Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, during its regular meeting Dec. 12, voted to approve an agreement that paves the way for a nonprofit agency to proceed with plans to convert a vacant garment factory in Fullerton into an apartment building.

A gray cloud was lifted over the township, which faced possible federal litigation regarding PathStone’s plan to convert the factory in Fullerton to moderate- and low-income housing.

Despite a lengthy period involving residents from neighborhoods near the 215 Quarry St. property sounding off against the project, the township zoning board granted its consent. The board of commissioners, in October, voted to approve the plans.

Commissioners adopted an adaptive reuse ordinance involving long-vacant or dilapidated structures, such as the former garment factory that nonprofit agency PathStone planned to convert into 49 apartments.

Affordable housing qualifications are for persons with a $29,940 or less annual salary or a family of four earning $42,270 or less.

After some residents in previous meetings voiced strong dissent on what the project would do their homes and neighborhood, a complaint of racial discrimination was made to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). With word that the U.S. Department of Justice might possibly intervene, the commissioners and other township officials vehemently denied such allegations of bias.

Despite voting on the adaptive legislation, which permitted the PathStone plan to proceed, the township still had concerns of HUD’s involvement.

Meetings between the township and Pathstone were held to resolve the issues, a process that culminated with an agreement reached Dec. 12 by the commissioners.

In a divided vote, the board affirmed “the board of commissioners to approve the Conciliation Agreement and Voluntary Compliance Agreement under the Fair Housing Act, Title VI, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act between the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, PathStone Housing Corporation of Pennsylvania, the Township of Whitehall, the Whitehall Zoning Hearing Board and the settlement agreement and released by PathStone Housing Corporation of Pennsylvania.”

The commissioners had no comment on their vote.

When asked by a reporter for The Press if the vote gets the federal government off the township’s back, commissioners President Phillips Armstrong said yes, a similar answer also to whether the project can now proceed.