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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Developer Digging 39 Holes in Green Pond Important Bird Area

One of 39 holes being dug at Green Pond Marsh
The Audubon Society has designated the Green Pond Marsh, located in Bethlehem Township, as an "Important Bird Area." Bird watchers have documented 162 bird species at the site, including eight that are considered endangered or threatened. But right now, nonexistent might be the better word. There were no birds spotted at Green Pond Marsh at all yesterday because developer Traditions of America is digging it all up.

In a telephone conversation, Traditions of America (TOA) Partner David Biddison confirmed that engineers are conducting infiltration tests "to ensure that we have a viable and complete stormwater management plan."

Engineer and two others descend into one of these holes
Jack Glagola, a Save Green Pond organizer, counters that TOA has another motive. "If they can dump water into the wetlands, they get more square footage to build. What they're trying to do is pull a fast one."

Biddison has referred to a planned series of ponds as a conservation area, Glagola scoffs, "It's not a conservation area. It's a god damn sewer."

An onsite engineer stated that 39 holes, each of them 6' x 4', are being dug, These are 75' away from the only portion of land that has been designated a wetland. But the digging, along with mountains of dirt, are piling up inside an area that Save Green Pond activists contend are very much part of the wetlands.

A meeting had been planned so that Save Green Pond could present the findings of consulting ecologist James Schmid, but that meeting was abruptly canceled when TOA withdrew its sketch plans.

The appearance of a backhoe and excavators is a sure indication that TOA still plans to develop the site with a senior living community.

Dr. Schmid, who happened to be on site yesterday, produced aerial maps going back to 1939, showing the area as a wetland. He indicated that there are three tests which would confirm whether this disputed area really is a wetland, The United States Army Corps of Engineers has declined to investigate because the area is too isolated to be considered "waters of the united States." But the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) can make that determination, Schmid stated, because that regulatory agency has jurisdiction over "waters of the Commonwealth."

According to Glagola, the state DEP has one person assigned to investigate 11 counties.

"We'll get to it in a couple of weeks for sure," DEP promised Glagola. He has asked State Rep. Bob Freeman for assistance in getting an investigator assigned.

By the time the investigator arrives, there will be 39 mountains of dirt in an area that ornithologists love to study, and no birds.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hoping the developer pulled grading permits to do the work and that those permits were thoroughly reviewed before the habitat was dug up! Hoping that Jack checks with the Township to ensure that this requirement was met.


Chapter 275: ZONING
§ 275-2 Applicability.
A.
No building, structure, area of a use or land shall be used, subdivided, occupied, erected, moved, structurally altered, enlarged, constructed, converted, maintained, extended, created, reconstructed, replaced, changed in use, excavated or expanded in intensity except pursuant to the regulations and procedures of this chapter. See § 275-9A(2) which exempts certain ordinary repairs and maintenance from the permit requirements of under this chapter.
B.
This chapter permits, prohibits, regulates, restricts and determines:
(1)
Uses of land, watercourses and other bodies of water.
(2)
Size, height, bulk, location, erection, construction, repair, maintenance, alteration, razing, removal and use of structures.
(3)
Areas and dimensions of land and bodies of water to be occupied by uses and structures, as well as areas, courts, yards and other open spaces and distances to be left unoccupied by uses and structures.
(4)
Density of population and intensity of use.
(5)
Protection and preservation of natural resources and agricultural land and activities.

Anonymous said...

Fugking vandals!

Anonymous said...

This is an atrocity. Was the land sold, who gave them permission to do this and who do they think they are? They don't need to build another senior living complex. My in-laws live in their Palmer Township community, I hate going there, no trees, its devoid of nature.

Anonymous said...

It will be a "goddamn sewer" by the time these developers are finished with it.

Anonymous said...

Boycott BROWN/DAUB

Anonymous said...

Maybe some of these birdlovers should chip together and buy the property instead of trying to tell the true owners/equitable owners what they can do with their property. If the developers follow SALDO and zoning, the Township can't reject the plan without potentially being sued (as a whole and each individually).

Anonymous said...

Right then.
Thanks for your input, Commissioner
Hudak @ 8:17.

Anonymous said...

There is no water in the area and there hasn't been any water in the so called marsh for almost 2 months.

Anonymous said...

@8:27
That's your argument???
Monarch butterflies winter for just a month on only 12 mountaintops in Mexico. Your reasoning would accept the destruction of that habitat because they aren't seen for 11 months out of the year.
The Green Pond Marsh is a migratory sanctuary, you moron.

Anonymous said...

@ 10:13, do you like the smell of moth balls? If so or not, how do you get their legs apart to smell their balls?

Anonymous said...

No water? Bet you there's water there now (after rain all morning)... This really isn't going to end before somebody lies down in front of a bulldozer, is it? smh...

Bernie O'Hare said...

I saw aerial maps yesterday that show that, since 1938, this are has consistently been amarsh. I won't call it a wetland because it needs the proper testing. But to suggest that it does not undergo periods of wetness, which Marty Zawarski suggested, is simply untrue. He needs to look at the maps.

Anonymous said...

Bernie,
You need an age check app.
Is 10:29 (8:27) actually an adult moron, or simply texting in his comments from his 5th grade classroom?

Anonymous said...

The folks asking for help from Freeman might want to actually approach the person who represents parts of Bethlehem Twp. Freeman has no part of the twp in his district now or in the future.

Anonymous said...

Fools like 8:27 are what people will have to contend with here.
Real dummies.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the sophisticated political advice @ 1:33.
Your really sharp.

Anonymous said...

There is no standing water at all in the so called marsh land after today's rain and there hasn't been any water for months.

Time to start building!

Anonymous said...

Go Redskins

Anonymous said...

BREAKING NEWS ALERT:

Migratory birds who usually stop and shit on their way to where ever they are flying to, need to alter their Green Pond plans as there is no water.

Anonymous said...

Money will win.

Anonymous said...

Boycott Green Pond Country Club.

Anonymous said...

I just saw a bird on the wire but there was no water for it, should I call 911? Is there a migratory bird hotline?