Thomas P. Williams Jr. sat at the table in the meeting room of the Salisbury Township municipal building.

“What is the distance that the house is in the front-yard setback?” zoning hearing board Chairman Kent Herman asked Williams.

Williams held out his hands about 2 feet apart.

The Salisbury Township zoning hearing board voted 5-0 at its Sept. 9 meeting in the municipal building to approve an appeal by Williams requesting a variance to allow a newly constructed home at 615 E. Lynnwood St. to remain 2 feet within the front-yard setback.

Vice Chairman Ian Baxter made the motion, seconded by Planner Joseph Kovach, to bring the matter to a vote.

Williams testified that 75% to 80% of construction of the house is complete. The footer, foundation, framing, electrical and plumbing work had been completed.

Had the variance not been granted, Williams would have been required to demolish the nearly completed house.

“I would have to destroy the house,” Williams testified at the hearing.

When asked how much demolition of the house and construction of a new house would cost, Williams said, “Not a very small expense.”

“Since it’s a dimensional variance, you can consider the economic factor,” zoning board Solicitor William Fries, of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba P.C., told board members before their vote.

Williams is constructing a six-lot subdivision along East Lynnwood on the township’s east side. The subdivision includes two single-family homes and two sets of twin homes.

According to the township zoning ordinance, “principal structures are required to have a minimum front-yard setback of 25 feet. The home has been constructed with a 23-foot front-yard setback,” according to the township’s public notice for the Sept. 9 hearing.

The discrepancy in the house placement was discovered during a land survey conducted in response to a question concerning Lot 6 of the subdivision. It was determined the house placement did not comply with zoning requirements.

No objectors attended the hearing.

Attorney David C. Berger, of Norris McLaughlin P.A., represented Williams.

Zoning Officer Jim Young and Fries represented the township.

The property is in the township’s R-4 Medium Density Residential zoning district.

The East Lynnwood project previously went through the Salisbury Township subdivision and land development process.

According to previous township submissions, the overall parcel contains 40,800 square feet.

One single-family detached-home lot contains 8,400 square feet. The other contains 10,800 square feet. The twin-home lots contain 5,400 square feet each.

The John K. Schaedel & Sons garden center, believed to have closed in 1995, previously occupied the property.

The September Salisbury Township municipal meeting schedule in the municipal building meeting room, 2900 S. Pike Ave., includes a 7 p.m. Sept. 23 planning commission meeting and a 7 p.m. Sept. 24 board of commissioners meeting.

The 7 p.m. Sept. 10 board of commissioners meeting was canceled.