Zoning Hearing Board 6/15/2026

The City of Easton's Zoning Hearing Board convened on June 15, 2026, to consider three separate hearings involving zoning and land use issues. The first hearing involved a youth services facility seeking an extension of a temporary special exception to operate programs for high-risk teens, with the board ultimately approving an eight-month extension to allow the applicant to establish operations and report back on attendance and neighborhood impact. The second hearing concerned a property owner seeking approval for a shed placement, which the board approved without issue. The third and most detailed hearing involved a variance request for a group home at 236 Vista Drive intended to serve girls in the child welfare system. The applicant sought variances to allow a group home use in a semi-detached residential structure and to increase occupancy from three to six residents. The board engaged in extensive discussion about zoning restrictions, legal hardship requirements, and the classification of group homes under city and state law. Ultimately, the board expressed concerns about the location and the applicant's failure to demonstrate a legal hardship, noting that the zoning ordinance does not permit the proposed use in that district. No contract awards, RFPs, or procurement actions were discussed during the meeting.