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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The city&rsquo;s Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday approved the construction of storage building on the grounds of the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
				The pole barn would be used to store kitchen and COVID-19 supplies and eliminate the need for the other storage sheds on site, said Jude Cooney of A+E Group of Plains Township.
				The structure would have a timber frame, metal siding and roof and measure 72 feet in length, 38 feet in width with a 28-foot roof height.
				&ldquo;The prison actually has a problem with storage, especially now with COVID-19 and all the additional supplies that they need. There&rsquo;s a real need from the county and prison standpoint to have more storage, &rdquo; Cooney told the board during its public meeting at City Hall.
				James Verdekal of Priestly Street opposed the county&rsquo;s request to reduce the side yard setback to 21 feet from 30 feet. &ldquo;This is right up against my building and my house,&rdquo; he said.
				Board members asked about moving the proposed location a few feet. Cooney responded the size of the barn has been reduced already and moving it would affect a sewer line, the security fence and the outdoor yard for inmates.
				&ldquo;There&rsquo;s quite a bit of cost that would be impacted,&rdquo; Cooney said.
				Cooney added that he could not agree to putting up screening or trees around the proposed storage barn without asking the prison. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not sure how that would work with their security,&rdquo; Cooney said. &ldquo;Someone could maybe climb up the screening like climbing the fence. I&rsquo;m not sure how that would work, so I would have to review that with the warden.&rdquo;
				Other applications
				The board heard six other applications.
				It approved:
				&#8226; A free-standing sign for the Geisinger Life Building at 592 S. Main St.
				&#8226; A shed for Thomas Wychock Jr. at 51 Pine Ridge Drive.
				&#8226; A roof for a deck at the residence of Mark Zurawski at 349 Blackman St.
				It denied:
				&#8226; A daycare center for Home Away from Home Children Daycare at 432 Hazle St.
				&#8226; A two-unit Airbnb proposed by Angel Quizhpi at 26-28 Irving Place.
				&#8226; Passenger van service Jose Express and an auto repair garage proposed by Salomon de Js. Tejada for 132 Hanover St.

Storage barn for Luzerne County Correctional Facility gets zoning approval