Upper Nazareth Supervisor’s Meeting – November 20, 2024
Absent – Mike Rinker
ANNOUNCEMENTS/EVENTS
A Burn Ban is currently in place for Upper Nazareth and for the County of Northampton
There is an open position on the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC). Residents who’d like to serve should send a Letter of Interest to the Township Office.
November 23rd – Last day to use the Yard Waste Facility on Friedenstahl Ave this year
November 29th – 7:00PM Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Township Municipal Building
January 6,2025 – Reorganization meeting
March 29, 2025 – Wellness Day at Liebert’s Field (Rain date – March 30)
PUBLIC COMMENT
Silo Circle residents spoke out against the proposed zoning change to the property east of the Intermediate School, owned by the Chrin Corporation. He said that he thought this issue had been settled back in December 2023 when so many people showed up to protest approval of an Industrial Park on that site. Scott Sylvainus said that the zoning for the whole township is being redone and that those opinions were taken into consideration. The rezoning plan has been in the works for two years. Another Silo Circle resident pointed out that everyone was against the proposed Industrial Park in 2023.
A resident on Blossom Road advocated for permanent Stop signs on Gun Club Road. She said, with the construction in the area, traffic has been horrendous and that drivers are blowing through the temporary stop signs, putting everyone including children waiting for the bus, in danger. Public Works director Shawn Shup said he would need a traffic study to make the stop signs permanent. Brian Sayago said any study should be done when conditions in the area are ‘normal’ and not under construction. Chief Cope said the police cannot issue traffic tickets for drivers running through a temporary stop sign.
A Broad St. Ext. resident asked how much acreage in the township could be used for warehouses and commented that there weren’t enough streetlights on W. St. Elmo. Scott Sylvainus initially said ‘little to none’ but then Pam Berlew from the Planning Commission said there was a lot and that any area zoned for Extraction or TD-10 could be used for warehouses.
SUPERVISOR COMMENTS
A representative from Northpointe, which built the warehouse on Gun Club Road, said they have work left to do on Route 248 and that they have completed the PennDOT requirements except for some paving and stripping. He claimed the holdup is with UGI and that they need to apply for a utility permit. He requested that restrictions on truck traffic be lifted after the stripping. Gary said that the engineer had to sign off on the work. Initially the Supervisors voted against lifting the restrictions on truck traffic by 2-to-2 (Brian Sayago and William Bartlett voted against), but, after some discussion, they took the vote again and it passed 3-to-1 (Sayago against).
The Supervisors spoke about High School students parking on 4th and 5th streets and decided to set up a committee to give Gary better direction before the issue is brought to the Board again.
TOWNSHP ENGINEER
Weather permitting, streetlights should be installed in Scenic View by next week.
Announced that the township is still waiting to hear back from Heidelberg about pumping stormwater into the quarry.
TOWNSHIP MANAGER
Approval to advertise the 2025 Re-organization, Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, Recreation Committee and Environmental Advisory Committee meetings.
Approval to put an additional $50K into the Police Pension fund. (Total of $75K added in 2024)
PLANNING AND ZONING
Approval of a Letter of Extension for the Penn Dixie Commercial Park until January 31, 2025.
Approval for waivers for Overlook Estates, related to the radius of the cul-de-sac at 40’, locator map of trees 6” or greater, the stormwater basin and a basin with a flat bottom.
Gary Asteak made a short speech, saying the process of rezoning began a while ago after the adoption of the comprehensive plan and has been reviewed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC), the Nazareth Council of Governments (COG) and the Upper Nazareth Planning Commission. The Supervisors went through a number of Zoning Ordinance Recommendations with the hot button topic being the switch of the land next to the Intermediate School from Medium Density Housing to TD-10 or Light Industrial. Residents in attendance expressed concerns that Chrin might put in a warehouse on the property, but Scott Sylvainus said that would only be allowed as a “Conditional Use.” Brian Sayago pointed out that a Conditional Use designation won’t stop a warehouse. A warehouse would be allowed as long as the developer followed all of the rules.
William Bartlett expressed concern about the size and the frequency of sinkholes on the property and stated the land should be zoned as TD-1, Field & Wood. Susan Smith, a lawyer for Hercules/Buzzi, said the corporation supported the change to TD-10.
Scott Sylvainus said that putting residential buildings there would put too many people and properties at risk and that larger buildings are designed to handle sinkholes. Scott repeatedly stated that this area has sinkholes and we just have to build for them the same way California builds for earthquakes.
I pointed out that, despite their claims, that engineers can always engineer around a problem citing examples of an engineer installing the worst possible drainage system at the Amazon warehouse and the continuing concerns about sinkholes under a bridge on Route 33N between Tatamy and Stockertown.
A Silo Circle resident wanted to know why anyone would want to put a warehouse next to a school and that just the truck traffic would make everything worse. She also worried about construction pushing water into Farmview Estates while another resident asked if the weight of the buildings would change the water table.
A Tatamy resident said we should be limited on how much ground we pave over. William Bartlett pointed out that, under TD-10, 70% of the land can be made impervious. A 5th Street resident said that any development would remove water absorbing vegetation and would put in water resistant paving.
When Scott Sylvainus claimed that the township would be able to take steps to deal with any stormwater issues at the property, I held up a sign that said “FAUST” as a reminder that the Township hasn’t been able to take ANY action about flooding originating from the 55-and-older apartments on 4th Street despite numerous complaints.
Other complaints concerned the possibility of an emergency exit being run through Farmview Estates and that the project poses at danger to safety of students at the Intermediate School.
Tom Bodie, from the Chrin Corporation, also made a statement.
The Supervisors voted 3-to-1 (Sayago against) to accept the recommendations discussed.
PUBLIC WORKS
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the Leaf Collection schedule will be modified.
The Yard Waste Facility on Friedenstahl Ave. closes for the year after November 23rd.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Approval for college assistance for two classes in Spring 2025.
Becky Bartlett covers these meetings because citizens have a right to know what their government is doing.
Upper Nazareth Township Meetings 