Wilkes-Barre Council Considers $650K Bridge Grant; Zoning Board Hears Five Appeals
Wilkes-Barre City Council recently considered a $650,000 grant application to fund the rehabilitation of two local bridges, while the Zoning Hearing Board prepared to review five property appeals ranging from a proposed coffee shop to a group residence. Official minutes for the recent meetings have not yet been published, so the final outcomes of the council votes and zoning board decisions are not yet available.
City Council
On July 7 and July 9, Wilkes-Barre City Council agendas included a resolution to submit a $650,000 grant application to the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The funds from the Multimodal Transportation Fund would support the Empire Street and McLean Street Bridges Rehabilitation Project.
The consent agenda for the meetings also featured multiple resolutions authorizing the disposal of old records from various city offices. The records slated for disposition included:
- Controller's Office: 21 boxes (2015-2017)
- Tax Office: 6 boxes (2019-2021)
- Accounts & Finance: 4 boxes (2016-2022)
- OCD Office: 11 boxes
- City Clerk's Office: 7 boxes
- Special Events/Business Licenses: 11 boxes
- Miscellaneous: 3 boxes of garbage bags
The July 9 agenda also listed the approval of minutes from recent Planning Commission meetings (May 20 and June 17, 2026), General Municipal Authority meetings (May 26 and June 23, 2026), and the City Council regular session (June 11, 2026). Because the minutes for the July 7 and July 9 meetings are not yet published, the final vote tallies and outcomes for the bridge grant application and record dispositions are not available.
Zoning Hearing Board
The Wilkes-Barre Zoning Hearing Board held a public hearing on July 15 to consider five zoning appeals. The agenda listed the following applications:
- Ferando Puerie requested a special exception to convert a nonconforming insurance office into a take-out coffee shop at 352 East Northampton Street in an R-2 zone.
- Adam Lorts requested a special exception to establish a group residence for five residents each at 226 and 228 Barney Street in a C-N zone.
- Allendy Lopez requested variances for storing eight vehicles, an 8.5' x 40' industrial storage container, and a side yard setback reduction at 210 Jones Street in a C-2 zone.
- Jose Francisco Jose requested a variance to reduce a side yard setback from 10 ft to 4.5 ft for a subdivision at 274½ Carey Avenue in a C-N zone.
- Claudio Saico requested a variance to reduce a side yard setback from 5 ft to 4 ft for a 20' x 20' second-story rear addition at 434 East South Street in an R-1 zone.
As with the City Council meetings, minutes for the July 15 zoning hearing have not yet been published, so the board's decisions on these appeals are not yet available.
Coming Up
- July 21: The Parking Authority of Wilkes-Barre will meet to review reports, approve prior meeting minutes, and consider several items. The agenda includes an audit presented by Snyder Clemente, discussions on EV charging and LSA and HARIE grants, and the transfer of recurring monthly bills to LAZ. No final decisions are indicated beyond routine approvals.