The Jim Thorpe Zoning Hearing Board granted a variance request Thursday night for the developer of a proposed hotel on Flagstaff Mountain.

Timothy Markley, of Surreal Properties, had been before the board last month seeking to build the 35-room hotel in a medium density residential district, but the meeting hadn't been advertised, meaning another session had to be scheduled.The board quickly approved the request, noting it would incorporate the testimony from June into the record when the transcript was available."We left the record open so that we didn't have to go through the testimony all over again," said Elizabeth Mulligan, zoning hearing board chairwoman.The nearly 24,000-square-foot hotel would be built at 600 Flagstaff Road, also the site of the current Flagstaff Ballroom and Gallo's Restaurant.Markley said the project has been scaled back from previous plans which called for a five-story, 78-room condominium hotel."This is more of a boutique hotel," he said.The project has received preliminary conditional approval from Jim Thorpe Borough and the Carbon County Planning Commission.Another project before the zoning hearing board on Thursday night hit a slight snag.The Kemmerer Park Association is hoping to convert the carriage house, along Packer Hill Road, into a small museum and library.Though the KPA sought a variance because that use is not permitted in a medium high density residential district, nobody was sure who actually owns the building."If you don't have actual ownership interest or have legal permission to come and ask for the variance, we can give it to you, but it won't do any good because it could be challenged and overturned," Andrew Roberts, zoning hearing board member said.By unanimous vote, the zoning hearing board tabled the matter until the meeting could be re-advertised using the name of the proper owner."None of this means we don't support your project, this is just a legal situation for us," said George Stoffa, zoning hearing board member.The carriage house was built in the 1880s by John Leisenring and given to Mahlon Kemmerer, a mining engineer and coal mine investor. It housed the stable for the main house, which no longer exists.John Drury said the borough had planned to tear down the carriage house but that he and others felt the building should be saved."It was the last thing on the hill representing the wealthy families of the town," Drury said.Jay Kemmerer gave money toward rehabilitating the building, and the KPS promised to open a small museum and library in the building.Part of the building is currently used as a rental apartment that brings in over $600 a month, Drury said."We've saved money for years to finish this last part of the project," he added. "We never thought zoning would be an issue."Thursday's hearing was to also deal with parking spaces at the carriage house.Bob Handwerk, a Kemmerer Park Association board member, said there are four spaces at the site, but when handicap spaces are taken into account, the number will actually drop to two, according to Kathryn Forry of Barry Isett and Associates.Three regular spaces are required.