Meeting #772 of the Hanover Township Northampton County Planning Commission was held at the Hanover Township Municipal Building, 3630 Jacksonville Road, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Monday, September 10, 2001, and convened at 7:30 P.M.

Planning Commission members in attendance:

Thomas Jacob Mark Tanczos

Paul Kuehne Joseph Hilton

Karen Fritz Glenn Taggart

Hanover Engineering Associates, Inc. represented by Charles M. Schmalzer, P.L.S.

On the motion of Kuehne, seconded by Tanczos, the minutes of the August 20, 2001 Planning Commission Meeting were unanimously approved as read.

LVIP IV - LOT 33 St. Luke’s Outpatient Dialysis Center Proposed Parking Lot Expansion

Preliminary/Record Plan

St. Luke’s Outpatient Dialysis Center will occupy 9,600 square feet in Building 4.

Developer advised that generator will be eliminated. If it is needed in the future, proper screening will be provided.

Waiver requested from parking requirement. Note should be added to plan stating that additional parking will be constructed in the future if there is a need.

Conditional approval with attached letter forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.

JOHN SELKO 4141 Airport Road Preliminary Plan

John Selko (Developer)

Proposed are a retail store (Partridge and a Pear Tree), along with business offices and professional offices. Percentage breakdown for each of these uses should be provided.

Letter from Hanover Engineering, dated September 5, 2001, outlines outstanding issues, which must be addressed.

Proposed retail store is a Special Exception, requiring Zoning approval.

CHURCH ON THE MOVE Sketch Plan

Ron Gunlock (Attorney) Pastor Randy Landis (Church on the Move)

Bryan Ritter (Jena Engineering)

Church is proposed on this property which is zoned R1-S. Special exception is requested to allow a church. Issues in letter, dated August 28, 2001 from Hanover Engineering, were discussed.

Pastor Landis advised that Church on the Move has been in existence for 11 years. They have outgrown their present location in east Allentown, which consists of a private school, a day care center, and the worship center. They wish to maintain the day care center and private school in Allentown and build a two story 55,000 square foot church along with a 5,000 square foot maintenance building on this property. Church would be one story at the Macada Road view and two stories from the Route 22 view. This is accomplished because of the 12 foot change of grade. Largest event would be the Sunday morning worship. There is also a Wednesday night service, which is attended by approximately one-third of the congregation. Small groups of 25 to 50 people meet throughout the week. They are willing to host graduations. Guest speakers visit for the weekend about four times a year.

Sketch Plan, dated 7/18/01 shows 805 parking spaces. Revised plan, shown at this meeting, offers 628 spaces, reducing the impervious cover to 33%. Additional parking for 175 cars can be designed like a fire lane....6" of stone covered with top soil and grass. Planners are concerned that sufficient parking is available for church needs.

Worship area comprises 1st and 2nd levels. Seating capacity is 2,500 people. Families with children make up congregation. Cafeteria and administrative offices are downstairs. A full service lunch, supplied by church volunteers, will be offered after Sunday services.

On the northeast side of this tract are shown a Little League baseball field, playground, concrete skate park, two basketball/tennis courts. On the revised plan, a soccer field is shown in the western portion of tract. These facilities would be used and maintained by the church and made available to Township residents, when not being used by them. Church would carry a liability policy for their protection. Any usage restriction would be at the discretion of the church.

Access into property is via driveway off Macada Road across from Whitewood Road. This access goes across land owned by PP&L, necessitating a written agreement from PP&L. It is expected that 60% to 70% of congregation will come from Route 22 and use this entrance.

Second access is off of Jacksonville Road, directly across from Blair Road. 30% to 40% would use this driveway. Speed bumps will be constructed to slow traffic. Police will be called upon for traffic assistance at large events.

From the traffic standpoint, this church offers Sunday worship. The other two churches at the Jacksonville/Macada Road intersection offer Saturday services.

Walking path in lieu of sidewalks will be located below the berm. Macadam walkway is preferred.

Additional plantings will be provided along Macada Road in addition to proposed street trees, providing more cover for the parking lot.

Office hours are 8:30 to 4:30 with 22 employees.

Fridays are for the youth. They wish to keep gymnasium in Allentown, as 200 youth are able to walk to it.

Developer would contribute toward road improvements. Road widening will be necessary.

If Westgate Water Company is unable to provide water, developer would look to the City of Bethlehem to provide this service.

Developer should be aware that Route 22 may be widened in future years.

Township resident Ruth Steiner, corner of Macada and Whitewood, stated present traffic is very bad. She is unable to safely back out of her driveway onto Macada Road. A stop sign should be put on Macada where it intersects with Whitewood. Developer has no objection to a 4-way stop sign. Planners suggested Steiner speak with the Township Manager.

Township resident Norm Bahnck, corner of Macada and Whitewood, does not approve of proposal. This will create a Sunday traffic problem, changing the way of life for Macada Road residents. Weekdays will bring nuisance traffic. Church serves Allentown primarily and should remain there. Pastor Landis responded that they checked other properties....none of which were large enough. They do not want to relocate beyond 7 miles of present location.

Planners recommended that developer present a formal application to the Board of Supervisors and request rezoning to allow proposed church.

Sylvia McLaughlin

Clerk - Planning Commission