A former fire company in Palmerton will be transformed into a winemaking facility.

The borough’s zoning hearing board unanimously granted a request for a variance to Barb Di LLC Property to use about 4,000 square feet of the former West End Fire Company No. 2 for wine production and storage, as well as about 6,000 square feet for a self-storage facility.

As part of the approval, zoners attached the condition that access to the building for self-storage be limited from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Additionally, the board granted variances to waive the requirements for sections of the borough zoning ordinance related to screening and fencing.

The property is located in an R-2 (medium density residential) zoning district.

Testimony

The board heard testimony from Gina Walnock, manager; Shannon Birosik, winemaker; and Mike Gula, a professional land surveyor.

Walnock said she was hopeful they could use the building as an indoor planned central self-storage and lease it to Birosik for wine storage.

She said the area that had been used as a kitchen would be used for self-storage; the area that had been the social hall would be used for winemaking; and the area that had housed the bays would be used as climate-controlled self-storage units.

Walnock said changes would be to the aesthetics, as they would be putting on new doors, new lettering on the building, new lighting, and a lot of security.

As for the interior, she said they would be closing a wall to make a separation between the wine storage and self-storage.

Walnock said they would have cameras around the building, and motion lights around the entire building.

She also noted that each customer would have their own access code to get into the building.

“We felt this would be the least amount of impact it would have on the building,” Walnock said.

Birosik, of 567 Blue Mountain Drive, Walnutport, said she has been in winemaking for 6½ years, with manufacture in Walnutport (Soaked Winery) and locations in Berks County (Calvaresi winery).

She said that due to COVID-19, she ceased retail operations in Berks, but has kept the one in Walnutport.

Birosik said her operation manufactures wine out of her retail location by bringing in grapes and juices. She then ferments that into wine, bottles the wine, and it is then taken by cases to her other locations.

The majority of her equipment is tanks and barrels that hold the liquids, and she has pumps for transfer of fluids.

Birosik said the juice and grapes and bottles are brought in a truck. She said she would receive about six to seven deliveries per year.

Birosik said she typically uses her personal vehicle to transport, and added there would be two employees, herself and another person. The maximum people would be five.

She said her goal was to be a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday operation, adding she may be there later and on the weekend.

Birosik said there would be no visitors, no on-site sales or wine tastings.

She said they would have three locations; one in Palmerton, one in Walnutport, and one in Milford.

Birosik said the sale of wine is done through her personal locations.

Former fire company

The proposal was previously rejected by borough zoning officer Duane Dellecker, who in his rejection letter dated Dec. 28 listed why he turned the plan down.

Last month borough council unanimously approved the use for the building at 855 Princeton Ave.

The property is the former West End Fire Company No. 2 of Palmerton, which was sold to Bard Di LLC, 4518 Joshua Lane, Walnutport, $165,000.

In 2018, the West End Fire Company No. 2 withdrew from the Palmerton Fire Department, meaning all fire response from West End Fire Company No. 2 in Palmerton was halted at that time.

The borough has continued to provide all emergency services out of the municipal fire station.

After the meeting, Walnock said the plan is to name the building West End Self Storage.