Environmental groups are planning to challenge the variances being sought by Vista Lodge Development Corp. LLC, owner of Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Palmerton, at the Lower Towamensing Township Zoning Hearing Board meeting at 7 tonight in the municipal building.

The resort is seeking eight variances in order to build an 85-foot-tall hotel and condominium complex above the Summit Lodge.Attorney Donald Miles, chairman of the Lehigh Valley Sierra Club and member of the Pennsylvania Sierra Club Executive Committee, said the area in which the proposed Vista Lodge would be located puts it too close to the existing Appalachian Trail.Miles said that according to Act 24, municipalities must have an ordinance in their zoning laws restricts placing buildings closer than 12 feet from the Appalachian Trail. In this case, the Vista Lodge would be encroaching into the restricted space.“If they grant the variances, they will be taking away the protection these ordinances give to the trail,” he said.Blue Mountain is seeking a total of eight variances: the width of the lot, setbacks, lot coverage, height of the building, open space, Summit Road, and parking spaces and lots. Some of the variances are considerably different from the zoning ordinance, while others are less.According to the zoning ordinances, the setbacks must be placed at 50 feet on the front, rear and sides.Blue Mountain’s application requests 5-foot setbacks.Duane Dellecker, the Lower Towamensing Township zoning officer, said in a letter to Blue Mountain that the plans show a 38.7-foot setback on the front, sides at 35.7 feet and 31.58 feet and the rear yard at 12.2 feet.Miles said that Blue Mountain has more than 100 acres. “They don’t have to put it there,” he said.The Appalachian Trail is a National Scenic Trail and the longest footpath in the world. It is part of the National Park Service, Miles said.“Build it on a different portion of the Blue Mountain Resort,” he said about the Vista Lodge. “There’s already something there.”Blue Mountain is also seeking a variance on the height restriction. The zoning standard for the height is 50 feet. The Vista Lodge would be 35 feet taller than the maximum height.As far as lot coverage, the zoning standard is 25 percent. Blue Mountain requested coverage of 90 percent of the lot.And there are parking spaces. The zoning standard calls for required spaces and the parking surface to be asphalt, concrete or paving block and lined. Blue Mountain is requesting to use the existing spaces in the gravel parking lot, because “there are no additional guests to the resort,” according to its application.Dellecker said in his letter to the resort that the ordinance requires one off-street space per rental unit plus one per four seats in any meeting room, and additional seats for any restaurant.Barbara Green, president and CEO of Blue Mountain, said she didn’t want to make any comment at this time.Miles said several environmental organizations, state and federal agencies and expert witnesses will testify in opposition to the variances.