Wilkes-Barre City Hall, 40 E. Market St.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board at its monthly meeting on Wednesday approved a handful of applications, including one for an apartment building on South Franklin Street and a bakery on Blackman Street.
Joel Zitofsky was approved for a variance to establish a two-unit dwelling at 123 S. Franklin St., as well as a variance to construct a second-story rear deck addition with a staircase.
This would convert the building back to residential use after it had served as a dentist’s office for several years.
City Councilman Tony Brooks spoke in favor of the project, praising Zitofsky for “restoring a historic property in the downtown” and saying it is “exactly what the neighbors want to see.”
Additionally, People Security Bank was approved for a variance to construct a curved, free-standing sign in front of its property located at 111 East Market St., at the former Citizens Bank building.
The application was approved on the condition that the sign be no more than 4 feet high.
According to bank representatives, it plans to open on July 13.
Other approved applications include:
• Vianka M. Andujar for the property located within an R-1 zone at 331 New Grant St. for a variance to waive the side yard setbacks from the required 5 feet decreased to 3 feet and 4 feet, respectively, to install an eighteen-foot round above-ground swimming pool.
• Roy Castillo for the property located within an R-1 zone at 159-161 Blackman St. for a special exception to change a nonconforming use from a building containing 3 apartments, a three-car garage, a restaurant, and a delicatessen changed to a building containing 3 apartments, a two-car garage, a delicatessen, and a bakery. Plus, a variance to waive the side yard of a corner lot setback from the required 10 feet, decreased to 0 feet, to construct a handicap accessible deck.
Denied application
Samuel Ramirez was denied a variance to convert a single-family home at 64 Terrace St. into a 2-unit dwelling.
The application was denied because the board had already denied it at a previous meeting, and the plans had not been updated.
At the previous meeting, the board had told the developer that each unit had to have a separate living room. That change was not relaxed on the plans presented on Wednesday.
The developer requested a continuance, and Boardmember Stephen M. Trimingham moved to accept it, but the motion died.
Boardmember Hayden White then made a motion to deny the application, which was seconded by Boardmember Leon Schuster.
All members voted to deny the application.
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