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Politics & Government

City Zoners Approve Industrial Expansion

National Magnetics Group wins appeal to build two 5,000-square-foot additions. Zoning Hearing Board also grants variance for new home construction on E. Fifth Street.

 

The president and CEO of National Magnetics Group, Inc. appealed his own case before the Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board Wednesday night for a dimensional  variance to construct additions to an existing industrial building, and was granted unanimous approval.

Paul Overbeck, head of the manufacturer of technical ceramics and powdered iron cores at 1210 Win Drive, told the board he wants to build two additions of approximately 5,000 square feet. One addition received approval in 1998 but was not built at the time.

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He requested a variance for 12-foot side yard setback instead of the zoning code’s required 15-foot side yard setback. Overbeck said he wants to keep the same setback as the existing line. 

According to its website, National Magnetics Group is a private company employing 65 and serving the telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, computer, medical and consumer electronics industries.

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Zoners also heard a new appeal from Joseph D’Ambrosio, who appeared before the board in April for a dimensional variance for construction of a single-family attached dwelling at 217 E. Fifth St.   

D’Ambrosio’s attorney, Jeremy Clark, said a "de minimus" variance was sought to increase the size of living space on the third floor to the rear of the building. The front elevation would not change.

Clark explained that the de minimus proposal is “close to what zoning allows.”  "De minimus" is a Latin phrase that refers to disagreements or items that are often considered too insignificant to be heard by a court.

Zoners voted 5-0 to grant the appeal.

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