Conversion of a building into a two-unit apartment and the adjacent building into an office has been approved by the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board.

The 505 E. Emmaus Avenue building previously housed Fritzsche Organ Co.

Zoners voted 5-0 Jan. 14 to approve the appeal of Joshua M. Walsh and J. Walsh Development, LLC, requesting special exception approval to convert an existing building into two apartments and variance relief to reduce the amount of parking required for the property.

Attorney Ian Baxter, zoning hearing board vice chairman, moved to bring the appeals to a vote, seconded by Joseph Kovach, zoning hearing board member.

The required number of parking spaces needed for conversion of the building to two apartments is two per dwelling unit. The existing office requires one space per 250 square feet of net leaseable floor area; 1,104-square-feet of office area requires five spaces. A total of nine spaces is required. Proposed is parking of eight spaces for the property.

Based on revised plans, the office will be 998 square feet. Walsh’s business will occupy the office space.

“The office is already permitted,” Attorney William Fries, zoning hearing board solicitor said.

One person would be in the office three days per week, Walsh said.

Deliveries, via a UPS or FedEx box-style truck, would be once weekly, Walsh said.

Apartments, each with three bedrooms, will be on the building’s first and second floors. There will be new siding, roof and windows.

“There’s a lot of work to do. It will be nice when we’re done,” Walsh said.

The property is in the R4, Medium Density Residential District.

“The structure has two front entrances. It looks like a duplex,” Walsh, said adding, “I plan to bring the dwelling back to life.”

The footprint of the building will not be modified, Walsh said. One van would be parked in the garage.

Zoners voted 4-1 to approve the appeal of Virtual Home Buyer Co., c/o Eury Vargas, requesting variance relief to construct a new single-family dwelling. Attorney Kevin Kelleher represented the appellant.

“The lot is nonconforming. It is narrow and small. My client proposes to construct a dwelling. It will be in keeping with the neighborhood,” Kelleher said.

The minimum lot square footage required is 6,000 square feet. The proposed property is 3,005 square feet.

The minimum lot width at the minimum front yard building setback line requirement is 50 feet. The proposed property would be 30 feet and 2 inches.

The setback requirement of the dwelling is 6 feet away from each side property line with a minimum of 18 feet for both side yards added together. The proposed property is 6 feet with a total added together of 12 feet.

The property is in the R4, Medium Density Residential District.

“Presumably, an owner should be allowed to do something with a property,” Attorney Kent Herman, zoning hearing board chairman, said adding, “The availability of affordable housing is a problem that isn’t getting better.”

“I’m satisfied that an 18-foot house doesn’t require an overburden on the township,” Baxter said.

“There should be in my mind some use of this substandard lot. Here’s an opportunity to provide affordable housing for somebody,” Herman said.

Attorney John Gross, partner, Gross McGinley LLP, Salisbury Township solicitor, representing the township as a neutral party, said of the appeal, “They have not presented any evidence that they can’t build a 14-foot house. And a 14-foot house is permitted in the township.”

Baxter made the motion to bring the variances to a vote, seconded by Allison Leayman, Zoning Hearing Board alternate.

Herman, Baxter, Leayman and Mark Waverka voted to grant the variances. Kovach voted against granting the variances.

Before the start of the hearings, the board reelected Attorney Kent Herman as chairman and Attorney Ian Baxter as vice chairman.

Fries, of Fitzpatrick, Lentz, & Bubba, PC, was reappointed zoning hearing board solicitor and Attorney Matthew Deschler, of Shay, Santee, Kelhart & Deschler, LLC, was appointed zoning hearing board alternate solicitor for 2026.

The appeal of Jonathan Solano, 940 S. 24th St., was continued to the 7 p.m. Feb. 11 zoning hearing board meeting in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners meets 7 p.m. Jan. 22.

The 7 p.m. Jan. 28 Salisbury Township Planning Commission meeting is canceled.