Walker Township’s zoning hearing board on Wednesday approved a request from a commercial turkey packing operation for a special exception and variance.

Lewistown Valley Enterprises Inc., doing business as Koch’s Turkey Farm, 416 Valley Road, Tamaqua, sought a special exception under a section of the zoning ordinance for expansion of a nonconforming building, as well as a determination that the existing use is a conforming use, or, in the alternative, a special exception under a section of the ordinance to allow expansion of a nonconforming use.

Township zoning officer Dave Horst said the board granted the special exception for the expansion of a nonconforming building, as it was determined to be a nonconforming use.

The business also sought a variance from a section of the ordinance which otherwise limits expansion of a nonconforming use to 25 percent of the area occupied by the use of the effective date of the zoning ordinance.

Horst said the board granted the business a variance.

He said there were only two people in the audience, one of which questioned the application.

The matter previously went before the board in May, when there was some question as to if the matter was properly advertised, and what exactly it was they were asking for.

As a result, the attorney for Koch’s withdrew the application and indicated they would resubmit a new application to the board.