SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Residents who attended a meeting about the draft of the township's new comprehensive plan expressed concern about industrial development and traffic.
South Whitehall Township held an open house meeting Thursday for the township’s draft comprehensive plan, which will serve as a guideline for how the township will grow in the next 10-15 years.
- Residents at an open house for South Whitehall Township's draft comprehensive plan said they worried about industrial development and traffic
- Comprehensive plans set out short- and long-term goals for housing, transportation, infrastructure, preservation, zoning and other aspects of a municipality
- Residents expressed concerns about industrial development and traffic in the township
Township planner Gregg Adams explained what a comprehensive plan is and showed residents the land use maps in the plan.
The plan is in its final stage of development: South Whitehall Commissioners will adopt the plan in the coming months after a public comment period.
Resident concerns
South Whitehall resident Juan Dipini came to the meeting with his wife, Carmen Roman. Dipini said they were concerned that more warehouses would be developed close to their house.
“We moved from the city to be near nature,” Dipini said. “We’re concerned for our kids, their safety, their well-being and their quality of life.”
“We moved from the city to be near nature. We’re concerned for our kids, their safety, their well-being and their quality of life.”Juan Dipini, South Whitehall Township resident
Adams told Dipini there likely will be no more warehouses built near his house because there isn't much more space zoned for industrial development in that area.
Resident Bill Stanley said he came to the meeting because he is concerned about the traffic in the northeastern corner of the township, where he lives. Stanley was particularly concerned about a sketch plan for a potential industrial development that was presented to the planning commission last year.
The comprehensive plan’s land use map has a smaller section than the current zoning maps dedicated to industrial development in the northeastern corner of the township.
That suggests the township may change the zoning ordinances in the future in such a way that would not allow the proposal, which was made by Jeris Corporation.
Township Community Development Director David Manhardt said in an interview that the land use plan was not made with any specific developments in mind, and any zoning changes made from the comprehensive plan would be a long process with a lot of reviews.
What is a comprehensive plan?
A comprehensive plan sets out long- and short-term goals for housing, transportation, infrastructure, preservation, zoning and other aspects of a municipality, and will inform new ordinances.
In other words, it is a guideline for where future efforts and developments should go and what they should be like.
The plan also examines future land use and lays the groundwork for how the township zoning ordinances should change in the coming years.
Township officials have spent nearly four years working on the comprehensive plan. They held open house meetings this year to receive in-person feedback and suggestions and let residents submit comments online.
Resources and survey data used by the township in the creation of the plan can be found here.
