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The South Londonderry Township Zoning Hearing Board on Jan. 16 unanimously granted several variances requested by the Timbers Restaurant and rejected another.
The start of the meeting saw board members immediately enter into an hour-long executive session, as the record was closed at a 3 1/2-hour meeting Dec. 18.
Read More: South Londonderry Twp. zoning board tables decision on Timbers expansion
The restaurant, established in 1952 at 350 Timber Road, predates its location’s low-density residential zoning, which means it is entitled to both continue its existing use and expand within reason, zoning officer Frank Chlebnikow explained in December.
Chlebnikow found in his review that the restaurant’s request to construct a 2,060-square-foot microdistillery addition to the building was a “natural expansion” of the existing use.
While the board has the right to challenge this finding in the courts, they opted not to do so.
Zoners were asked to come to a decision on both the wholesale and retail sale of liquors made in the microdistillery. The board unanimously agreed to allow the retail sale of liquors; however, they denied both a request for wholesale (including selling liquors elsewhere and selling liquors brewed elsewhere) and subsequent requests for a variance or special exception requesting the same thing.
The board granted a variance to allow up to 55 percent impervious area on the property to account both for the microdistillery and additional parking, contingent on the applicant completing the following:
- Obtain necessary permits and approvals with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
- Receive certification from the Timbers or Mount Gretna water corporations that they are able to accommodate the amount of water needed.
- Receive certificate showing that they have adequate sewer capabilities.
- Ensure parking meets requirements.
- Cannot exceed 2,500 square feet.
The bar and restaurant was granted a request to expand operating hours, with a proposed 6 to 11 a.m. coffeeshop and proposed restaurant/bar hours every day from 4 to 10 or 11 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. weekends.
The restaurant is currently only open to the public three days a week, but hosts private events on off days.
The board also approved a request for the Timbers to reinstate a gift shop on the premises. The restaurant historically contained a gift shop, which Chlebnikow found to be abandoned in recent years.
Lastly, the board approved a variance permitting the applicant to take up to 24 months to submit stormwater and land development plans, as the prospective buyers need time to make a decision and transfer the property.
As of Sunday, Matt Stargel of Timbers Acquisition Group has not responded to requests for comment. At December’s meeting, Stargel said that he felt the outright rejection of variance requests “would make the project undoable.”
Zoning hearing boards are required to make decisions based on legal precedent and the language of the zoning ordinance, as well as the specific circumstances of a request, rather than on personal opinion.
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