BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — Four parcels — three north of Route 22 and one south, could become home to 206 residential lots and about 38 acres of recreation space in Northampton County.
But for now, the project, Farmersville Estates, is in the planning stage with no approvals as of Monday.
Bethlehem Township planners heard more about developer Jaindl’s petition to develop land for single-family homes — with some of that near the border of Bethlehem and Lower Nazareth townships.
There’s about 214 acres to work with in Bethlehem Township, according to project officials.
“The developer proposes to consolidate the four parcels, of course accepting the portion that is in Lower Nazareth Township, and then develop a single-family cluster development."Ana Martins, senior project manager with Van Cleef Engineering Associates
The project's parcels north of Route 22 are bound by Hecktown Road to the west, Farmersville Road to the east and Route 22 to the south. Some undeveloped property exists to the north.
The one southern parcel has Farmersville Road to the west, existing residential and open space to the east, Green Pond Road to the south and Route 22 to the north.
It would include 34.5 acres of preserved space as part of the plans.
The Lower Nazareth municipal boundary runs through the northern part of the uppermost parcel.
“The developer proposes to consolidate the four parcels, of course accepting the portion that is in Lower Nazareth Township, and then develop a single-family cluster development,” said Ana Martins, senior project manager with Van Cleef Engineering Associates.
A conditional use
Such a development in the Agricultural District would require conditional use approval, since a similar project usually allows 150 lots, according to township ordinance.
Each lot would be a minimum of 20,000 square feet, Martins said.
Thirty-eight acres of open space is proposed for the north side, that being part of the consolidated land also planned for development.
“In that side, we will be proposing some active recreation areas, walking trails and just different types of open space components."Ana Martins, senior project manager with Van Cleef Engineering Associates, speaking on potential open space to come along with the 206-lot development
“In that side, we will be proposing some active recreation areas, walking trails and just different types of open space components,” Martins said.
The residential development is planned to have main access points through two direct connections to both Hecktown and Farmersville roads.
It also would feature an internal road system to let drivers navigate the neighborhood.
Possible effects on traffic
An apparent consensus among the Planning Commission?
It’s too big, and traffic would be a disaster, they said.
Commission Chairman Leslie Walker said he understood the developers have a long way to go and would need to complete a traffic study, but he said Farmersville Road wouldn’t be able to ultimately handle the new wave of drivers.
“If you drive on [Farmersville Road] enough, you’ll need suspension work routinely. It doesn’t seem like a road that could support [this], even if it was half of the traffic from 206 lots.Bethlehem Township Planning Commission Chairman Leslie Walker
“If you drive on [Farmersville Road] enough, you’ll need suspension work routinely,” Walker said.
“It doesn’t seem like a road that could support [this], even if it was half of the traffic from 206 lots. … That’s a lot of lots.”
The development would do a number on the road, a route already struggling to manage incoming stormwater, planner Barry Roth sais.
“We get one hurricane, we lose Farmersville Road for at least a week,” Roth said.
He also said he didn’t agree with cul-de-sacs being part of the neighborhood planning.
Planner Anna Thomas said residents along nearby Brodhead Road already have a tough time getting out of their driveways because of the thru traffic.
