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Zoning board denies variance for scuba training nonprofit at 833 Cherry Street
Summary
Victoria Zanicky, a Scranton firefighter and certified scuba instructor, sought a variance to run a nonprofit scuba training program at 833 Cherry Street; the board denied the variance 5–0 after neighbors said Cherry Street is tightly residential and not suited for a business use.
The Zoning Hearing Board denied a requested variance that would have allowed a nonprofit scuba training facility for veterans and first responders to operate at 833 Cherry Street.
Applicant Victoria Zanicky, who identified herself as a Scranton firefighter and a certified scuba instructor and public‑safety diver, told the board she has registered a nonprofit and planned an in‑ground heated pool and small classes of three to eight people. She said the property has ample parking and that she could transport students if necessary. Several neighbors voiced support for her mission but said the property's R9 designation—a tightly formed residential, dead‑end street—meant a business use would change the neighborhood fabric and add traffic.
Board members and staff reviewed zoning definitions and concluded the proposed use is not a permitted home‑based business or an accessory residential use in an R9 zone; the board therefore denied the variance by a 5–0 vote. The board encouraged the applicant to consider commercial locations or return with a different zoning classification.
