A Palmerton couple wants to convert an old store front into an additional apartment.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffry Shupp will appear before the borough's zoning hearing board at 7 p.m. today in search of a special exception for the dwelling at 494 Franklin Ave.The couple wants to change the use of the property from a 3-unit apartment building with an office unit to a 4-unit apartment building.Borough zoning officer Duane Dellecker said the property is located in an R-2 (low density residential) zoning district.The borough's zoning ordinance lists "apartments" as a special exception use, subject to specific requirements found in other sections of the borough's zoning ordinance, which requires action of the zoners for approval, he said.Off-street parking is required for both office space and dwelling units. A section of the borough's zoning ordinance requires each dwelling unit include a minimum 500-square-feet of enclosed, habitable, indoor, heated floor area, not including areas shared among dwellings, Dellecker said.The proposal satisfies this requirement.