Wilkes-Barre meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Wilkes-Barre City Council weighs $1.08M insurance package, lead grant, land sale

Wilkes-Barre City Council met twice in the past two weeks, with a $1,076,130 insurance package, a $425,425 lead hazard control grant, and a $40,000 land sale among the items on its agenda. No minutes have been published for either meeting, so no votes are confirmed.

City Council

At its August 11 and August 13 meetings, the council had on its agenda a resolution to accept an insurance package from Risk Strategies with a total annual premium of $1,076,130. Both agendas also included a resolution to enter an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Health for a $425,425 Lead Hazard Control Grant.

The August 11 agenda included a subdivision and sale of city property to Rivers Edge WB, LLC for $40,000. Both meetings had first readings of an ordinance amending mobile food facility regulations, including provisions on power supply and a 12-foot setback, and an ordinance rescinding 2013 rules and adopting revised Police Civil Service Commission rules. The August 13 agenda also included a proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month.

Zoning Hearing Board

The Zoning Hearing Board held a public hearing on August 19 to consider seven zoning appeals. Among the items on the agenda were:

• A variance for institutional use at 226-228 Barney Street (10 residents)
• A special exception and parking variance for a group residence at 145 Madison Street (8 adult females)
• A variance and special exception for a recovery house at 314 North Main Street (11 adult females)
• A special exception to change a vacant commercial space to fast-food take-out at 168 Park Avenue
• Variances for a canopy and setbacks at 120 Academy Street

No decisions have been published for these applications.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days.

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.