NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Two apartment complex proposals totaling 92 units came before the North Whitehall Planning Commission on Tuesday.
Planners recommended approval for the final plan for a 72-unit project called Timberidge Luxury Apartments and tabled the preliminary plan for the 20-unit complex Coplay Apartments.
- Two apartment plans were discussed Tuesday by North Whitehall Planning Commission
- Planners recommended final approval for Timberidge Luxury Apartments, which would have 72 units at Timberidge Town Center Drive and Levans Road
- Planners tabled the preliminary plan for Coplay Apartments, which would have 20 units at 2260 Quarry St.
Both apartment plans were presented by Lehigh Engineering Associates Engineering General Manager Lewis Rauch II, who represented the property owners.
Raunch said both complexes primarily would feature two-bedroom units.
Timberidge Luxury Apartments would be between Timberidge Town Center Drive and Levans Road. It would have six buildings, each three stories high with a parking garage on the lower level.
The final plan for the development previously was approved by township supervisors, but the plan has been revised. The development was previously going to be a 55-plus community, but Rauch said plans changed because of market conditions.
Planners had a long discussion about whether the developer could and should be required to put a sidewalk along Levans Road.
The commission ultimately voted to recommend approval for the plan with the requirement that the developer provide a pathway at a location to be determined later.
The plan now will go to the township Board of Supervisors for final approval.
Coplay Apartments
The other apartment complex discussed by planners is proposed on 3 acres at 2260 Quarry St. The preliminary plan for the development has two two-story buildings with 20 units total — 10 in each building.
The plan is in the Village Residential zoning district. Township Assistant Zoning Officer Aubrie Miller said the plan is a permitted use by right, according to the township’s zoning ordinances.
The plan was unanimously tabled by the commission because it does not currently mean township requirements.
Other business
Planners also discussed whether to amend township ordinances to require housing developers to dedicate land for public recreation or pay a recreation fee.
Planning Commission Member Bruce Stettler said he worried the fees would make future housing developments less affordable.
Planning Commission Member Jeff Johnson expressed concern that walking paths would be built in certain developments where they may present a safety concern and asked who would maintain them.
What it does is it establishes a statute that says if you want to build here, here’s the standards. And if you don’t like the standards, show us why those standards don’t make sense.Brian Horwith, Chairman of the North Whitehall Planning Commission
Planning Commission Chairman Brian Horwith said the property owner would maintain the paths. He said the developers could request a waiver if a requirement does not make sense for certain development.
“Yes it makes it harder to build in North Whitehall Township, God forbid,” Horwith said. “But what it does is it establishes a statute that says if you want to build here, here’s the standards. And if you don’t like the standards, show us why those standards don’t make sense.”
The Planning Commission voted to recommend the ordinance change, 6-1, with Johnson dissenting.
Planners unanimously recommended approval of a preliminary plan for a 12,500-square-foot industrial building at 3952 Independence Drive.
The building would be built on spec, meaning it does not currently have any tenants. Raunch said the building likely would be used as a tradesman’s office.
The proposed building was defined as a warehouse in previous plans, but Miller said zoning variances would be required to use the property as a warehouse because the plan does not meet zoning standards.
Planners also discussed housing development Vistas at Coplay Creek. The plan proposes nine single-family homes along Coplay Creek Road.
Waiver requests for the plan were unanimously tabled by the commission after a debate over whether a sidewalk should be required.
