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Residents press Emmaus council to appeal zoning board parking variance for 215–217 Ridge St.
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Summary
Multiple Ridge Street residents and neighbors urged the Emmaus Borough Council to appeal a Zoning Hearing Board parking-variance decision for 215 and 217 Ridge Street, saying the applicant created the hardship and that the ruling sets a bad precedent; council leaders said the matter will be discussed in committee with a decision expected at a future meeting.
Several Ridge Street residents urged the Emmaus Borough Council to appeal a Zoning Hearing Board decision that granted a parking variance for 215 and 217 Ridge Street, arguing the ruling weakens enforcement of the borough's zoning code and will worsen on-street parking and neighborhood safety.
Michael Gibson, a Ridge Street resident and longtime volunteer on the zoning task force, told council the Zoning Hearing Board’s written decision blames the borough for creating a hardship and cited items in the decision he said are improper. “If you don’t, then who does?” Gibson asked, urging council to use its authority to hold the board and applicants accountable.
Kyle Kelly, a property owner on Ridge Street who attended the hearing, said he documented recurring illegal parking and concluded the applicant had not meaningfully explored alternatives to meet the ordinance. “The hardship was created by the applicant’s chosen project,” Kelly said, urging council to pursue an appeal so the borough’s standards mean something in practice.
Other residents raised similar concerns. Kathy Norton, who attended a separate zoning hearing about 104 North 4th Street, said: “If you drive down the street, there is no additional parking for 2, 4, or 6 cars,” and described alleys and curb space already at capacity. Anne Marie Seidel, a longtime Ridge Street resident, told council she is worried about safety and declining neighborhood character if more apartments are approved.
Council members and committee chairs said staff and the solicitor are reviewing the matter. Health, Sanitation and Codes Committee Chairman Brown said the zoning hearing board’s written decision was issued April 9, with a mailing date of April 10, and reminded the public that "the rule is there's 30 days to appeal." He told residents the council intends to discuss the matter at an upcoming committee meeting and expected to reach a decision at a future council meeting.
Council did not vote on an appeal at this session. Brown and other council members noted that if the situation evolves toward litigation the solicitor may recommend executive-session discussion. The council encouraged residents who opposed the variance to attend the committee meeting scheduled for the next day and said a final council decision could come at the May 4 meeting; staff noted the formal appeal window would run to the first business day after the 30-day mailing period (as calculated by staff).
