The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners met Oct. 15, featuring two presentations and a public hearing on a new zoning ordinance.<\/p>\n
Long-Range Planner Chris Strohler provided an update on the open space referendum, which will appear on the Nov. 4 municipal election ballot.<\/p>\n
The question asks voters whether they support a 0.1% increase in the township\u2019s earned income tax \u2013 from 1.0% to 1.1% \u2013 to fund an open space preservation program.<\/p>\n
If approved, the additional revenue would be used to purchase or acquire easements on undeveloped open space to protect water quality, farmland, historic sites and natural resources.<\/p>\n
Funds could also be used for maintenance management, or debt payments related to land acquisitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf approved by voters,\u201d Strohler explained, \u201cthe township would be permitted to enact the 0.1% earned income tax increase next year to support open space preservation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commissioner Diane Kelly encouraged residents to learn more before voting.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease take a moment to educate yourself before you go to the voting booth,\u201d she said, noting information is available on the township website and in the municipal building lobby.<\/p>\n
The second presentation recognized South Whitehall Township and Bowman Consulting for receiving the Mid-Atlantic Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Award for their Transportation Plan \u2013 Phase One.<\/p>\n
Developed throughout 2023 and 2024, the plan focuses on community engagement, transportation safety and active mobility, including walking, biking and transit access.<\/p>\n
It identifies several high-priority safety corridors, including Hamilton Boulevard, which will undergo a detailed safety audit.<\/p>\n
Another study focuses on Whitehall Avenue near Kratzer Elementary School to improve safe routes to school connections.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis plan is about turning goals into action,\u201d Strohler said. \u201cWe\u2019re already implementing projects and maintaining momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob Gates of Bowman Consulting thanked the township for its partnership.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis plan reflects well on the township\u2019s direction \u2013 creating a plan that doesn\u2019t just sit on a shelf but actually gets implemented,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The board congratulated staff and consultants, standing for a photo with the award.<\/p>\n
The board then held a public hearing on the proposed Planned Innovation, Research and Technology Overlay District, a new zoning option for land near Parkland High School, Orefield Road and Mauch Chunk Road.<\/p>\n
Strohler explained the area has been zoned industrial since 1961 and once hosted chemical manufacturing, though much of it now sits vacant.<\/p>\n
The optional PIRT district would apply to projects larger than 2.5 acres, encouraging light-industrial and technology-based uses such as research facilities and tech campuses.<\/p>\n
Key features include expanded 200-foot setbacks from homes and roads, updated landscaping and design guidelines and buffer and pedestrian zones to protect open space and scenic views.<\/p>\n
The overlay also defines data centers as a permitted use, with strict requirements for screening, energy efficiency and visual impact.<\/p>\n
Residents Sharon Fehringer-Ricker and Glenn Guanowsky, both candidates for township commissioner, spoke during the hearing.<\/p>\n
Fehringer-Ricker urged the board to require conditional-use approval for all data centers, citing concerns over energy use, air quality and water consumption.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to put every possible effort into discouraging AI data centers from coming to South Whitehall Township,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Guanowsky shared similar concerns, calling for stronger sustainability measures, renewable energy standards and environmental reporting requirements.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about doing things right,\u201d he said. \u201cThe municipal planning code calls for protecting the health, safety and morals of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Township Solicitor Joseph Zator explained the PIRT overlay\u2019s requirements are detailed and enforceable because developers must voluntarily agree to them, making the ordinance more protective of the township\u2019s interests than a conditional-use process.<\/p>\n
After discussion, the board voted to approve the PIRT Overlay Ordinance.<\/p>\n
PRESS PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HIRSCHSixteen residents including two online participants voice concerns about the proposed PIRT Overlay Ordinance approved at the South Whitehall Township Board of Supervisors meeting Oct. 15.<\/p>\n
Long-range planner Chris Strohler, Bowman Consulting, Rob Gates and Director of Community Development David Manhardt stand with the award for transportation planning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners met Oct. 15, featuring two presentations and a public hearing on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13922,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-13921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}