Category Archives: Lower Macungie Township News

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.6 square miles (58.5 km²). Little Lehigh Creek and Swabia Creek drain and wind through the township from sources in Berks and Lehigh Counties. Swabia Creek joins Little Lehigh Creek in the township and the latter drains into the Lehigh River in Allentown. South Mountain crosses the township’s southern-most corner, just south of the boroughs of Alburtis and Macungie.

To TIF or not to TIF……

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Trying to put together a comprehensive list of information regarding Hamilton Crossings from the last month. I’ve also included some opinion pieces outlining various positions on TIF’s in general. I hope this is a good starting spot for folks getting caught up on the issue.

Remember, all 3 taxing bodies EPSD, County and LMT must approve for a TIF to happen. The bulk of discussion this week has been on the county vote which will take place next week June 12th.

Contents:
TIF Guidelines
Opinions
Media
LVPC opposition
LMT rebuttal
Business opposition letters 

 

Incumbent callers mis-pronounce ‘Macungie’

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Yes, the repeated calls from “Alliance for a better Pennsylvania” are definitely paid callers. Multiple reports the Alliance for PA callers have been mispronouncing the word Macungie as well as the incumbents last names. Dead giveaway they are paid out of town callers.

Does the incumbent campaign really have to pay people to make calls for them? Seems like it.

Alliance for a better Pennsylvania is the front group out of “Lemoyne, PA” for the PA Association of Realtors. This special interest PAC has funded the television commercials, misleading fake newsletters and the incessant annoying ROBO calls on behalf of Roger Reis, Ron Eichenberg and Ryan Conrad.

When it’s all said it done I wouldn’t be surprised if they spent over 25,000 dollars on this election.

Want to Help Replant Sauerkraut and Willow Lane Trees? Here’s How

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After - Sauerkraut Lane in Lower Macungie Township

After – Sauerkraut Lane in Lower Macungie Township. After PPL tree cutting.

When trees were clear cut on Willow and Sauerkraut I was hoping residents affected would band together to spearhead an effort to re-plant in light of the township failing to take the reigns. The entire community is affected by the unfortunate decision to remove the streetscape buffer.

It comes down to property value. For me, a house is the biggest investment I’ll make in my life. That rings true for most people. Residents not only adjacent to affected streets but also nearby lost property value. Street-Scapes add value to our community.

There is alot of interest in residents taking matters into our own hands and addressing the issue. Residents I’ve spoken with are interested fundraising and coordinating an effort to replant the buffer with approved small trees and shrubs in appropriate locations.

Neighbors working together is critical. Streetscaping is only effective when it is coordinated. It’s a design issue but the most cost effective strategy. Compatible trees and shrubs can be purchased in bulk. A unified design will make the replanting more attractive and effective. Plus it’s a great way for residents to work together to take a disheartening situation and make the best of it.

We can take this situation and make the best out of it. Who knows, a new street-scape with flowering dogwoods, redbuds, ornamental grass, low lying evergreen shrubs and witch hazel would be beautiful all 4 seasons. (all these species are approved by PPL and endorsed by the EAC) We could make the street-scape even better then it was before.

I’ve talked already to one landscape service willing to discount or donate resources.

I live near but not directly adjacent to the cutting, but I feel strongly about the community wide benefit of replanting. I’ve spoken out at many meetings over the last 2 years regarding the benefits of a coordinated, attractive streetscape.

  • Traffic Calming. Studies show cars drive slower on tree lined streets. (Trees in travel perception)
  • Stormwater Management. Trees absorb 30% of precipitation through leaf and root system.
  • Safer walking environment
  • Softens the harsh features of utility poles.
  • Added value to all our homes. Up to 10% increase in nearby home values.

Do you live adjacent to the cut zone? Are you willing to volunteer time or resources to help restore the neighborhood to it’s prior charm? Winding Brook resident Randy Fritz is coordinating an effort to look into alternatives and options. Please contact him at GIJoe196910@yahoo.com.

Here is the before image. An evergreen stand went the length of Sauerkraut Lane adjacent to Winding Brook Manor in Lower Macungie

Request to rezone on agenda Thursday

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The public needs to be aware that a request to rezone 7513 Quarry Road will be under consideration to forward to the planning commission this Thursday. The item is on this weeks agenda. This is SEPARATE from the Jaindl issue. This is a large tract at Rt. 100 and Quarry Roads.

This large protected farmland parcel may very well be the first additional domino to fall as a result of the Jaindl rezoning.

The request is to change the zoning from Agriculture Protection to Commercial. This is a major step to transforming Rt. 100 into Macarther Rd with strip mall commercial properties along the entire corridor.

Residents who have concerns with this should make their opinion known. Commissioners have stated “they had no choice” in rezoning the Jaindl land. What will be their stance on this property? 

Strongtowns.org to host Smart Growth discussion in LMT

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On January 9th ‘strongtowns.org’ will host a curbside chat in Lower Macungie. The strongtowns message focuses on new strategies for the economic realities that face our communities.

For years communities have emphasized growth over resiliency. Sound familiar? Over the last 2 decades LMT has seen unprecendented growth. Strongtowns asks a simple question. With all the rapid growth have we adequately set ourselves up for the long term? Have taxpayer investments in growth and infrastructure produced a return on our investment moving forward?

Strongtowns compares ‘growth as the magic bullet’ policy to a ponzi scheme. This occurs when municipalities swap near term cash advantage for long term financial obligations. Stop and think about it for a second. We have officials who publicly support the Jaindl development by claiming we “need the taxbase”. Same can be said for Hamilton Crossings or the Allen Organ supermarket/apartment project. Ask yourself one simple question, after two decades of supercharged growth how can we possibly still need more taxbase. When does it end? Does it ever end?

As we approach total build out how do we begin to position ourselves for long term resiliency? What happens when there are no more greenfields and the developers have moved on to the next ‘green pasture’ and the long term infrastructure obligations must be maintained or replaced by township taxdollars. What happens when we need another fire station, a police dept, upgraded stormwater systems or a new High School? How do we continue to pay for all this without a massive tax increase?

Thats the core issue strongtowns focuses on.They support growing in a fiscally sustainable fashion where projects are reviewed from a lifecycle cost benefit and quality of life analysis.  They advocate for analyzing the status quo not blindly doubling down on it. Strategy that leads to financial sustainability not policy that relies on perpetual growth.

I hope to see you at this presentation. It’s certainly very thought provoking and relevant to the issues we as a community face now and moving forward.

Strongtowns.org presents a ‘curbside chat’
Date: January 9th

Where: Lower Macungie Township Building
3400 Brookside Road

Time: 8:00-9:30 AM

Friends LMT response to commonwealth court decision

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 We’re disappointed with the commonwealth court decision. Funding of this lawsuit was an overwhelming community effort by nearly a hundred individual donors making individual contributions ranging from 5 to 1000 dollars.Nearly a thousand residents signed the petition, multiple neighboring communities and smart growth advocates have condemned this zoning change as the antithesis of smart growth.

The details of the MOU (document allowing this travesty) were negotiated confidentially and decided unilaterally by seated commissioners without public input. By this action, the residents and neigbors of LMT were prevented from weighing in on the most significant zoning change in township history. A change affecting 5% of our township directly and all residents indirectly.

For now, the commonwealth decision is 22 pages and extremely complex. Moving forward the appellants will consider their options after the holidays. Friends will be open to supporting whatever decision they make. Remember, without overwhelming community support we wouldn’t have been able to stop this project. We sincerely thank all those who have put up a yard sign, contributed money, signed the petition or attended our events. The decision is ultimately the appellants but our organization stands ready to support the decision they make.

Ron Beitler – Outgoing Chair Friends for Protection of LMT

Friends LMT is a Smart Growth Resident Association. Our mission is to promote smart growth through education programs, advocacy and raising awareness. The past 2 years friends has supported the appellants attempting to overturn the Jaindl re-zoning to allow 1.5 million square foot of warehouses, Urban density tract housing and over a hundred thousand square ft. of strip mall just outside Alburtis on 700 acres of previously protected farmland. 

Join the conversation here on our facebook page www.facebook.com/friendslmt

Upper and Lower Milford question proposed LMT ordinance.

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Here is one letter sent by Upper Milford Planning Coordinator Brian Miller:

I spoke out against this proposed change a few months ago. Specifically I questioned the definition of a “Small” project…. This proposed ordinance allows for projects up to +10,000 increase impervious/building to qualify for expedited review. Meaning that potentially they could by-pass our planning commission. The planning commission is resident oversight on development plans. And as the letter mentions is vital making sure long term planning objectives are met.

Mcall – Upper Milford supervisor chides Lower Macungie over ordinance proposal

 

Variance requests tonight for Hamilton Crossings Costco/Target

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The developer for Hamilton Crossings will be requesting dozens of variances tonight at the 7:00 pm zoning hearing board meeting.

This is the second version of the plan to come before the board. The first was scrapped due to the discovery of mine wash on the property. The developer claims the faulty soil has “forced us to reorganize the site plan in a relatively significant way,”.

Residents should who live in the area of the proposed center should attend the hearing tonight. There are a couple requests of note:

1. Request to increase maximum impervious coverage to up to 80%.

2. Request to increase maximum building coverage to 22.5%

3. Request to eliminate certain planted islands

4. Requests to allow higher screening fencing

I believe these items are important to scrutinize very thoroughly given our townships flooding issues. The max impervious, buildling coverage and requirements to plan tree’s and shrubbery in parking lots all contribute to a developments stormwater management. Remember, to be granted a variance the developer must present “true hardship on the property owner”. They must show why the increase in impervious is necessary and what measures will be taken to counter the increased stormwater issues.

To view a complete list of the variance requests (as of noon today the agenda for tonight’s meeting is not on the township website) you can view the BOC agenda from 11/15. The requests are exhibit BB.

Friends for protection of Lower Macungie Township will be monitoring the progress of this development. We’re dedicated to keeping residents informed about land use/development issues. For more information visit our website or join our mailing list. Also I write about local development issues here on my blog.

It’s OK to grow! Contrasting 2 development plans

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‘Friends LMT’ is not anti growth. We recently got some press in a couple outlets for our support of the Hamilton Crossings Development.

Even Friends for the Protection of Lower Macungie, which has been critical of some of the township’s planned development, has voiced its support for the project. Mcall

We don’t arbitrarily decide what we support and don’t. We take potential projects and apply the 10 principles of smart growth. Here is an example of 5 of the ten smart growth principles contrasting the Jaindl Development with the Hamilton Crossings Development.

(Note we look at this plan purely from a land use standpoint, we don’t take a stance on the funding mechanisms specifically the grants or TIF’s)

1. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities: Perhaps the most important criteria for our support of Hamilton Crossings. (HC) The project is being built in the designated commercial corridor of the township. This both according to county and local planning. The lions share of the infrastructure is already in place with the bypass.  It’s now all about prioritizing by seeking a return on investment to maximize taxpayer dollars. HC accomplishes this big time.

Contrast this with Jaindl. Costly new infrastructure must be built to accommodate this development on the fringe of the twp. The Jaindl development is an example of the suburban sprawl ponzi scheme.

‘No large up-front bet’
“The smart growth approach requires no oversizing, no large up-front bet with public money, no stifling congestion if the system doesn’t respond as predicted, no more building multimillion-dollar industrial parks to gamble on attracting jobs.

And remember first and foremost a fundamental principle that outlying greenfield development is NEVER smart growth. Which leads us to….

2. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas: It’s not just quality of life. Although that is a huge part. It’s a building in a  sustainable way thing.  And yes, that means both environmentally but equally important fiscally. Smart Growth dictates that you build according to a transect.

Smart Growth Transect

Smart Growth Transect – From the Urban Core to rural

What leadership did in the 80’s was correctly re-zone the area’s west of Rt. 100 to agriculture protected. This remained for 20 years without challenge (until Jaindl saw his opportunity with the current BOC) The ag zoning would have ensured that the fringes of our township remained protected. Allowing development to concentrate in the appropriate core. Jaindl will essentially blow the whole transect out of proportion. Putting an extremely high concentration of high density housing, strip malls and warehousing in the most inefficient place away from services, away from infrastructure. Who pays the price to subsidize this? The taxpayers. In contrast HC maximizes investments already made. Over the course of a lifecycle cost benefit analysis it’s highly likely that HC will pay dividends to the taxpayer for decades. (The real winner being the school district)

Of course you can also make the case that the headwaters of Creeks that provide drinking water to Allentown are environmentally sensitive areas. But the environmental argument against Jaindl development is obvious. Here we’ll concentrate on dollars and cents. Greenfield development NEVER balances out in terms of cost vs. benefit. It simply doesn’t. 

3. Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices: The Hamilton bypass corridor is currently the focus of a transportation study the results of which will be applied to the corridor to even further assure it will be able to handle the traffic generated.

The hope is to eventually provide fast, efficient public transportation options for workers who can take a bus to get to their jobs along Hamilton and industrial parks in Upper Macungie and make a pit stop at one of the various shopping centers on their way to and from work. Township officials hope it will also contribute to the revitalization of the villages of Wescosville and Trexlertown.  

Again, the Jaindl development is creating traffic where currently there is nothing but cornfields. This will most assuredly lead to tractor trailer traffic bleeding onto residential streets and gridlock on Rt. 100.

 4. Mix Land Uses: The Hamilton corridor will be a shining example of mixing uses when it offers expanded transportation choices, by creating a setting that better serves a range of users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and automobiles. Residents will have be given a choice on whether or not they choose to use their cars and if they do, traffic will flow efficiently because the area was designed to handle it. This is all due to the proximity of COMPATIBLE land uses. This is a fundamental flaw with Jaindl development. Warehouses are naturally incompatible with residential development. The Jaindl development is slamming a square peg in a circle hole to maximize profit at all costs. By locating services away from the core on the fringe even if you do provide say public transportation the cost to the taxpayer is more expensive then the Hamilton corridor which is closer to the core. Also by mixing land uses as the corridor does, fire and police protection are more

5. Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair, and Cost Effective: Perhaps the biggest knock on the Jaindl development. It’s well documented the flaws in the process. A confidentially negotiated MOU, changing a 20 year zoning precedent without proper notification and without meaningful public input, a developer whose lawyer says basically ‘this development is happening regardless of the the community thinks’. This is perhaps the perfect example of predatory development.

Vs. HC and a developer that goes out of his way to work with the community. A process (perhaps amplified by the TIF application) that is clearly in the public realm. Every resident knows exactly whats on the table for this property. Perhaps no other project in the history of the township has the public been better informed on the issues surrounding it. It’s clear the developer wants to build an interesting, unique place which reflect the values of the people who reside here. They are definitely heading in the right direction. We challenge them to take it even further.

HAMILTON CROSSINGS COSTCO TARGET

Work to be done…

The Hamilton Crossings Project is not perfect. But it does have promise. Right now the project is seeking funding. Some have issues with the public funding portion. Additionally the developer is seeking dozens of variance requests. Including one serious red flag regarding maximum impervious coverage. Residents will need to monitor this carefully.

LMT Officials Stand Firm on Resident’s Request for Flooding Buyout

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The residents who came in front of the Lower Macungie Township board of commissioners pleading for matching funding to attain a federal FEMA buyout of their properties in Ancient Oaks on Spring Creek Rd were denied the request.

Read more here

One of the residents returned tonight to ask for a explanation. She broke down at the podium.

The Commissioners rationale was they did not want to set a precedent for other residents to come to the township for flood funding.

My issues with this decision was two fold. A precedent was already set by a previous board. The 2009 board worked with FEMA and PEMA to fund buyout for sever repetitive losses per lehigh valley hazard mitigation plan. (LMT highest risk) Secondly, this attitude is basic burying our heads in the sand that development in LMT has affected the flood plains.

I met and visited with one of the families making the request a few weeks ago. They purchased their home in 1996. PRIOR to the building boom where we experienced 40% growth in a decade. Also I have lived next to this river for almost my entire life of 33 years. And yes, it’s always flooded. The difference now is the frequency and the rate/speed it rises. Don’t tell me that development hasn’t affected the flow rate. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

It’s important to note that not only did the greater building boom happen after but for a  specific example the Wal-Mart swale was approved in 1999 and built shortly after. I firmly believe that the Wal-Mart swale (that floods out Spring Creek Rd. after most major rain events) is a major contributor to our flooding issues. The backflow is a significant cause of flooding upstream of Mill Creek and Spring Creek Rd. As most township residents can attest and have seen first hand, the waterflow across Spring Creek from Wal Mart and other points into Upper Macungie Township north of Hamilton Boulevard resembles a raging river during floods. Also take a look at the 4 seasons bridge sometime after a flood. Tell me it isn’t holding back the river. I have no idea how it’s allowed to be so low. (in contrast to the new pedestrian bridge at graymoor which was built with a higher span as to not impede the flow of the river)

There are basically two possible scenarios here:

1. Flooding wasn’t as bad when Ancient Oaks was approved and it has gotten worse since then due to twp. development decisions. 
or 
2. The flooding was this bad when Ancient Oaks was built. In which case the twp. approved homes in a known flood plain. (due to developer pressure to maximize profits?)

Either way, doesn’t the township bear some responsibility?

It is unfair to blame these residents for “purchasing flood prone property” when either a poor decision allowed for houses to be built where they should not have or the sprawling development that our leaders have allowed for 2 decades have increased flooding issues  AFTER the residents 2/3 residents seeking a buyout purchased their homes.