Board approves steep‑slope disturbance variance for proposed senior day‑care at consolidated Lehigh Street site

The Allentown Zoning Hearing Board approved a variance Nov. 10 allowing Allentown Properties Associates to disturb a small amount of steep slope area as part of consolidating two Lehigh Street parcels and preparing the site for redevelopment.

Engineer Don Peters testified the consolidated site would total about 1.77 acres (~77,101 sq ft) and identified approximately 1,000 sq ft of 25–35% slopes and roughly 2,500 sq ft of slopes 35% or steeper on the applicant’s parcel. Peters said those slopes are largely man‑made from past development and that, given the lot shape and frontage, redeveloping the parcel for the proposed use would require disturbance of those areas. He described a proposed roughly 15,100 sq ft senior life / adult day‑care facility with associated parking.

Peters told the board that subsequent approvals would include a land‑development submission, coordination with PennDOT for Lehigh Street access, and an NPDES/MPDES permit through DEP because the redevelopment would disturb more than one acre and require stormwater controls. Board members agreed the amount of steep slope disturbance was small relative to the consolidated parcel and characterized the request as de minimis, which relaxes the traditional hardship showing for a variance in this context.

On that basis the board moved to approve the variance as the minimum relief necessary, with the applicant required to pursue standard permitting and stormwater review. The motion passed unanimously, 3–0.