A Palmerton man wants to convert a former barroom with one apartment to a total of three apartments.
To that end, Jonathan Ammary will go before the borough's Zoning Hearing Board at 7 p.m. May 15 in search of a special exception and variance to add two apartments to the building at 590 Mauch Chunk Road.
A section of the borough's zoning ordinance does not allow taverns or conversions of an existing building into one or more dwelling units as permitted uses.
Ammary is in search of a special exception to allow change from one nonconforming use to another, as well as a variance regarding the minimum lot area required for apartments.
The request was previously denied by borough zoning officer Duane Dellecker.
In his rejection letter, dated March 29, Dellecker noted the property is located in an R-2 (Residential-Medium Density) zoning district.
Dellecker also stated in his letter that "being as the former use was not a permitted use, the use becomes nonconforming. Both the existing and proposed uses, not being permitted, makes this application a change of one nonconforming use to another."
Also in his letter, Dellecker said another section of the zoning ordinance requires special exception action by the board to change from one nonconforming use to another; subject to specific conditions outlined t