Four appeals approved by the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board Aug. 9 include a sign at a Porsche dealership, an attic addition to a Lehigh Parkway home, a detached garage at a home and a new chicken coop at a home.

Zoners voted 5-0 to approve an appeal at 3401 Lehigh St. by Lehigh Valley Motor Cars, Inc., doing business as Porsche Lehigh Valley, on behalf of Vinart Realty Associates, L.P., to approve a variance to erect a 9 square feet at 3 feet high directional sign (3 square feet at 2 feet high maximum permitted). The property is in the C3, General Commercial zoning district.

Attorney Ron Corkery of Corkery & Almonti, Whitehall, representing the appellant, explained the need for the sign: “The traffic is 40 miles per hour on Lehigh Street. No one drives 40 miles per hour on Lehigh Street.”

Quipped Attorney Kent Herman, Salisbury Zoning Hearing Board Chairman: “Particularly in a Porsche.”

Andrew Wright, managing partner, Porsche Lehigh Valley, said, “The predominant pattern is for I-78 driving to the southern entry. But because of one-way lanes, they must drive all the way around the building. It’s just a matter of establishing the entrance.”

Zoner Joseph Kovach asked about intent of the sign on traffic flow.

“It’s predominantly for those going south,” Wright said.

“The nature of your dealership is that Porsche makes suggestions. Has there been confusion?” Herman said.

“It’s led to some complaints,” Wright said.

Salisbury Township Planning and Zoning Officer Kerry Rabold said, “I would rather you call it a directional sign so that they don’t have to come back and make a request.”

Zoner Attorney Ian Baxter made the motion, seconded by Zoner Ronald Evans, to bring the appeal to a vote.

Zoners voted 5-0 to approve an appeal at 1204 Taft Ave. by Zachary and Jennifer Klan to maintain a chicken coop, which is 6 feet from the rear property line and 17 feet from the side property line (50 foot setback required for each) on a lot of 0.23 acre (0.25 acre required). The property is in the R4, Medium Density Residential zoning district.

Attorney John W. Ashley of Davison & McCarthy, Allentown, said, “We’re requesting the reconstruction of a chicken coup that was already on the property.

“Chicken raising is a permitted use. So, we’re looking for dimensional relief,” Ashley said.

The property was purchased Sept. 22, 2022.

“Chickens were part of the sale?” Ashley asked.

“Yes, they were,” Zachary Klan replied.

“Have you received complaints from neighbors?” Ashley asked.

“No,” Klan said.

There are five chickens.

When asked by Ashley why he has the chickens, Klan said, “Raise them so we can have eggs.”

“You’re not going to have a rooster?” Ashley asked.

“No,” Klan answered.

Two neighbors, Benjamin Hottenstein and Peter Ciliberti, spoke in favor of Klan having the chickens.

Zoner Thomas Spinner asked about runoff.

Klan said, “The chicken coop is raised up. We created a French drain and have rock and wood chips.”

“You are aware that no more than six chickens are allowed and no roosters are allowed,” Herman said to Klan.

“It’s an accessory use, which allows six chickens,” Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor Attorney William Fries of Fries Law Office said.

Evans made the motion, seconded by Baxter, to bring the appeal to a vote.

Zoners voted 5-0 to approve an appeal at 3037 Fairfield Drive by Erwin Forrest Builders, on behalf of John and Catherine Yurconic, for a variance to construct a detached garage, proposed to be 26 feet high (22 feet maximum permitted). The property is in the R2, Low Density Residential zoning district.

“The desire is to construct the garage in architectural harmony with the existing dwelling,” Robert Piligian, president, Bascom and Sieger, Inc., Allentown said.

The home was built in 1999.

The detached garage will have two bays.

“All of the requirements have been reviewed and meet all other requirements,” Rabold said.

Baxter made the motion, seconded by Evans, to bring the appeal to a vote.

Zoners voted 5-0 to approve an appeal at 2250 Lehigh Parkway North by Prateek Lal and Kristen Beierlein Lal for a variance to remodel and expand the attic to create a third floor (maximum 2 1/2 stories permitted). The property is in the R1, Rural Residential zoning district.

“There’s no change in the facade,” Piligian said, who is working on the addition to the home.

“It’s not living space. It’s not a bedroom. It’s a workout area,” Piligian said of the addition.

“It’s living space, as to whether you use it as a workout area or as bedrooms,” Fries said.

The home was built in 1923.

“The house is sited at the end of an extreme steep slope,” Piligian said.

“We’re not expanding the roof or the structure or the height,” Piligian said.

Baxter made the motion, seconded by Evans, to bring the appeal to a vote.

The Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Sept. 13 in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The August Salisbury Township municipal beat meeting schedule includes: 7 p.m. Aug. 16, environmental advisory council, 7 p.m. Aug. 23, planning commission and 7 p.m. Aug. 24, board of commissioners, all in the municipal building.