Truck Driving School Variance - Do I have a case?

Pennsylvania Viewed 9 times. Posted 4 months ago in Business

I am opening a Truck Driving School. I have found a location that is perfect. It was a distribution center for a company which has gone out of business. The owner has agreed to lease me two small offices while awaiting someone interested in the whole building. The land is zoned Industrial, and according to the Township my school must be Highway Commercial.
A truck driving school does not belong in a highway commercial zone and without me the other building is sitting completely empty.
There are no PHYSICAL restrictions that prohibit the building from being utilized as zoned. There are a host of reasons why my school should be there, but none that meet the letter of the law. Is this worth persuing, or am I dead in the water? Any suggestions for arguments? Thanks!!!

Additional information
According to the zoning regs, the following finding must be made:
"That there are unique physical circumstances on the property such as narrowness, exceptional topography, irregular lot size, or other limiting factors that prohibit development or use of the property in strict conformance with the Ordinance."
I was thinking of making the argument that the large size of the building and the extreme surplus of empty industrial space within the county would prohibit the owner from successfully selling or leasing the whole space.
Also, what is a special exception? Should I be applying for an exception instead of a variance?
Thanks!!!

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