The owner of Hartzell’s Pharmacy presented an appeal for a zoning ordinance variance before the Catasauqua Zoning Hearing Board Jan. 18. Robert Hartzell Jr.’s request for approval was for the addition of a specimen collection facility to his pharmacy, located at 300 American St.

“This is not anything unusual in the (independently owned) pharmacy business,” he said. “This is a well-established plan to keep local pharmacies viable and able to serve the community.”

According to Mayor Barbara Schlegel, who testified on Hartzell’s behalf at the hearing, the pharmacy offers personal evaluations.

“This pharmacy is an asset to the community,” she said. “They concentrate on giving personal service to their customers. Adding new services only increases its value. This new service will make it easier for residents to get the tests they need done without driving all over town.”

The pharmacy has a tentative agreement with Health Network Laboratories to open a specimen-collection center in 160 square feet of space inside the pharmacy.

Janelle Steckel, a representative from Health Network Laboratories, also testified.

“We will primarily do blood draws out of our office inside the pharmacy, “she said. “We do the draws at Hartzell’s and then send the vials to our laboratory to conduct the tests.”

According to Steckel, the company has 55 centers that perform specimen collection services.

“It is part of our business model to be close to the people we serve,” she said. “Actual tests are done at our laboratory facilities. Health Network Laboratories supplies all the equipment and supplies needed for their services.”

Hartzell said the new service might add employees at the store.

“We have the space inside the store, and we have enough parking to accommodate additional customers,” he said.

Marketing the new service would be limited.

“We have space on the outside of the building and would put a marker about the services on the empty space,” Hart- zell said.

Specimen collection is driven more by convenience and medical direction than by competitive advertising, he noted.

The new space allocation does little to change the makeup of the pharmacy, explained Hartzell. The size of the existing building is estimated to be around 4,000 square feet.

Hartzell questioned why he needed to come before the board for providing what he perceived as a natural extension of his business.

Borough Zoning Officer Eugene Goldfeder explained, in Catasauqua, the number of uses per lot is restricted under the borough’s zoning ordinance.

When additional services are offered, a property owner must obtain a variance for that use from the zoning board, he said.

The zoning board members had little opposition to the extension and passed the ordinance unanimously.