PLANNING COMMISSION
Hanover
Township
Minutes of the November 6, 2006 Meeting
Meeting
#828 of the Hanover Township Northampton County Planning Commission was held at
the Hanover Township Municipal Building, 3630 Jacksonville Road, Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania, Monday, November 6, 2006, and convened at
Planning Commission members in attendance:
Mark
Tanczos Joseph
Hilton
Susan
Lawless George
Scoggin
Glenn
Taggart
Hanover Engineering Associates, Inc. represented by Charles M.
Schmalzer, P.L.S.
Motion was made by Hilton, seconded by Scoggin, to approve the minutes
of the October 2, 2006 Planning Commission Meeting.
Hilton, yes; Lawless, yes; Taggart, yes; Scoggin, yes; Tanczos, yes
LIBERTY SQUARE, INC. Northgate I Lot Consolidation Plan
Lou Rauch (Lehigh Engineering)
Northgate I Plan has been approved but not recorded at this time. Entrance driveway off Airport Road has been
constructed. Potential developer
requires both lots; therefore, submission proposes to combine two separate lots
into one lot. Lot line will be deleted.
Motion was made by Tanczos, seconded by Scoggin, to send a letter to
the Board of Supervisors, recommending Conditional Approval, pending
satisfaction of comments in letter from Hanover engineering dated October 31,
2006, specifically with regards to the fact that Lot Consolidation Plan cannot
be approved until Northgate I Plan has been recorded.
Hilton, yes; Lawless, yes; Taggart, yes; Scoggin, yes; Tanczos, yes
AIRPORT COMMONS OFFICE COMPLEX Northgate
II Lot 3 Site Plan
Preliminary/Record Plan
Brian Spray (Integrated Engineering) Arthur Adams (Architect)
Proposed are five (5) separate buildings with 53,000 square feet for
business and professional uses. Provided
are parking, sidewalks and landscaping.
Public water and sewer exists on this tract.
Spray advised they will move Building “D” back by 30 feet. Lot Line Location Plan will be submitted when
cul-de-sac will be removed.
This submission proposes twice the traffic originally proposed for this
lot. A Traffic Study must be
provided. Proposed Wellness Center on
Lot 4 will also require a Traffic Study.
Spray requested to submit one study for Lots 3 and 4. Schmalzer advised if Lot 4 is submitted at
the same time as revised plan for Lot 3, it would be acceptable.
Planner Taggart has concern regarding traffic. Original Northgate Record Plan was approved
with estimated traffic. Lots 3 and 4
doubles the anticipated traffic.
Presently, there is no traffic signal.
Airport Road is a North/South arterial.
Can Airport Road handle the traffic?
Required Architecturals should show building maximum elevations with
respect to ground elevation next to the building. Maximum building height on Record Plan for
Northgate is 25 feet. Planner Taggart
advised there was much discussion when updating the Comprehensive Plan
pertaining to this particular area …. utilities ….air space …. height
restrictions …. density …. type of uses.
Approved Northgate Record Plan had a lower restricted ceiling on the
height than allowed in the Ordinance.
Taggart requested the history and rationale for the lower height
restriction. Spray will supply some research
data.
Architect Adams advised that energy efficient buildings will be stucco
with a metal roof and double hung windows.
Buildings are one-story except for “B” and “E” which are stepped. Landscaping will be provided. Comments were received from the Shade Tree
Commission. LEAD lighting fixtures will
be used. Chairman Tanczos would prefer a
brick exterior. Buildings must be constructed
using noise abatement materials.
Road radius has been increased where a higher volume of traffic is
anticipated.
Plan size should be reduced to meet Township specifications.
Outstanding issues will be addressed.
2346 JACKSONVILLE ROAD Land
Development Plan Preliminary/Record
Plan
Richard Shelly of Martin, Bradbury and Griffith requested that review
be tabled at this time.
TRADITIONS OF AMERICA 241 Unit
Age Restricted Land Development
Plan
Preliminary/Record Plan
J. B. Reilly (Traditions of America) Lewis Rauch (Lehigh Engineering)
Zoning Hearing Board granted variances for two 65 square foot
signs….one at each entrance.
The Hanover Corporate Center 2 Record Plan has not been recorded. This plan for Lot 5 is being reviewed in
accordance with a Special Agreement entered into by the developer and the
Township.
Jaindl has begun construction of Jaindl Boulevard and Sterner’s
Way. Before Occupancy Permit is issued,
road connections to Route 512 must be completed. There will be no traffic on Hanoverville Road
relative to this development.
State regulations will be followed to minimize noise and dust for
property owners in immediate area.
Alan Blair from the City of Bethlehem asked what will abut the Senior
Community. Pertinent information was
given
Motion was made by Tanczos, seconded by Taggart, to send a letter to
the Board of Supervisors, recommending Conditional Approval pending
satisfaction of comments in letter from Hanover Engineering, dated November 3,
2006, and the Shade Tree Commission, letter dated October 31, 2006. This plan cannot move forward until the
Hanover Corporate Center 2 Record Plan is recorded. A 20 scale grading plan must be
submitted. If drainage does not meet the
approval of the Township Engineer, it must be reviewed by the Planning
Commission. Planning recommends approval
of the following waivers:
SALDO Section 159-11.J
allowing granite block curbing
SALDO Section 159-15.B.(4)
with regards to depth of reverse frontage along a collector road
SALDO Section
159-15.I.(a).(3) permitting a driveway to be located closer than 75 feet from
a
street intersection
SALDO Section 159-11.M.(2)
allowing intersections to have less than a 150’ minimum
centerline radius and to allow for less
than a 75’ tangent from the end of a curve and an
intersection
Hilton, yes; Lawless, yes; Taggart, yes; Scoggin, yes; Tanczos, yes
BRIDLE PATH ROAD ZONING AMENDMENT
J. B. Reilly (Traditions of America)
Developer has a 68 acre parcel of land under agreement to buy from the
Sisters of St. Francis. Land is the
western portion of tract owned by the Sisters.
It is along Bridle Path Road with the southern portion backing up along
the Bethlehem Golf Course.
In May, Reilly proposed 272 homes, using 4 homes per acre which was the
formula for the adult community on the Jaindl land. Addressing residents concerns regarding
density, traffic, attached homes, Reilly restudied his proposal. Revised proposal offers 204 single family
detached homes at 3 homes per acre.
Reilly advised land is zoned R1-R, however, prior to 2000, it was zoned
R1-S. Housing needs were studied. This is a rapidly growing Township … a
desirable place to live. Only 2% of the
2700 dwellings are zoned for active adult seniors. There is a need with very little supply and a
strong demand for this type of senior community. Reilly has a data base with hundreds of
Hanover Township resident’s names who want to remain in the Township
Traditions built two communities in Palmer Township (4 units per acre)
and another in Allen Township comprised of 180 homes (5 units per acre).
Traffic counts are lower for active adult use compared with
conventional housing....one-third of the R1-S traffic generator.
Stormwater concerns …. 3 units per acre active adult use, because the
house is smaller, will not generate much more impervious cover (33 1/3%) than one acre larger single family lot (30%).
Planner Lawless asked if this percentage could be lowered. Reilly feels there will be safeguards built
into the newly drafted Ordinance to protect the Monocacy Creek. This tract does not abut the Monocacy Creek.
Road widening and curbing will be provided. Sidewalk will extend along Bridle Path Road
to the Monocacy Creek.
Planner Lawless questioned the amount of buffer. Reilly assured it will be significant.
Planner Scoggin asked if they will be required to rebuild the
bridge. Reilly does not think so.
Planner Hilton questioned pricing.
Reilly advised houses will start at $350,000 to $400,000. Planner Lawless stated this project would not
service the low and moderate income level.
This would not be an affordable housing range. Reilly stated what drives values is the
selling price of homes. Hanover Township
homes are selling in the $350,000 to $400,000 range. People can trade one house for the other.
Planner Lawless asked about the proposed community servicing Hanover
Township aging population versus people coming from New Jersey. Reilly advised it depends on the location and
road network. In Allen Township, 70% are
within 10 miles. In Palmer Township
there is a greater percentage coming from New Jersey (50%). It is felt this project will draw heavily
from local residents due to the names in their data base.
Chairman Tanczos asked what savings the Township would have if the land
was R1-S compared with R1-R. Reilly
stated the roads would be private, maintained by the association. Recreation fee remains the same. On site amenities will be provided. There will be little impact on additional
services needed by the Township. Police
would not patrol but would respond to calls.
This age community has the lowest incident of crime.
Chairman Tanczos questioned the rising taxes for the aging population. Reilly stated this is a reality of our tax
structure.
When drafting the Comprehensive Plan, traffic was a concern. Land was zoned R1-R to offer larger lots for
people wanting them. Reilly stated that his
proposal addresses a housing need in the Township.
Courtesy of the floor ---
Township residents Ann Schenkel, Vincent Tallarico, Bob Oakley and
Fritz Miller offered positive comments about Mr. Reilly, his adult communities,
the workmanship in his homes. They wish
to stay in the Township and desire approval of this project.
Drafted Ordinance will be presented to the Planning Commission for
review.
PLANNING COMMISSION
Verbal resignation was given by John McGonigle to Chairman Tanczos when
he visited him in Country Meadows.
Letter was received from N. James Sterner, expressing his desire to
serve on the Planning Commission.
Motion was made by Tanczos, seconded by Hilton, approving the
nomination of N. James Sterner. Letters
forwarded to the Board of Supervisors and McGonigle.
Hilton, yes; Lawless, yes; Taggart, yes; Scoggin, yes; Tanczos, yes
Sylvia
McLaughlin
Clerk
– Planning Commission