A local businessman confronted the Palmerton Borough Council Thursday about land development plans at a property he owns in the borough.

Joe Bennett’s property, which houses Blue Mountain Medical Practice Laboratory Services and Dunkin’ Donuts, is located at 555 Delaware Ave.

During Thursday’s meeting, Bennett requested the council give him a 30-day extension on land development plans he submitted nearly three months ago, which detail a parking layout that differs from the original design approved by the borough and the county a few years earlier.

Bennett’s plans contained around 40 “deficiencies,” as the borough defines them. The deficiencies range in complexity; some can be alleviated by editing.

Bennett said that he didn’t know about issues in the plan until earlier this month, when he was brought in front of District Judge William Kissner for noncompliance with a section of Palmerton Borough Zoning Ordinance that requires a 5-foot buffer area along the rear alley of the building.

When Bennett told council, Borough Manager Rodger Danielson responded that the engineer behind Bennett’s plan was notified of the deficiencies in December.

“As a matter of rule, we deal with the engineer that has supplied the plans,” Danielson said. “That is the way we have done it consistently.”

According to Bennett, there is a history behind his change in design.

After implementing the original plan, Bennett said Friday afternoon, the since-altered parking layout was deemed impractical.

“Several people looked at it, including myself, and the parking — the way it was laid out — just didn’t work,” Bennett said.

The design also had to take into account transport vehicles from a nearby school, which use the rear of Bennett’s building.

The modified layout worked for about two years, Bennett said.

But last year, Borough Zoning Officer Duane Dellecker cited Bennett for having a parking layout which differed from the one presented and approved years before. That citation prompted Bennett to submit a new plan, which the borough rejected Thursday night, along with Bennett’s request for an extension. The council cited the above-mentioned deficiencies as its reason.

In order to make his current layout legal, Bennett will have to submit new, revised plans to the borough and to the county.

“We have historically found that it’s better to stop a plan, rather than keep drawing up extensions,” Danielson said Thursday. “Especially with one with as extensive a list of changes that need to be made.”

“The effect is the same if you turn the plan down and then they resubmit it. It’s the same effect as if it was extended,” he added.

Solicitor Michael Ozalas backed up that statement.

The day after the meeting, Bennett said that he plans to resubmit the plan.

“We will get these issues resolved,” Bennett said. “But this cost me money and time, because they don’t have empathy for the amount of work required to do any of these projects.”