S. WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – The South Whitehall Township Planning Commission granted preliminary/final plan approval for a bank Thursday night at the municipal building.
The proposal, called Chase Bank at Roma, calls for a renovation project at 1603 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., on the southeast corner of the Cedar Crest Boulevard and Walbert Avenue intersection. The plan involves a dumpster addition, sidewalk connection and parking area changes. The 4,129-square-foot building is scheduled for the 1.36 acre lot with 52 parking spaces.
Planners also approved two waivers associated with the project.
Chase has Lehigh Valley branches in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, with another opening in Trexlertown.
Parkland transportation center
In two separate measures involving the Parkland School District, a preliminary/final land development review and lot consolidation review for a transportation center were canceled.
The district is proposing a new 17,600-square-foot maintenance building and improvements which include a fueling area, a bus wash area, 219 parking spaces for car and van parking, 152 parking spaces for buses, along with a pavement expansion and a driveway connection to Orefield Road. An existing garage will remain although an existing pole barn is slated to be demolished.
The plan includes a lot consolidation of four tracts owned and operated by the district at 4362 and 4434 Orefield Road, 2675 Route 309, and 2619 Stadium Dr.
A November 2025 township engineer review indicated that about 2,500 feet of Stadium Road is proposed to be vacated. The township should “determine the acceptability of this proposal.” A public safety commission review also expressed concerns about Stadium Road’s vacation, which would remove it from South Whitehall ownership. This, the commission said, “could lead to potential access problems if the school district decided to make future changes to the road or the land adjacent to the road.” The commission said it would be “difficult to make recommendations until questions regarding easements and street vacation are clarified.”
“It is preferred Stadium Road continue under township ownership,” the public safety commission said.
A South Whitehall planning review last November stated that “staff does not support the request to vacate a portion of right-of-way along Stadium Drive.” The planning department sought additional information from Parkland School District to ensure clear and adequate perpetual access will be provided to residents along Stadium Drive.
A township zoning officer review dated Oct. 28 also did not support a street recommendation.
St. Joseph the Worker
A consolidation of lots review to install a solar array for St. Joseph the Worker located at 1879 Applewood Dr. was cancelled.