During their September 23 meeting, Joseph Plunkett, attorney representing Imperial Realty Group and manager director Tom Skeans, presented the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors with a letter from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. Although he and Skeans were hoping to receive a signature of approval on the letter that evening so they could move forward with sewage planning for their Airport Road warehouse, supervisors said they needed more time to review the materials, having just received them that day.
Announced in 2019, Imperial Realty is planning to develop one 245,000 square foot warehouse at Airport Road and Route 329, replacing the 16 buildings currently within the Airport Road commercial complex. The LVPC provided Skeans and developers with comments on a proposed planning module for the Department of Environmental Protection.
Supervisors said they wanted more time to review the comments made by the planning commission, which would mean the letter could not be approved until October 13.
“Three weeks is a lifetime with the DEP,” said Plunkett.
Although township engineer James Milot said the LVPC letter is a standard letter, “it is a board’s right to have that info in front of them.”
In addition, the board added that the state’s new Act 665 plan prevents any new items from being voted on if they are not present on the night’s agenda prior to it being shared publicly.
In other news, supervisors approved trick-or-treat for Friday, October 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Residents who would like to participate in trick-or-treat should turn their porch lights on that evening. Those who do not should keep them off.
Although surrounding municipalities have opted to have their trick-or-treat on October 31, Green says this decision was not taken lightly.
“We will take flack for the 29th or the 31st,” he said. “We have never had a more contested item for the Board here,” he added with a laugh.
In addition, during the meeting, the board thanked the township’s summer camp counselors. With the summer camp now drawn to a close, counselors were relieved of their duties and have returned to school. Supervisors like Don Heiney said the positive impact the counselors played on the camp’s young children was evident. Everyone, he said, was enjoying themselves when he visited over the summer.
Finally, supervisors are now reviewing the findings of fact prepared by counsel representing both the township and Rock Lehigh Valley in the long-going curative amendment hearing. It is expected that the board will deliberate during their October 13 meeting, although it is not known whether a decision will be made. These findings will be released online to the public.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on October 13 at 7 p.m.
