Boards and Commissions

Zoning Hearing Board

Font Size: + -
Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option
Print

The South Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board is a five-member board of residents appointed by the Board of Commissioners. They serve a 5 year term or until they are replaced by the BOC.  They serve voluntarily without pay.

 

Zoning Hearing Board Members

 

  • David Eisenberg | Chairman (Term expiration: 3/2023*)
  • Lee Solt | Vice Chairman (Term expiration: 7/2026)
  • Dennis Toomey | Secretary (Term expiration: 10/2023*)
  • David Melman | Alternate Member (Term expiration:  12/2030)
  • Vacancy | Member
  • Vacancy | Member
  • Vacancy | Alternate Member
  • Thomas H. Dinkelacker | Solicitor
  • Marc S. Fisher | Alternate Solicitor

 

* Or until a successor is appointed by the Board of Commissioners.

 

If you are interested in serving on this Board, please click on the Volunteer Board Member Application link below to print out, complete, and return to the Township as explained on the form - There are currently (2) alternate member positions open on the Zoning Hearing Board.

 

Volunteer Board Member Application Form

Letter of Intent for Board Reappointment Form

 

About the Board

The Zoning Hearing Board is a quasi-judicial body that reviews appeals under the Township Zoning Ordinance. Therefore, they should not be directly contacted by any person having an interest in an appeal. Communication with the Zoning Hearing Board, prior to a hearing, should be accomplished only through the Zoning Hearing Board’s Solicitor and/or the Township Zoning Officer.

The Zoning Hearing Board's Solicitor is Thomas H. Dinkelacker.

The Township’s Zoning Officer is Kent A. Baird, AICP.

The Zoning Hearing Board hears the following types of appeals:

  • Requests for variances: Variances are dispensations from the strict provisions of the Zoning Ordinance granted by the Zoning Hearing Board. Normally they are only granted when the applicant can demonstrate that physical constraints make it impossible or unduly burdensome to comply with the Zoning Ordinance. Also, the variance requested should not put the property out of character with the surrounding neighborhood. The Zoning Hearing Board may, if it wishes to, establish conditions of approval in rendering a decision.
  • Requests for a Favorable Interpretation: Where there is a conflict between the applicant’s reading of the Zoning Ordinance and the Zoning Officer’s reading of the Ordinance, the applicant can appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board for a favorable interpretation that agrees with his/her own.
  • Special Exceptions: Certain schedules for certain zone districts have “Special Exception Uses” contained within them. Special Exception Uses are permitted uses that may be potentially detrimental. They are permitted only after a review by the Zoning Hearing Board, and permission is subject to any conditions the Zoning Hearing Board may attach.
  • Temporary Uses: When an event or activity that is not specifically listed as a permitted use in the Zoning Ordinance is planned for a short duration of time, applicants shall first seek permission from the Zoning Hearing Board. They must comply with any conditions the Board attaches.
  • Validity Challenges to the Land Use Ordinance: From time to time, the Township’s Land Use Ordinance may be challenged by a person who alleges defects in the Ordinance or raises procedural-type questions.

Applications for an appeal must be submitted by 4:00 PM on the cut-off date for the meeting as listed below. A copy of the Zoning Appeal Application can be found HERE.  The Zoning Hearing Board normally meets only on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The event calendar can be found at the bottom of this page. The overflow hearing dates are for emergency purposes only. Written decisions of the Board are sent to the appellants (and objectors, if any) within 45 days after the decision is announced.

 

Meeting Schedule and Information

All meetings are open to the public.
This Board meets at 7:00 PM in the Public Meeting Room of the Township Municipal Building , 4444 Walbert Avenue. 

Zoning Hearing Board hearing exhibits from past meetings, along with the Zoning Appeal Application and hearing procedures, can be found in the "Zoning Hearing Board Documents" section located at the top left of this page. Exhibits for upcoming meetings will be posted within the event notification found on the homepage.

Meeting Dates and Information:

2026 ZHB - Calendar - Dates

Zoning Hearing Board

Cut-Off Date: February 17, 2026. Overflow Date: April 2, 2026.

  • Date: 03/25/2026 7:00 PM  

Zoning Hearing Board meetings are held in person at the Township Municipal Building at 4444 Walbert Ave. They are also streamed on-line via the link found below. Please note that no virtual public participation will be allowed and no recording of the hearing will be posted on the Township website.

Learn more about the Zoning Hearing Board HERE.

The Public Meeting Rules can be found HERE.

 

Public Notice:

  PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of South Whitehall Township will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. in the South Whitehall Township Municipal Building located at 4444 Walbert Avenue, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, for the following zoning appeals:

ZHB-2025-05: The Appeal of St. Paul’s Orthodox Church, requesting the following relief from the South Whitehall Township Zoning Ordinance (the “Ordinance”):
(1) A variance from Section 350-48(s)(17)(E)(i) to permit an approximate 1,600 square foot non-residential accessory storage building where the Ordinance would prohibit said storage building from exceeding the lesser of 300 square feet or 15% of the area of the principal building footprint on the same lot;
(2) A favorable interpretation that the applicant’s plan complies with Section 350-47(a)(5), which authorizes additions and/or extensions to existing nonconforming structures, to consider the replacement of an existing, non-conforming accessory building located on the property with a new accessory storage building as a permitted addition and/or extension of said existing non-conforming accessory building;
(3) Variances from Sections 350-24(c)(9) and 350-42(h)(2)(A)(ii) to permit the height of the proposed Church Building to be 77’6” where only 68’ is permitted;
(4) A variance from Section 350-42(h)(2)(A)(i) to permit the depth of the two proposed bell tower domes and the main church to be 48’3” where 35’7” is permitted;
(5) A variance from Section 350-42(h)(2)(A)(i) to permit the width of the two bell tower domes and the main church to be 60’3” where 25’10” is permitted; and
(6) A variance from Section 350-48(p)(4)(D) to permit the provision of 153 off-street parking spaces where the Ordinance would require a minimum of 190 spaces.
The subject property is in the R-3 Zoning District (Low Density Residential), and is located at 670 South Cedar Crest Boulevard, Allentown, PA (Tax ID No. 58671329250 1).

ZHB-2024-16: The appeal of Triple Net Investments CI, LLC c/o Joseph Petrucci seek a one (1) year time extension in accordance with Ordinance Section 350-13(d)(3), Zoning Permits, for variance and special exception approvals previously granted by the Board in Appeal No. ZHB-2023-12. Section 350-13(d)(3) requires an applicant receiving zoning relief from the Board to commence an authorized use or the construction thereof within one (1) year from the date of the grant of such relief. The applicant previously received a one (1) year time extension from the Board by written decision dated January 13, 2025, in Appeal No. ZHB-2024-16. The applicant now seeks an additional one (1) year time extension. The applicant also seeks a variance from Section 350-13(d)(3) to the extent that the instant appeal application was submitted more than one year after the previously-granted extension. The subject property is in the Industrial Commercial-1 (IC-1) zoning district, and is located at 1429 Eck Road, Allentown (Tax ID No. 547720402074 1).
The above-referenced properties are in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, PA. Copies of any plans, applications, and/or supporting documents submitted to the Township are available for public inspection at the Township Building, located at the above address, during normal business hours where they may be examined without charge or obtained for a charge not greater than the cost thereof (it is recommended that appointments be made in advance). All Applicants or their authorized representatives must attend. All objectors and interested parties are invited to attend and will have the opportunity to be heard.

Kent Baird, Zoning Officer

Case Information:

ZHB-2025-05:

ZHB-2025-05 - St. Paul Orthodox Church - Packet - 2026.03.25 Hearing

 

ZHB-2024-16:

ZHB-2024-16 - Triple Net Investments - Packet - 2026.03.25 Hearing

 

Virtual Meeting Link Information:

 

SWT Zoning Hearing Board Hearing

Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone HERE.

Return to full list >>