Geeting: Bethlehem Zoners Holding Up Recovery

That's right, folks. According to NYC blogger Jonathan Geeting, that damned, infernal Bethlehem Zoning hearing Board is responsible for holding up the recovery. I knew it! Now I know why Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke started attending their meetings.

Of course, Geeting is nutz. I've seen these guys take it on the chin for lots of things, but this is a first.

I'm pretty sure they're responsible for climate change, too. Chairman Gus Loupos has been spotted in a wizard's robe, uttering the incantations for another Halloween snow storm.

New Barber Shop Coming to Bethlehem's South Side

Master barber Robert Cruz, with proud wife Ileana

Bethlehem will have a new barber shop on the South Side, thanks to a unanimous decision by its new, five-member board on February 22.  Robert L. Cruz was given permission to convert a vacant Mini-Mart, located at 1326 1/2 E. 4th Street, into "Rob's Barber Shop."

According to Cruz, it will be the first barber shop for drivers coming into Bethlehem from Route 78, and he noted that he has "ample parking" in the back, room for three cars But he expects most of his clientele to be local, walking there from two or three blocks away.

"I'm very nervous," Cruz told zoners. But as time went by, he relaxed enough to tell them he was recently awarded a master barber's license and would like to spend the rest of his career working "and paying taxes" in Bethlehem.

As the decision was announced, Solicitor Mickey Thompson gave Cruz a thumbs up and said, "Come back and see us."

"Come back and see me," smiled Cruz, whose shop will be open from Tuesday through Saturday.

In a separate matter, zoners also agreed to permit Wendy Thomson, a nationally certified grief counselor, to operate out of her home at 408 N. New Street, near City Hall. Under questioning by her attorney,Robert V. Littner, Thomson explained that a home setting is a more conducive environment to healing. She added that it is also greener, having less impact on the environment. She called it a good work-life balance.

Thomson told zoners she would see a maximum of 10-12 patient over the course of a week, and no more than 6 people during any given day.

Under cross-examination by Bethlehem Attorney Karl Longenbach, Thomson acknowledged a home occupation is also cheaper than paying rent at Main Street Commons, where her office is located. Longenbach represented nearby antiques dealer Sam Guttman, who claimed that a home occupation "sets a terrible" precedent in Bethlehem's historic district. He also suggested that Thompson is already seeing customers from her home, noting he sees cars parked there.

Before conducting hearings, the newly-constituted five-member board reorganized at the suggestion of Solicitor Mickey Thompson. Chairman Gus Loupos, Vice Chair Bill Fitzpatrick and Secretary Linda Shay Garder were all elected unanimously.

Bethlehem Zoners Nix Apartment Building on W. North Street

Dennis Connell

He sat there stunned. But in a split decision last night, Bethlehem zoners denied George Andreadis' request to convert a single family residence at 14 West North Street into two apartments. Zoners Ken Kraft and Bill Fitzpatrick voted to deny a special exception in what is a commercial business district. Chairman Gus Loupos dissented.

Andreadis' problems started at the beginning of the hearing, when he claimed the property had been posted for seven days as required by law. "I didn't see a notice until today," observed Kraft, who explained he drives that way every day. Andreadis told Kraft the notice had fallen, so he taped it to a window..

Then Bill Fitzpatrick, who is philosophically opposed to converting homes into apartments, wanted to know why Andreadis couldn't rent the property as a single family unit. "I could," answered Andreadis, but added he had "paid too much" for the property.

Iris Linares, a neighbor, complained about the parking issues that would be caused by another apartment building in the block, explaining she already has to pay $55 per month to the Parking Authority to park in the garage because there is no room on the block. She added that she thought Bethlehem was trying to discourage more conversions. "That's what happened in Allentown, converting all those properties that should have been single units," she noted.

Businessman Dennis Connell, who owns apartment buildings on nearby New Street, complained that tenants would park in his own 10-space parking lot, which is reserved for his own tenants. Andreadis suggested that Connell could chain the lot to prevent unwanted guests, but Connell was unmoved. "You're asking me to solve a problem that you have," he answered.

While Andreadis sat in disbelief, zoners next considered Spenser Smith's application for a possible medical office at 808 Eaton Avenue in a commercial mixed use district.

Bethlehem architect John Lee explained the property is in a commercial mixed use district and is part of a triangular lot bounded by Eaton Avenue, Eighth Avenue and Schoenserville Road. He told zoners that Smith has tried to find a tenant for the past 1 1/2 years, but "hasn't even had a nibble." In response to questions from Attorney Kevin Kelleher, Lee testified that a hardship has been created by enactment of a commercial mixed use district, and that medical offices would be more in character with the existing neighborhood.

Zoners Ponder Drug Rehab Near Bethlehem Catholic High School

At least ninety people filled Town Hall on October 19 for a Zoning Hearing Board meeting to consider developer Abe Atiyeh's request for a "special exception" so he could convert the vacant Calvary Baptist Church, located at 111 Dewberry Avenue into a 70-bed voluntary inpatient substance abuse center. The facility, which borders a baseball diamond at Bethlehem Catholic High School, would be operated by The Malvern Institute. That for-profit venture has a 80-bed inpatient facility in Chester County, but markets in the Lehigh Valley.

Zoners were scheduled to consider another Atiyeh request for a proposed juvenile residential treatment facility on a wooded lot at 3485 Linden Street. That matter was continued until November because of Atiyeh Attorney Blake Marles expected that the testimony concerning the request at Calvary Baptist would consume the entire evening.

Marles was right. Zoners called it a night after five hours, as many members of the audience were still in the midst of cross-examining his fourth witness, Malvern CEO Joseph Curran.

Cavalry Baptist Pastor Larry Burd explained that his church outgrew its campus on Linden Street, and has relocated to Green Pond Road. But he angered the audience, many of them parents of Bethlehem Catholic students, when he stated that a drug rehab center located next to a high school was appropriate.

"I would like to see some of those priests and teachers go in there and take students in there," Pastor Burd said in response to questioning by zoner Bill Fitzpatrick. Burd claimed there are "no doubt" many addicts at Becahi, who could be "transformed" by sharing the Gospel with rehab patients. He argued that, like Mother Teresa, the school should do "everything it could to reach out to those people." He claimed the neighbors would do the same, "if they have any Christian faith at all."

In response to questioning from the audience, Pastor Burd conceded that he never spoke to Bethlehem Catholic officials because he recently had rotator cuff surgery. He also acknowledged that he has "an excellent relationship" with the school, which allows him to use the high school parking lot. "Is this how you thank them?" asked one angry mother.

Malvern's CEO, Joseph Curran, himself rejected the idea of student and teacher visits from the high school, citing confidentiality, privacy laws and an "intense" program of treatment that allows "very little contact with the outside."

"Our patients, by law, have to be protected from the outside community," Curran noted.

He described the program as a thirty-day inpatient facility that is essentially drug free, except for the initial 7-day period in which addicts are treated with controlled substances. He indicated the program provides a very structured environment for person who are over 18, ambulatory, and have no severe psychiatric conditions and present no danger of suicide.

Before a patient is admitted, Curran stated that an assessment is made in which prospective patients are asked about their criminal history. "We do not accept involuntary commitments," he added.

Curran also stated that the Malvern facility is in a residential neighborhood, though he conceded there are no nearby schools.

In addition to a M.D. and a psychiatrist, the facility would be staffed by nurses, counselors and administrative staff, bringing about 100 jobs to the area.

Neighbor Nick Cordero, questioning Curran, was concerned that a patient could walk out whenever he wanted. He suggested that some of the addicts in the facility might really be pedophiles who would enter the rehab so they could case the high school, and then make a move.

Pen Argyl resident Hope Ctturo, whose daughter attends the high school, asked Curran about the screening done before a patient is admitted. Curran acknowledged that, although patients are asked about their criminal histories, no background checks are run.

In response to other questions, Curran acknowledged that there have been times when residents and visitors have brought drugs into Malvern. But he also stated that in the last 1 /1/2 years, the only neighbor complaint concerned some residents who were talking too loudly in a designated smoking area, located outside.

In response to repeated concerns about the facility's proximity to Bethlehem catholic, Curran stated he understood. "I understand the fear. I understand the stigma. I understand what the stereotype of an addict is. I also understand the reality. I do, and I know that is not the face of addiction. It's everywhere. One in four families. Look around the room. It's in here. I know that."

Curran repeatedly assured both audience and zoners, but many were still lining u to question hm at 11 PM. At that point, zoners decided to continue this matter, and it is re-scheduled tentatively for October 31 at Town Hall, 10 E Church Street.

Zoners to Rule on Elias Expansion Today

Although its parking lot was full on Saturday afternoon, I doubt customers were aware that Elias Farmers Market, located at the corner of Johnston Drive and Route 191, is the subject of a hot zoning controversy. Neighbors have fought tooth and nail against plans to expand its warehouse, as well as a loading dock. Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board is expected to rule today, for the third time, on whether the market may expand. Its previous two opinions were in favor of Elias, but a missing transcript made a new hearing necessary.

Child Day Care Coming to Holy Ghost School

Bad weather forced Bethlehem's Zoning Hearing Board to postpone its January meeting until February 10. But as a result of crossed wires, the most important person was never notified.

Zoning hearing boards, unlike most other municipal bodies, must have a court reporter. He can transcribe the testimony in the event of an appeal. But somebody forgot to notify stenograher Cliff Lathrop, and he lives in Catasauqua.

Instead of postponing the meeting a second time and sending everyone home, Chairman Gus Loupos was able to reach Lathrop and beg him to cover the meeting. A mere thirty minutes later, Lathrop walked into Town Hall.

"All rise," wisecracked Loupos.

How did Loupos get to Town Hall so quickly? Father Wayne Killian, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish, was one of the applicants, and he has connections.

Holy Ghost School will soon be hearing the laughter of children again. Bethlehem zoners gave Father Killian and Bethlehem Architect John Lee a green light to convert this vacant school into a child day care center for up to 178 children.

Lee explained that, as an elementary school, Holy Ghost would be able to accommodate as many as 360 children, approximately twice the number being proposed for a day care. He added that there will be 28 employees.

Zoners also approved a rearrangement of parking spaces to improve traffic flow and safety.

This day care will be leased by Andrea Dority, founder of Millie's Creative Learning Centers.