East Allen Township supervisors narrowed in on finalizing a date for Rockefeller Group Development Corporation’s public rezoning hearing at their June 22 meeting, after the developer’s previously scheduled hearing was postponed. The group, commonly referred to as Rock Lehigh Valley, had their May 10 hearing rescheduled after the township’s municipal building was unable to accommodate the mass amount of residents in attendance.
The land in question is 155 acres southwest of Weaversville Road, which Rock Lehigh Valley is attempting to get rezoned from agricultural to light industrial.
Township Manager Deborah Seiple tentatively rescheduled the hearing for August 16 at 7 p.m. in Northampton Area High School, but the board announced their intention to try and move the hearing sooner to make sure all supervisors will be able to attend.
Supervisor Mark Schwartz said he would prefer to have all supervisors in attendance for the hearing, and preferred to have the meeting on August 2, which is a date that Seiple is eyeing as she looks to reschedule.
“I would prefer to have a full board,” Schwartz said. “I would prefer to have it on the second.”
Though the board will not be full if the meeting does fall on the 16th, there will be enough supervisors for the board to have a quorum.
Township Solicitor Joseph Piperato III told the board that they should be prepared for the hearing to stretch beyond the span of one meeting, due to the increased public interest in the topic.
Residents should pay close attention to the township website for updates as the township gets nearer to scheduling a date for the hearing.
In other business, following through on business left over from the board’s June 14 meeting, conditional use applicant Kenneth Beck signed a list of conditions provided by Township Engineer James Milot and Piperato, allowing Beck to move forward with expanding his classic car restoration business in East Allen Township from his current Allentown location.
In addition, Seiple detailed a new email communication system that will be implemented within the township in the future. The township will use the Constant Contact communication system to keep residents informed of township events and noteworthy information.
Seiple said the township will build an email group of township residents to alert them of snow emergencies, burning restrictions and similar events. Seiple said the Constant Contact system “takes it a step further” in terms of the township’s communication with residents. She also said the email system is a cheaper and easier alternative to automated phone calls.
The next East Allen Township Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on July 12 at 7 p.m.
