At their Nov. 26 meeting, the Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors heard from a representative of M & U International in regards to their request for an extension of time for plan recording. The representative explained that they have received their final estimates and now believe they will not need as much space as they originally expected. They want to take some time to adjust the numbers and modify the project, rather than start from the beginning, and the board approved an extension until June 30, 2025.
Township Manager Alice Rehrig was granted approval to apply for a statewide LSA grant in the amount of $245,000, which will go toward the cost of a new truck for the township. The township will cover the remaining cost of the truck in the amount of $36,614. Rehrig also reported that the computer training for the new fuel station was expected to begin the last week of November.
The board announced that they have received a request from the emergency squad, asking for an increased contribution from the township due to the overtime hours incurred during the fight against the Blue Mountain fire. They decided to table the matter until they receive a bill from the emergency squad, which will be sent after they receive reimbursement from the DCNR.
Next, Township Solicitor David Backenstoe addressed the plan to lease the property near Delps Park to Lorah Farms. Backenstoe and Rehrig have made final edits to the lease.
The floor was then opened for public comment, and a large number of people were in attendance to ask questions in regards to the proposed plan for the construction of the Top of the Mountain Estates, consisting of 34 new homes, each roughly around 3,000 square feet and occupying at least one acre of land. It was believed that the plan had been pushed through in a short space of time, and the board explained that the plan was actually approved some years ago; the previous owner, however, fell ill and was unable to move forward with the project, and has recently sold the property to someone who is willing to pick up where he left off.
Among the concerns raised about the project was whether the plans would disturb the local wetlands and if they had acquired the appropriate permits from the Department of Environmental Resources.
Township Engineer Michael Muffley assured those in attendance that the plans were modified to remove the wetlands crossing, and that all of the required permits have been acquired. Additional permits are not needed as long as the plan is not actively disturbing the wetlands. Drainage and runoff will be collected in basins at the northeast and southeast corners of the property, both of which are along Quince Road. Perk tests were cleared in 2021 and were renewed in August of this year.
In response to a question about sand mounds being placed in relation to the septic tanks for houses along Myrtle Road, Muffley said that he did not have the measurements handy but would make sure the distances were within code restrictions.
Muffley clarified that 34 new wells would have a “negligible impact” on the groundwater. By design, he said, there will be less risk of the nearby creek flooding than it currently has, because the developed land will have oversight. Retention ponds will handle any overflow, and the plan for these meets both township and state guidelines. The worst possible runoff, he said, such as from a “hundred-year storm” like that of Hurricane Isaias in 2020, would be no worse than it is now while the land is undeveloped.
Residents also expressed concern in regards to traffic patterns, since the 34 new homes would most likely have at least two cars each and some of the roads in the vicinity are already tight. It was explained that the roads are not wide enough to have lines painted, and that stop signs will be part of the development. An Act 209 study determined that 34 houses will not generate enough traffic to create a problem, but several residents disagreed, stating that the traffic is already considerable.
Board President Michael Jones explained that the project plan meets all of the coding requirements, so it would have been illegal for the board to deny the owner permission to move forward with the development. He acknowledged that the residents’ concerns regarding traffic, water quality and other matters were valid, but admitted that he was unable to guess what the outcome will ultimately be for any of them.
In 2021, when the plan was conditionally approved, the property owner at that time failed to make the changes required by the board and thus final approval was not granted. The new owner, however, has met all conditions and updated all permits. The plan now meets all township and state requirements. The expected timeline of construction and sale of houses is currently not known.
Jones advised those concerned to keep on top of the situation by reading the minutes posted on the township website, as well as following the meetings of the Zoning Board and Planning Committee.
The next meeting of the Board of Supervisors is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m., in the municipal building located at 1069 Municipal Rd., Walnutport.
