McDonald’s, the fast-food hamburger restaurant chain with its trademark golden arches, was granted a variance by Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board regarding signs it wants to incorporate when it erects its new restaurant at MacArthur and Mechanicsville roads. Construction is expected to begin soon.

Located in a C2 regional community commercial zoning district, McDonald’s USA LLC requested a variance with the zoning board’s ordinance regarding permitting four wall signs in lieu of one permitted per business establishment and also allowing 104.6 square feet of signage area in lieu of the maximum permitted of 84 square feet.

McDonald’s amended its application to remove one of the “Playplace” signs (on the North wall in the application) to permit three wall signs instead of four with the proposed sign being reduced to 75.7 square feet in area. There were no objectors or supporters present at the recent hearing, at which the five-member board unanimously voted to grant the variance. The new restaurant will replace the one south of the new site, near a service station and retail fur outlet.

In other news, Hana Alchaer, of 221 American St., whose property is in a R5A high density residential, without apartments, zoning district, requested a variance from a provision in the zoning ordinance regarding work without permits and side yard setbacks for an addition that was erected, despite previous notification to the property owner.

Granting approval, the board stipulated the following conditions must be met: full and complete cooperation with inspectors, including opening of any walls or flooring, and such other items necessary to permit a full and complete inspection. Once the building inspections are completed, all work is to be completed in accordance with all requirements of all permit building codes and inspections within 60 days after the completion of inspections and issuance of permits.

Also at the meeting, Jay Trabulsi, of 1305 Marathon Drive, whose property is in a R4 medium density residential zoning district, went before the board for a variance regarding work without a permit and maximum impervious coverage or covering an entire rear yard with concrete without first securing the necessary and required approvals. Trabulsi will be removing the fence and concrete sections that are over the property line.

On voting to allow the variance, the board issued the following conditions: removing all encroachment, fence and concrete from the adjoining neighbor’s property; all fencing to comply with fence setback requirements; removal of all concrete on the cross-hatched areas; all impervious coverage will not exceed 57 percent; and relocation of the shed and compliance with setback requirements and all remaining concrete to comply with all building coders and inspection requirements of both third party administrators and township officials, with the applicant to allow core borings and testing.