The Allen Township Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, November 1 to discuss Stone Ridge temporary loop road security, advertisements, a zoning hearing appeal, the Municipal Authority rate increase, and township reports.
During reports, Township Manager Ilene M. Eckhart expressed that the First Regional Compost Authority is looking into the concept of an air burner for ornamental grass because it can’t be ground up and composted. They are looking into grant opportunities and guidance from DEP.
Next, the township discussed Stone Ridge Meadows phase two, regarding the temporary loop road security during unfinished business. Contractor Tim Livengood explained that the permit was terminated in June 2020, which halted activities. They were asked to finish the paving for the temporary loop on Greystone Circle through a corrective action plan, which has since been completed.
Livengood and the township received notification that the bank holding the $120,000 letter of credit to finish the project’s curbing, sidewalk, and widening of the road will not be extending their letter of credit, which expires December 1. Livengood requested an additional year to either finish the loop or punch it through down to Horwith Lane, at which point the loop will be taken out as long as he is able to substitute the security by obtaining a bond to cover the project.
A motion to grant Livengood’s request to Dec. 1, 2023 and a motion to authorize the Township Manager and Solicitor to draw down the letter of credit by Dec. 1, 2022 if the township does not receive adequate security to replace it were both unanimously approved by the board.
During new business, supervisors tabled the authorization to advertise the 2023 meeting dates including the Tuesday, January 3 reorganization meeting. The meetings will continue to be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, but the time of the meetings will potentially be changed to 6:30 p.m., which will be discussed during the next meeting.
Next, the board unanimously approved the authorization to advertise the intention to appoint a certified public accountant for the 2022 audit.
Supervisors then discussed the Northampton Borough Municipal Authority notice of rate increase, which will be increasing by $0.50 per every 100 cubic feet and will be effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Last, Manager Eckhart presented the minor variances that are being requested via a zoning hearing application from the Allen Development Partners for the proposed Wawa at the intersection of Route 329 and Savage Road. Contractors are requesting the following variances: to allow one additional fuel pump with two fueling positions where seven fuel pumps and 14 positions are permitted; to allow a gas canopy of the size of 7,150 square feet in size where a gas canopy equal to square footage of the building but not greater than 7,000 square feet is permitted by the ordinance; and to allow three proposed freestanding signs since all four sides of the property front a street at this location, which would be in lieu of the variance for the gas canopy as a potential interpretation.
The board unanimously voted to take no action on the variances and left the variances up to the Zoning Hearing Board. The hearing will take place Tuesday, December 6 at the Allen Township Fire Company building.
The Tuesday, November 22 Board of Supervisors meeting has been canceled. The next Allen Township Board of Supervisors meeting will be Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m. in the Allen Township Fire Company building, located at 3530 Howertown Rd.
