At the May 15 Catasauqua Borough Council meeting, a zoning concern on Stonewood Terrace was discussed by residents.

A group home on that street is near a number of residential town houses, they said.

According to Stonewood Terrace resident Penny Tracy, young adult males in the group home destroy property, use inappropriate language and smoke illegal substances. The level of destruction and inappropriate comments have required police intervention, she noted.

Her concern is the behavior occurs around young children, she said, adding the smoke levels are making the elderly residents feel ill.

Tracy said this section of Stonewood Place is zoned for residential use. She asked if a group home would be considered a commercial entity and questioned if an exception for the facility was allowed.

Borough Manager Glenn Eckhart, when asked by Lehigh Valley Press May 16 for a definition of a group home and how residents are placed there, declined to comment, based on potential litigation, he said.

Eckhart said he was given the information on the issue May 12.

Art Tracy, another resident of the neighborhood, said he has reported zoning concerns for more than 50 days but has not received a reply. He asked if the home is being monitored to ensure it is in compliance.

His main concern is if the occupancy limit is being exceeded. He said the volume of clientele and the transient nature of the clients make monitoring the facility challenging.

Councilwoman Jill Smerdon, planning and zoning committee chair, reported that, under the Fair Housing Act, people in a protected class are allowed such zoning variances. Allowance of the facility is permitted as long as it is in compliance with usage for its designated purposes, she said.

Eckhart said he will look into the concerns. Art Tracy asked for a timeline commitment and a detailed summary of the steps being taken to address the issues.