A Jim Thorpe Borough zoning hearing board decision Wednesday clears the way for a second hand tool and appliance shop at 41 Walnut Ave.

The board voted unanimously to grant the Inn at Jim Thorpe a variance to operate a retail business in a residential zone.

The 5-0 vote came with one condition attached: the property must be connected to the borough’s central sewer system before any permits are issued. The property currently relies on a cesspool.

Dennis Drury, who is being trained to take over as general manager of the Inn at Jim Thorpe, testified that his grandfather, John Drury, purchased the property in 2023 before dying about a year ago.

“It now consists of a single-family home, which was split into two apartments — a two-bedroom apartment upstairs, one bedroom apartment downstairs — and then connected to that was one big garage,” Drury said. “The previous owner had a metal shop there. The garage we were trying to lease as commercial space.”

The proposed retail area totals 1,537 square feet, according to a floor plan submitted into evidence. The property also includes a large gravel parking lot leased from the Jim Thorpe Community Athletic Association, which oversees the Sam Miller baseball field complex. That lease runs through April 2036 and permits up to 20 vehicles on the Walnut Avenue side of the lot and six on the southerly portion.

The proposed tenant, Brandon Meckes, told the board he intends to sell refurbished secondhand goods.

“Merchandise is bought secondhand from big box retailers, and then I bring it into the shop, test it, go through it, and then put it for sale,” Meckes said.

He plans to be open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Even on the busiest days, Meckes said, he expects no more than five to eight customers in the store at one time. All deliveries would be handled personally, using his own Chevy Silverado and a Ford 550 pickup truck.

The property currently sits in an R-3 residential zoning district.

Only one public speaker raised concerns. Jodi Hinger of 94 North Ave. told the board the intersection near the building poses safety risks when traffic is heavy in the neighborhood.

“It’s at the top of the Liberties and it’s kind of a double blind corridor,” Hinger said.

“You do a sharp turn and come up and do a 90-degree turn right in front of the building. I live in that area, and I have firsthand knowledge of what it looks like during fall foliage when there is an influx of traffic. Many times, the traffic is backed up down around the corner because somebody’s trying to turn in one direction or another, and it’s a very hard corner to see around.”

Ronald Dunbar, who said he has lived in the area for 43 years, spoke in support of the application, pushing back on the traffic concerns.

He noted that the site housed a welding operation for years under previous owner Bob Hydro, with no similar public objections, and that the Drury family had since cleaned up the property. Heavy parking during fall foliage had already tested that corner, he argued.

“It’s not going to be a detriment to the community,” he said. “He’s going to sell things that are probably going to enhance the area. If Marzen closes down their hardware store, he might have paint supplies that people need — they might not have to run to Lowe’s or Walmart. It might be a convenience for people.”

The sewer connection requirement surfaced during cross-examination by the borough’s attorney, Jim Nanovic.

“I remember that there was talk of that years ago,” Drury said, adding that he is willing to comply.

After retiring to executive session, the board returned and voted in favor of the variance. A written decision will be issued within 45 days. A 30-day appeal window then follows, during which anyone who disagrees with the ruling may take the matter to county court before permits will be issued.