The Clark Township Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved a variance for a roof over the deck at the Islander Bar in Hessel Tuesday, June 23. The non-confirming roof would have likely been approved at a May zoning meeting, but was postponed owing to a vacancy left by former zoning inspector Frank Sims, who left the township's employ May 14.

The addition of the roof is part of a refurbishing project at the Hessel restaurant and bar and is the only non-conforming part of the project to require approval from the ZBA. The cooler and storage area at the establishment will also be torn down and rebuilt, projects previously approved by Mr. Sims.

Islander Bar owner Greg Bohn said he started the work without ZBA approval because he wanted construction to be completed before his busy season of July and August.

"We started only because of the time frame," he said. "Because of the lack of having an inspector, I thought that it was just going to take too long for me to have that done. I didn't want to be under construction in the middle of my busy season."

He said the addition of a roof to the deck will protect patrons from the weather and act as a sound buffer for neighboring properties. He informed the zoning board that he contacted neighboring property owners to get their consent before going ahead with the project.

Mr. Bohn assured the zoning board he was aware there could be repercussions, but took a chance and started the work, anyway.

"I thought we were going to have a zoning meeting June 2 to get things to go ahead, but we had lost Frank [Sims], and I heard the next meeting wouldn't be until now," he said. "I didn't want to be under construction during the two months that I can make money, so I rolled the dice, hoping the zoning board would approve the variance, and I went ahead and did it."

The board had no objections to the roof, or its premature construction, and unanimously approved the variance as a non-conforming use.

"I think that Greg [Bohn] got caught in the middle of a situation that wasn't of his creation because of Frank [Sims] quitting; we didn't have a building inspector on board to do things. I think we [the ZBA] probably would have voted on this weeks ago," said Mike Lofdahl, Clark Township board's liaison to the zoning board. "The time delay wasn't his fault and he said he had to get things done."