Recently, the preliminary subdivision plan for a home development was approved by the Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners.
Situated at 3107 Farmersville Road, this 52-acre development is dubbed the Fields at Farmersville and has plans for 108 dwelling units. Not for the whole subdivision and land development project, but for the Farmersville Road reconstruction and culvert, which entailed exemptions from the township's SALDO standards.
Colliers Engineering, on behalf of the applicant, argued that the proposed upgrade or replacement of the Farmersville Road culvert did not constitute an applicable SALDO or SMO requirement, and that the proposal is largely complies with all standards. Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority, which is planning to replace and enhance the current Farmersville Road culvert, disagrees with that assessment. In order to fund the renovation, the applicant proposed a BTMA payment of $107,842.13. Drainage pipes situated within street rights-of-way were the subject of the exemptions that were presented to the board. The developer's seven waiver requests were withdrawn since they were no longer necessary. The waivers were refused Monday night by the commissioners.
The applicant promised to provide township authorities more information in their final proposal after revising the plan for massive box culverts in response to several June requests.
In a stormwater agreement, commissioners gave the go-ahead for the township to join a "collaborative endeavor" with the Palmer Township Stormwater Authority, Palmer Township, and the Bethlehem Township Municipal Authority to carry out certain stormwater management projects.
Palmer Township and Bethlehem Township will both benefit from the arrangement, according to the resolution.