- The Lower Saucon Planning Commission voted 4-1 on Thursday, supporting the township's newest rezoning ordinance
- The ordinance would rezone 275 acres of farmland for light industrial use and would permit landfills by right
- If the measure is later approved by the council next week, the landfill would still require a number of steps before expanding
LOWER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Around 15 people at Lower Saucon's planning commission meeting on Thursday came up to share their thoughts on the newest rezoning ordinance that would allow for a potential expansion of Bethlehem Landfill.
The theme was clear: folks want their “idyllic setting” of a township to not be additionally affected by increasing the size of the dump.
Before the vote, a number of people called for Thomas Carocci, panel vice chairman, to abstain from the vote, as he's also a member of township council that's slated to make an official decision on the ordinance next week. He went on to later make the motion of approval.
Later in the meeting, though, the panel voted 4-1 and approved its support of the ordinance to be passed on to township council for consideration.
Carocci and members Christopher Nagy, Douglas Woosnam and Jeffrey Schmehl voted in approval of the ordinance. Craig Kologie, panel chairman, dissented.
Public comment
Bruce Petrie said he lives east of the proposed expansion, so this measure would impact the air quality on his property, among other things. Ginger Petrie said she’s been “begging” officials to come by her land and “look at the problem.”
“As was pointed out, this isn’t some vacant lot,” Bruce said. “It’s full of mature trees, animals, I think some of them, environmentally sensitive.”
“As was pointed out, this isn’t some vacant lot. It’s full of mature trees, animals, I think some of them environmentally sensitive.”Bruce Petrie, Lower Saucon Township resident
Joseph Bubba, attorney for expansion opponent St. Luke’s Anderson Campus, said the landfill and its representation were losing the former conditional use hearings, as they only provided very general information and were unable to establish a “prima facie” case on the matter due to lack of evidence.
“The board has somehow now reconvened only a few months later and has somehow made the determination that not only should the township land be rezoned from residential to industrial, but that the landfill should now be considered use permitted by right, rather than a conditional use,” Bubba said. “That process is indefensible, will be challenged, and will result in unnecessary cost to the township residents.”
Township council member and nearby resident to the dump Priscilla deLeon read back through some of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission data and research on the rezoning and potential dump expansion to remind the panel that some say the ordinance would go against the regional comprehensive plan.
Comments from township officials
Under a Light Industrial zoning classification, waste disposal uses would typically call for a special exception approval from the township zoning hearing board. A conditional use of a landfill would require approval from township council.
A conditional use hearing process regarding a former rezoning proposal was called off by a county judge back in May due to procedural issues. Those hearings began the last week of February.
This newest proposal would allow the landfill use by right, slashing some of those procedural steps involved — but not all of them, however.
“I think the conditional use process should be kept,” planning commission chair Craig Kologie said. “I think it does provide that opportunity for maybe things that we don’t necessarily, aren’t aware of and provides some other experts to maybe chime in and give their input.”
“I think the conditional use process should be kept. I think it does provide that opportunity for maybe things that we don’t necessarily, aren’t aware of and provides some other experts to maybe chime in and give their input.”Lower Saucon Planning Commission chairman Craig Kologie
After one brief indiscernible discussion between Carocci and Kologie, a couple of residents requested that the panel speak into their microphones. Carocci told one resident sharing a quick point that it wasn’t time for public comment.
Township Solicitor B. Lincoln Treadwell Jr. said that if the ordinance was approved, any future expansion of the dump would require the landfill officials to file a land development plan application and get that approved. That plan would go before the township planning commission and would later require approval from the council, he said.
It would also require an approval process from the Department of Environmental Protection, Treadwell added.
“I know some people will disagree, but changing the zoning map does not mean it gets developed,” he said. “Somebody has to apply for redevelopment, and as part of that development process, that is what determines what it would look like.”
What's next
Township council will hear more input on the proposed ordinance on Aug. 30, at 9 a.m. The panel also is expected to vote on the matter.
The meeting will be at the Se-Wy-Co Fire Station at 3621 Old Philadelphia Pike.
