Upper Nazareth Township Meetings

Upper Nazareth Supervisor’s meeting – August 16, 2023

ANNOUNCEMENTS/EVENTS

August 26^th – 8:00PM Movie Night at Tuskes Park – Super Mario Brothers

August 27^th – 11AM – 1PM Paint in the Park (Fundraising event) A link to signup will be available on the website soon

September 6^th – 6:00PM 2024 Budget meeting

September 7^th, 8^th & 9^th – Community Days at Tuskes Park

September 30^th – County Household Hazardous Waste Collection (Appointments are required; signups begin on August 30^th)

October 7^th –  Nazareth Memorial Library’s Touch-a-Truck event at the Bushkill Recreation Fields

October 28^th – Movie Night at Tuskes Park

December 1^st – Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Municipal Building

PUBLIC COMMENT

A Tatamy Road resident said that someone from his neighborhood met with the Engineer in December 2022 about flooding problems and he wanted to know if anything has been done since then. The amount of water being produced on Industrial Drive might result from one of the property owner’s recent earth moving work.  The resident also asked about the Faust lawsuit which relates to building additional apartments in the area and if anything had resulted from that.

The Engineer said there was a line item on the agenda concerning stormwater in Farmview Estates and it would be discussed then. 

A 2^nd Street resident requested guidance on vacating the paper road which runs past his house and up to 3^rd Street. Solicitor Gary Asteak said this has to be done by ordinance, a hearing will have to be held and then the homeowners can have their deeds updated. There are 5 homes which border the alleyway and everyone affected should be included in the process. The Engineer suggested that the Fire and Police departments check out the area to make sure access will still be available. The Director of Public Works said vacating the road may affect snow maintenance and he would also do a site check.

A Mt. Vernon resident said that the road had never been leveled when the storm sewers went in. When the road floods, people drive on his grass.

A Friedenstahl Ave resident reported that when flooding around her house is bad she gets water in her basement. Also, the Police Department often has to close the road. She asked who will be responsible if she gets a sinkhole on her property.

A 1^st Street resident said she’s lived in the area for 40 years and the flooding is getting worse.

SUPERVISORS COMMENTS

Brian Sayago brought up the share agreement with Bushkill Township to do a traffic study on Knauss Road and SR 946. He reported that the owner wants to improve the property, not sell it. The owner has installed a wall without a permit and has been sent a notice. Sayago also reported that the house in question on Knauss Road isn’t located in UNT. Gary Asteak said that the study is for the intersection in general.

FARMVIEW DRAINAGE

The Engineer provided a data assessment in his Stage 2 report to the township. There are multiple low areas around Tatamy Road. Constraints on the swale cause problems as there isn’t enough slope to move the water. Two potential solutions involve draining the area or conveying the water away from the area. Draining the water away after a storm would help but may not prevent water in people’s basements. Discharging the water into the quarry could be problematic. A civil work project to correct the issue would be substantive with a starting price of $1.5 million and might take multiple years. He reported that the flooding issue goes back to 1905 and there is no easy fix. One possibility – raising the homes and regrading the ground.

Bryan Sayago asked if the township could create another detention pond in the area. Discussions with other engineers, the DEP, the cement company and PennDOT will be scheduled.

SOLICITOR

The Township received a petition from the Chrin company for a zoning map on township land along Tatamy Road. Chrin wants to do a development project on a piece of land which straddles UNT and Palmer township. Supervisors approved UNT to provide a legal description of the property to be sent to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC).

Note: this item was not listed on the published agenda. Supervisors approved its addition at the opening of the meeting.

Gary also reported that the open space the township recently required has been granted tax exempt status.

MANAGER

Approval by a 3-to-1 vote for the township to process payroll on QuickBooks beginning in 2024. (Sayago voted against.)

The first 2024 budget meeting will be held on September 6^th at 6:00PM

MS4

A draft of the annual report has been submitted to staff

RECREATION

Approval by a 3-to-1 vote of a fence at Leibert Field at a cost of $11,975. (Sayago voted against, saying that the township needs a better facility at a different location for Administrative offices)

Becky Bartlett covers these meetings because citizens have a right to know what their government is doing.