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| Two ponds, walking trails, 832 housing units and a supermarket |
There's nothing common about William Penn Commons, presented to Commissioners by Attorney Dave Backenstoe on behalf of developers Lou Pektor and Ed Novak. In addition to a Sheetz gas station, there's room for a few more commercial tenants. Because of improvements to pedestrian access along William Penn Highway, Farmersville Elementary School supports the project.
There's no farming at Madison Farms. Instead of agriculture, the 103.9 acre site will be a self-contained traditional neighborhood on the north side of Freemansburg Avenue, replete with walking trails, two ponds, restaurants and a Shop-Rite supermarket.
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| Atty Ed Murphy queries Rocco Caracciolo |
In some instances, streets will be as narrow as 20 feet, instead of the 32' width required by Township ordinance. Project Manager Rocco Caracciolo, a professional engineer, explained this would reduce seeds and make the neighborhood more safe, as well as providing more room for open space. The same justification was given for a reduction in the radius of circles from a required 25' to 20'.
In addition to the retail village close to Freemasburg Avenue, four different kinds of housing units will be built. There will be sixteen "flats," 3-4 story buildings with one and two bedroom apartments. There will also be townhomes, carriage houses and two-story single homes along tree-lined streets, with walking trails to all points within the neighborhood.
Township Planner Thomas Comitta told Commissioners that the comprehensive plan they adopted in 2004 contemplates exactly this kind of development. He added that the supermarket was urged on the developer by township officials.
Despite success before Commissioners, both projects face challenges by developer Abe Atiyeh, a Township resident. He has funded a lawsuit challenging Madison Farms, and has a date with Township zoners on August 26 on the William Penn Commons project, which he insists is spot zoning.
BT definitely needs more high density housing.
ReplyDeleteI thought their manager was a planner.
ReplyDeleteThe development of the Madison Farms parcel was anticipated to be just what it is when the comp plan was revisited in 2004. This is nothing new and no surprise. The development of this tract and all along the Freemansburg corridor was taken into account and included in the traffic improvements being undertaken by St. Luke's for that roadway. This represents sound planning and development based upon the comp plan and related ordinances.
ReplyDelete8:01, BT's Manager, Howard Kutzler, is a Planner by training. Thomas is a consultant who works for BT and numerous other municipalities.
ReplyDeleteDid this require a new mixed use zoning ordinance?
ReplyDeleteRon, A mixed use overlay district was created for this and several other areas in the Twp.
ReplyDeleteGoing through this right now in LMT.
ReplyDeletehttp://lowermacungie.patch.com/blog_posts/what-is-a-walk-able-community
http://lowermacungie.patch.com/blog_posts/development-watch-allen-organ-property-update
ReplyDeleteThe group I'm involved with is really really advocating for more progressive design to truly create a Traditional neighborhood (TND) zone for LMT. We're very supportive of the kind of development a 'real good' TND ordinance would draw. That being the kind of development we need. (INFILL) instead of more boxy greenfield growth.
This plan looks ok. Couple of major important differences from what was being proposed here in LMT.
- Mix of housing options (critical for successful TND)
- Attractive boulevard focal point through the residential (creates sense of place, you really need to build a neighborhood from scratch for these to be successful)
- The walking trails look pretty comprehensive
- The open space is meaningful and not throwaway parcels. It looks integrated into the plan.
- The reduction of the pointless road width requirements is big. In a neighborhood you want pedestrian scale not car scale. Great tradeoff for open space.
What we're facing here in LMT is a watered down version of mixed use that I feel is simply taking our existing residential zone and allowing for it to be 'smushed' together with a typical box commercial zone. Essentially just allowing developers to cram more into smaller spaces.
Excellent post, Ron. I read it.
ReplyDeletebernie - If you can point me to a link that has the overlay zoning that'd be great. Save me alot of digging. I'd like to take a look at it.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you prob have seen it or know your way around Beth Townships website.
ReplyDeletefound it! http://www.ecode360.com/BE2269#BE2269
ReplyDeleteRon, It's here.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ecode360.com/13375073
Sounds pretty good. All the more reason to treasure the extraordinary new park on the Archibald Jhonston estate, Housenick Park, and to protect the adjoining parcel of open space as Elizabeth Jhonston so clearly articulated in her Will.
ReplyDeleteTogether, this park land gives residents of the Twp and beyound access to open space that will insure a beautiful and desiresble community even as density increases and population inevitably increases.
Bernie, is Central Morivian Church of Bethlehem still committed to maximizing profit and trashing Lizzy Prine's last wish or have they decided to live up their own standards as so clearly written in their own Moravian Book of Worship?
How about an update on this kind sir? It's a perfect follow-up to the Monacacy Watershed post and a timely and important Twp and regional issue.
Open Space, Open Space, Open Space.... there is so much open space in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley that one only has to drive minutes and will be in the woods. If anyone thinks that the Lehigh Valley will become paved over, they are sorely mistaken. If this were the case, it would have happened already. If it may be the case, it won't happen in our life times and our kids and grand children's life times. Frankly, we are not that lucky. This area is not a major growth area when compared to real growth areas in this country. Who really wants to be here? Really? Oh, I don't even think the Jersey transplants want to be here with $4.00 per gallon gas!! We are lucky to get any decent development we can. Even if its Walmart!
ReplyDelete@6:08
ReplyDeleteRight on target....who needs this open space GOVERMENT land. We need development not parks. You want open space drive north or west.
Let's make the valley successful and prosperous.
Build here build now!
Build baby build.
ReplyDeleteBuild baby build.
ReplyDeleteI am tired of all this open space whining about "open space" from a bunch of socialist tree hugging type nutsos.
ReplyDeleteOpen Space my hinny you jerks.
Mitt for President
"How about an update on this kind sir? It's a perfect follow-up to the Monacacy Watershed post and a timely and important Twp and regional issue"
ReplyDeleteI'll check it out and do an update next week.
Seems to be some irony when a reference is made to a “traditional neighborhood" in a Township, don’t you think? That should get all the smart growth advocates excited. I am sold on the concept myself, however, I find it even more ironic that development of farmland suddenly becomes acceptable if you use some catch phrases from the smart growth dictionary. Without terms such as walkability and mixed use, most would call it sprawl.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what to say. In the 2004 comprehensive plan, that area is slated for development bc of Rte 33 being so close. And amazingly, there is only one farming family left in BT. So the land is going to be developed, and this does appear to be a responsible way to do it. But I get your drift. I'd love to see more farms, but I think those days are gone. Now everyone wants to garden in the city. Crazy world.
ReplyDelete@Anon - Re: Throwing in smart growth terms to make development ok.
ReplyDeleteMy take is you can't stop the development train. You can try to fight it when it's clearly an injustice such as the case in LMT where Jaindl land was earmarked for 2 decades ag preserved....(Jaindl Lower Mac) But it's a long hard expensive road.
http://www.ronbeitler.com/jaindl-development-issue/
Many times the best you can hope for is something better then our typical sprawl to be built. In this case in Beth Township looks like a pretty nice development compared to what it could have been given that this particular parcel was always "earmarked" to be plowed over.
The development train is indeed on the move again in Bethlehem Twsp and it is just a matter of time until it again makes the attempt to gobble up the buffer zone that separates Housenick Park/Johnston conservation areas from the choking hands of further defilement at the hands of developers.The Central Moravian Church which owns that buffer zone (Prime Estate)has been more than willing to sacrifice the environment for the almighty dollar, but why should they care because after all, that land is several miles away from their lovely and preserved premises.
ReplyDeleteSure makes the Moravians with their purported love of history and beauty look like major hypocrites. I'd love to be proven wrong on this but it doesn't look good for Central Moravian Church of Bethelem.
ReplyDeleteWho can you trust if the Moravians are eager to turn a quick buck, even if it means trashing the wishing of the Jhonston family, arguably their most loyal and generous benefactor, and sticking it to future generations of park users at the same time.
To hell with wishes of the dead and to hell with our grandchildrens future. I guess the Moravians mean to make some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
ReplyDeleteCENTRAL MORIVIAN INC. OINK. OINK.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Central Moravian just wants to make a buck. It's their land, they have the right to sell it for the top dollar if they want. Profit. It's the American way dude.
ReplyDeleteCentral Moravian just wants to make a buck. It's their land, they have the right to sell it for the top dollar if they want. Profit. It's the American way dude.
ReplyDelete