Council Votes to Oppose Resident's Pool Request

A resident of Clearfield Avenue received sympathy but not support from Lower Saucon Township Council June 6, after she explained why she is seeking a variance to install an above-ground pool on her property.

Pamela Samuels--who lives in the street's 1300 block--said a family member's bad back makes it difficult for him to put up and take down a pool each year, which is why a permanent structure is desired.

"I'm going to be 65," she said. "It's for them. It's for my family."

The pool would be about 400 square feet in size and would put the amount of impervious surface coverage on her property over its limit by about 400 square feet, council vice president Tom Maxfield noted in reviewing Samuels' variance application.

Types of impervious coverage for which homeowners often seek variances include paved driveways, decks and permanent structures, but above-ground pools are also considered impervious surfaces in terms of the zoning ordinance.

"We have storm water runoff issues to think about," Maxfield said, noting that Samuels property is in a residential neighborhood located atop South Mountain.

"You have to take into consideration runoff problems for your neighbors and the surrounding area," he told her.

"We do have the right to enjoy our own property," Samuels responded, after Maxfield said he felt council needed to oppose the variance request.

"We do want you to enjoy living here," Maxfield said. "But there might be a greater problem here. That's kind of how I feel about it from an environmental standpoint."

Council president Glenn Kern said he agreed with Maxfield, but indicated that taking a hard-line stance was not necessarily easy.

"I can tell you're a great family," he said to Samuels and her relatives.

Balancing the wishes of individual property owners with a desire to maintain the quality of life for all residents can be "a challenge," Kern conceded.

However, "one of the most frequent problems council hears (about) is storm water runoff," he said.

Council member David Willard called the variance request "extreme" because of the amount of excessive impervious coverage Samuels' property would have if the pool were built, and he said he would oppose the request for that reason.

Council voted 4-0 to oppose Samuels' variance request, with council member Ron Horiszny absent.

The request will be heard by the township's zoning hearing board, but it is unlikely to be approved in light of council's opposition.