The board of commissioners for Bethlehem Township examined a draft design for a planned cluster housing development.
Jaindl Land Co.'s Farmersville Estates project calls for the development of 206 building lots on 290 acres north of Route 22 along Nazareth Pike, Farmersville Road, Butztown Road, and Green Pond Road. Currently used for agriculture, the parcel is located in the township's Agricultural Zoning District.
214 acres of the 290 acres—four parcels total—are located in Bethlehem Township. Three of the four properties are north of the highway and border Farmersville Road to the east, Hecktown Road to the west, Route 22 to the south, and undeveloped land to the north. To the north of the parcels lies the municipal line separating Lower Nazareth Township from Bethlehem Township. The preservation of a 35-acre area for open space will occur south of Route 22. Within the built region on the north side of the roadway, more open space is suggested. Residents will have access to walking trails, little ball fields, pocket parks, and landscaped coves as part of the open space.
According to Jaindl officials, new direct links to Hecktown Road and Farmersville Road will provide access to the main site. The project site's internal road network is made up of two connections to Hecktown Road and Farmersville Road, as well as minor roads that link to the main roads and allow access to the main site. Public water and sewage facilities will be connected to the existing utility lines found along these two main highways to service all planned development lots. 20,000 square feet will be the area of a single-family lot when the development is examined. This is not equal to the by-right 43,560-square-foot lot.
Michael Hudak, the commissioner, raised concerns over the development's entry points. While President John Merhottein expressed his "torn" feelings regarding the cluster development concept, the commissioners that spoke expressed no objections to the idea. Would it make sense to think about reducing the number of lots if doing so would also reduce the volume of traffic? David Jaindl, a developer, enquired Monday evening. Later, he said he would cut the lot total by ten or fifteen. The majority of commissioners agreed with this scenario.
Developer J.G. Petrucci Co. requested an extension from the board to complete necessary improvements on a lot it owns in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VI. The business said that the majority of the site's necessary upgrades have been made. But the company will not be able to get a building permit in time to erect the proposed structure before August 23 because they do not currently have a tenant for the location.
Because of this, JGP does not plan to finish the few benefits that are now secured until August 23. Until the project moves vertically, these tasks are not feasible to do."
Click Here to View Homes For Sale in Bethlehem Township