The Lower Towamensing Township Zoning Hearing Board voted Tuesday night to approve variances for a Tractor Supply to move forward.

On March 18 a hearing was held for MSP Development, who was seeking variances to the zoning ordinance for a Tractor Supply Store at 780 Little Gap Road outside of Palmerton.

Attorney Holly Heintzelman, Chairman James Ord, and members Keith George, Georgia Mock, and Ralph Cortazzo were in attendance for Lower Towamensing Township, as was the Zoning Officer Duane Dellecker.

The variances included:

• Permitting a 5.61 acre industrial parcel located at 780 Little Gap Road, Palmerton, to be used for a retail building, outdoor display area, off street parking, loading area, indoor propane sales, garden equipment center, storage and sale of landscaping supplies, sale of fencing, fence posts, farm equipment and all items typically sold by Tractor Supply.

• Permitting the maximum coverage on the lot parcel to be 60%. The current zoning ordinance allows only 35% coverage of the parcel by buildings and structures.

• A retail display area to extend 32 feet into the required 50-foot front yard setback. The setback remains at 50 feet; but, Tractor Supply will be able to set up an outdoor display area no greater than 32 feet into that setback area.

• A 150-square-foot outdoor sign, with the condition that the sign be turned off on a daily basis when the store is closed. The current ordinance only permitted 50 square feet.

• LED lighting in the sign located on the subject property. Variance is granted subject to the condition that the applicant shut off the sign on a daily basis when the store is closed. The sign shall have a static display, not be animated or have any changing message.

• Sale of live animals on subject property, under the condition that all live animals be kept inside the retail store at all times prior to sale.

The zoning hearing board voted to grant all the variances, with the following conditions:

• A line of green giant arborvitae trees must be planted on a maximum of 5 feet apart along the property which faces the neighboring property. The trees shall not be planted closer than 60 feet from the center of the highway.

• The lights should be shielded so that they do not project onto the adjoining properties, with the exception of the free-standing sign.