did voice his concern about related privacy issues.

The building owner and the borough will get together to discuss an alternative that is more aesthetically pleasing.