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Allentown Zoning Board Says Convenience‑store Use Requires a Use Variance, Denies Application at 4446 N. 13th St.
Summary
On Jan. 13, 2025, the Allentown City Zoning Hearing Board ruled that a proposed first‑floor convenience store at 4446 N. 13th St. requires a use variance under the RH district rules and denied the applicant’s request, voting 2–1.
The Allentown City Zoning Hearing Board on Jan. 13, 2025 ruled that a proposed first‑floor convenience store at 4446 North 13th Street must obtain a use variance and denied the applicant’s request, with the board voting 2–1.
Board members said the RH (high‑density residential) district table in the city zoning ordinance conditions “permitted” retail on meeting certain dimensional criteria in Annex K; the board concluded that the permissibility of a retail variety store at this address depends on those dimensional thresholds and therefore requires a use variance rather than only dimensional variances.
Proponents — including V. Ausubel, the managing member of 44 North 13th Street LLC, and prospective tenant Adil Al Mahmoudi — said the space has been difficult to lease since a church tenant was evicted during the early COVID period and that the proposed retail operation would be…
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