Yesterday, I told you that three 1-million square feet big boxes are coming to Charlie Chrin's 689-acre TIF in northern Palmer Township.I misled you. I've since corrected by Dave Colver, the Chairman of the Township's Board of Supervisors. Instead of three, 1-million square feet big boxes, there will be just one.Colver will make a more formal presentation to Northampton County Council later this month, but he wanted to set the record straight with me.
Last October, Northampton County approved Tax Increment Financing for 689 of nearly 1,000 acres that Chrin owns near Tatamy. Under this public financing plan, Chrin can use the increase in real estate taxes within the TIF to fund the cost of additional improvements, particularly an exit ramp off Route 33 in Tatamy, leading right into his industrial park.
Immediately after the TIF was adopted, Chrin began to market the property to national developers. There is intense interest in retail and commercial in 13 acres near the proposed Rote 33 Interchange. But Colver explained there is also interest for warehousing near an existing rail line. Warehouses are limited to 200,000 square feet under current zoning..
Palmer decided to create four zoning overlay districts on different portions of the TIF, with one segment set aside for warehousing. Under this new overlay scheme, there will be room for just one, 1-million square feet warehouse. There will also be room for one 400,000 square feet and two 200,000 square feet big boxes.
These new overlay districts will be voted on by Palmer Supervisors on June 26, and have already been recommended by Palmer's own Planning Commission, as well as the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
Cover told me this plan for some warehousing was already contained in the Dietrich report, which predicted that the TIF will result in nearly 4,000 jobs. He noted that the warehousing will make it easier to float financing binds at a more favorable rate.
In addition to the zoning change, Palmer Township has created a neighborhood Improvement District for the TIF. This protects the Township, County and School District if Chrin fails to attract tenants, making him ultimately responsible for the debt service on any financing.
"The developer stands to benefit, so he should take all the risk," Colver explained. "Palmer, the County and school district can't get touched."
Colver was coaching a softball team last night, but promised to send me the plan for Chrin's TIF as soon as he can. When he gets it to me, I'll post it.
"This is not a Palmer Township thing.," he insisted "This affects 7 municipalities."
He finally told me that he is available to anyone who has questions about the TIF.
6 comments:
And I have a bridge in Arizona to sell you...
Whatever developer buys that property isn't going to do anything but put as many square feet as possible on that property.
What happened to the Casino and the horse racing track that Chrin planned for this site? This is a waste of really good open space. I can invision many good things for this property, but warehouses aren't one of them. A really good comment is made about this property on one of your other articles pertaining to this site and printed on this blog. We the residents of the area entrust our entire well being to the elected officials and their appointed leaders. They are to protect us from unnecessary hazards through proper zoning laws. The person stated that we here locally (the Rt33 Area) are playing on a National Field of Dreams. It is up to our local elected officials to enact zoning laws to make sure this doesn't become a local field of nightmares. Words of wisdom that will certainly go unheeded. The almighty dollar speaks louder.
I believe the horse track was proposed by someone other than Chrin before he purchased the land from the Seiple estate.
The West Easton facility will help pigs dry out.
wrong page, sorry
You weren't had,had,had.
Only had.
What a waste of priceless farmland. And this while the Valleys urban core slowly rots.
The Vally is not a ship of fools, but many small (63?) ships of fools.
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