The Banks Township Zoning Hearing Board Tuesday night granted two variances that will pave the way for the creation of a large lettuce-producing facility.

Variances for impervious lot coverage and parking will allow Little Leaf to build four more greenhouses where lettuce will be grown hydroponically.

There will be a total of six greenhouses. One Is in operation, and a second one already built is set to begin production in July.

Chris Sigmon, executive vice president of operations for Little Leaf, said the variances will allow the firm to go ahead with its purchase of 108 acres from the Pagnotti Coal Co. to add to the 76 acres Little Leaf already owns where the first two greenhouses are located.

“We are waiting for our NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems) permit, which should be coming in be very soon,” Sigmon said, “Once we get it, we will execute our land purchase from Pagnotti and kick off the third greenhouse.”

The land is in two zoning districts - an M-1 mining zone, and an S-1 conservation zone.

William Letwinsky, an engineer with Design BLD, Hazleton, said while there is no impervious lot coverage requirement in an M-1 zone, there is a 50% requirement in the S-1 conservation zone.

Letwinsky said while construction of the warehouses will create a 74.54% lot coverage, the fact that Little Leaf collects rainwater from its roofs to help grow the lettuce will change that calculation to 33.4%.

The Banks Township zoning law requires one parking space for every 200 square feet of space built, which would amount to 2,700 spaces. But Letwinsky instead proposed 300 spaces, because the facility, when finished, will employ 73 people, and there will not be any retail customers.

Letwinsky also said there will be a paved area around the perimeter of the facility that can be used for parking.