HERE IS A LINK TO THE AGENDA WITH DETAIL
FYI: All township BOC meetings are available on video online the next day at www.lowermac.com
You can also always watch them live on Channel 66 on RCN cable.
There will be an executive session prior to the mtg tonight to talk about litigation and real estate. I will provide an update on the real estate issue after tonight’s meeting. As much information as I can give I want to do so.
Announcements & Presentations:
The developers of Hamilton Crossings will be present tonight to provide an update on the major development project.
Last year I voted against the corporate welfare public funding of the project, but generally supported the land development. Although, I believe we could have required more stringent design guidelines. The TIF funding passed despite my objections 3-2. Even without the TIF developers rec’d 10 million dollars in state grants. Only $6.6 million of the total capital cost of $139 million is the subject of the TIF debate. About 5% of the total. This project would almost certainly still have proceeded without the township giveaway.
We will also get an update from the library board. This is regularly scheduled.
COMMUNICATION:
We have a letter from Upper Milford Twp. inviting us to a joint meeting of the UM supervisors and open space committee. Both as a Twp. Commissioner and a member of the Lehigh County Farmland Preservation board, I plan on attending this and thank UM for the invitation. The preservation of open space is a regional concern.
We have two letters from residents urging us to continue to preserve and protect open space. Although multiple elections have given us clear mandates and direction it’s nice to hear we are on the right track.
We have a letter from resident and chair of the walkways subcommittee to recall a number of walkway deferrals in multiple locations throughout the township. What this means is that either during a land development, or a subdivision a requirement to complete a sidewalk was deferred. This is not a waiver. A deferral means the twp. can call in the waiver at an appropriate time. It’s an obligation that could have been required immediately but was postponed by the township. Mr. Palmquist believes that time is now. I tend to agree. This will be an interesting conversation. Our policy is to no longer give deferrals in most cases.
We have a letter from a developer of a proposed shopping center on the Eastern Industries site. This would be the 3rd major shopping center of the past few years. The center can be built by right but has some serious access constraints. The developer is requesting the township endorse an application to study the problem with PennDot. At yesterdays Planning and Zoning Committee I expressed a number of concerns.
We have recommendations to appoint 3 residents to various boards and commissions. I want to thank these 3 volunteers. Interested in serving? Fill out the volunteer application form!
Engineering
We are continuing to restrict dangerous truck turning movements on Schoeneck, Quarry and Creamery. Unfortunately, the process takes a frustratingly long time because we have to work through PennDOT. Tonight we will advertise Rt. 100 and Schoeneck restrictions. I continue to be disappointed by how this is taking.
Rt. 100 corridor study. See my thoughts here. This is a warning not a roadmap.
Authorization to draft and advertise official map. This was a goal of mine. We are one step closer. More information here.
Award of proposal for Act. 209 study. This is the process to update the townships traffic impact fee plan. I’m going to try to write a post about this in the coming days.