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| Jack Glagola, Democratic nominee for Township Comm'r |
Though no formal action could be taken, developer Traditions of America signaled it has no issues with recommendations made by the Township engineer. Moreover, Del Val Soil and Environmental Consultants, hired independently by the Township, has raised no environmental concerns. Snover warned that Traditions' real problems will be with regulatory agencies like PennDOT, DEP and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
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| Les Walker |
Glagola had waged a write-in campaign for the Democratic nomination to the at-large seat on the Township's Board of Commissioners. He received 92 write-ins, to 88 for incumbent Marty Zawarski, the Republican nominee.
Glagola was reminded by Snover several times to confine his comments to the merits of the plan. But no such admonition was given to others who decided to attack him. Traditions Principal John Biddison complained that Glagola's own home is closer to Green Pond Marsh than any of the homes he plans to build. Calling Glagola a NIMBY, Planning Commissioner Les Walker told Glagola, "This Board isn't here to save your view." He called the "Save Green Pond" signs he said he sees everywhere "ridiculous."
Glagola did address the merits of the plan, noting that Save Green Pond had done its own environmental study. Planning Director Nathan Jones assured Glagola that his study had been distributed.
While Biddison and Walker took their shots at Glagola, Commissioner Michael Hudak applauded from the back of the room, and spoke loudly enough to be heard in the front. Marty Zawarski, who was also listening, walked out after Hudak began whatever he was doing
In a first, Green Pond Country Club owner John Daub weighed in. "We feel very comfortable that Traditions of America is the best plan for the Township," he assured planners. "The majority of the people in the Township support it," he added.
"We are not touching Green Pond," Biddison insisted. "The wetlands are 100% protected."
After the meeting was over, Zawarski stated he is troubled by what he has seen. To him, this is not a done deal.
23 comments:
Of course this is not a done deal for Maetee, he has to beat Glagola this fall!!!!
Sounds like a bunch of corrupt politicians, telling the guy with the straight scoop he is a NIMBY in an attempt to diminish his message. Boot-licking assholes.
Bethlehem Township has eroded over the past few years since the Developer influenced Boards have taken hold. Too bad there is no seasoned staff leadership to jump in and help direct these raucous out of control meetings. Anon 1204 uses the term "corrupt". Not sure there is corruption but it sure looks like it. Why would Zaworski say what he said to Ohare that its not a done deal. Doesn't Zaworski have to vote at some point and should he not be neutral at this point? I think the public is owed an explanation as to why Zaworski thinks its not a done deal? Is he siding with Glagola and the savegreenpond.org group now when he spoke favaorably about the project in the past? Is he cutting a deal behind the scenes? Hoping Ohare gets to the bottom of this one.
"No seasoned staff leadership", always code for Kutzler would have done it better.
but it's zoned properly, so....
Marty is running his Fall re-election campaign speak already. He wants to look like he cares but if he did care he would have NEVER given TOA "waivers" for sidewalks, curbing and allowed smaller roadways at the last commissioners meeting. Please understand that the Planning Board ruled for "deferrals" and the Township Engineer wrote in favor of deferrals. 3 commissioners including Zawarski, Hudak and Breslin voted to grant WAIVERS. Remember NOT recommended. The public needs to understand that deferrals can be called up at any time and put into action. Waivers are a done deal. So when Zawarski says he is still troubled by the development he is only giving lip service. Actions speak LOUDER than words Marty.
It really is hard to believe that anyone would entertain the notion of NIMBY at this point. How can members of Township Boards and Commissioners ignore the countless conversations at Township meetings by citizens of the Township, the Greater Lehigh Valley at large, Audubon Society, Professors from Lafayette, East Stroudsburg University, NCCC, Moravian College, Muhlenburg College, Wetland Consultants, Sierra Club, Hawk Mountain Conservancy, artists, concerned children, petitions, yard signs and bumper stickers. REALLY....NIMBY. You have your head in the sand if you think this is the case. And to stretch the conversation, it's not just the wetland and bird sanctuary issue. Many citizens have spoken about traffic issues, WATER MANAGEMENT issues and the flooding that plagues Bethlehem Township. IS that NIMBY too or can we intepret that when citizens voice concerns they will all be considered NIMBY? All you have to do is read the countless articles in the newspapers and blogs to get the picture.
If we leave it up to the 3 Commissioners who are letting developers run rampant through Bethlehem Township, residents will no longer have a BACKYARD to be NIMBY about. It will all have been given away.
Residents need to email your Commissioners, Township Manager, Township Planner, Township Engineer and Planning Board Members and voice your opinion. It really does matter in the end. All of this information can be found on the Bethlehem Township website.
Just wait until they redevelop the Green Pond golf course itself. It's probably coming. Enjoy gridlock on William Penn Hwy. Golf is in a decline and that land is too valuable. Am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that a zoning district called "Rural Residential" allows houses on 21,000 square foot lots. Yeah, rural. Maybe in 1975.
TOA's development in Hanover Twp should concern residents of Bethlehem Township. The "sidewalk" they put in is so sub-par that after one year of having snow removed from it it is already deteriorating. If it lasts 5 years they'll be lucky. It's completely disrupted wildlife habitat, forcing deer into more vulnerable situations and the increase in dead deer along the roads in the area is noticeable as well. Bridle Path Road is a speedway, with vehicles often hitting 60 mph on a regular basis. Most of those drivers are not residents of the TOA development, but the added traffic and development have certainly devalued existing properties, where the view is now of a bunch of ugly identical boxes. Houses in the fields, and you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Let them make their millions elsewhere, god knows it won't be hard to find another place willing to let them displace Mother Nature.
People can have opinions without being ridiculed Les Walker. I don't know the man and never heard of him before this but he sounds like a Hudak and God knows we don't need any more of those in the township. 12:04 am and 10:49 am are right on point. I am also not sure that the majority of the township does support this overdevelopment. You have my vote Jack.
I get the point that Biddison and representatives of Traditions deserve some respect when they make their presentations, regardless how people feel about them. To the extent Glagola was disrespectful, he was wrong and was properly called out. But when Biddison made his own personal attack and was joined by a planner and a Commissioner in the back of the room, they should have been chastized as well. It was inappropriate to call Glagola a NIMBY because the issuesd he is raising are far from the NIMBY issues I see at other boards. This meeting, the day after a holiday, was so sparsely attended that the Planning Commission was unable to muster a quorum. Yet one of the points they made with Glagola was that there were few present to speak against the plan. When there are a lot f people there, that's not liked wither. And according to the Planning Commission, everyone is wasting their timje anyway bc their hands are tied. This is no way to encourage public participation in local government. In fact, such poor regard for the public existed that staff hnever even bothered yto plug in the mikes for the public. It was a poor performance of local government.
Walker seesm like a decent enough fellow but I thought he was out of line with Glagols, and should have been chatized in the same manner that Glagola was reined in. Instead, Commissioner Hudak applaudded him.
Les is a super individual and tremendous engineer.
I have no reason to doubt that, but believe he was too personal. You can't have it both ways. If personal attacks by Glagola are no good, then so are personal attacks aimed at him.
"In fact, such poor regard for the public existed that staff hnever even bothered yto plug in the mikes for the public. It was a poor performance of local government. "
I think this goes toward Anon 6:33's comment. That never happened under "Kutzler"!! LOL.
I am always amazed by the amount of disingenuous assertions made in both public meetings and public forums such as this. Bethlehem Township has been developer centered for years. The traffic, floodwater and shrinking open space have been topics of ire for decades. Why didn't Township staff address this years ago? Why must we be subjected to relive the same events over and over? In the midst of the recession, did we not open the floodgates to so many of the colossal construction projects currently underway? A previous plan for a mass of homes at this site was approved with a fraction of the fanfare. Some of us were lone voices then. Yet again, staff and boards allow it to happen. How come no one ever thought to make sure it didn't happen again by changing regulations? The thought that so much of what is unfolding is recent is simply not true, it goes back 20 years or more. The question is, when will someone do something to address it?
8:15
What you say about the history of development in Bethlehem Township is so true. Just read the article on the SaveGreenPond.org website - "The Truth About Green Pond Marsh":
www.SaveGreenPond.org/the-truth-about-green-pond-marsh.php
Planning Commissioner Les Walker thinks the "SaveGreenPond.org" signs he sees everywhere are "ridiculous." With people like Hudak and Zawarski taking Bethlehem Township down the path it is presently on, just wait until the "SaveBethlehemTownship.org" signs start appearing everywhere. Wonder what he will think then?
Mr. Hudak's behavior seems par for the course. All he sees is more tax revenue, both from real estate taxes and EIT. This is typical behavior for a leader who has failed to increase revenue to cover expenses for the last 10 years. Now, the Township has no money, and lots of projects that need funding. Remember this when you go to the polls in 2017.
Check out Pat Bresylin's letter to the editor in the Express Times the other day. That says it all.
The editorial comes from a guy who only attends half of all the regular meetings and none of the private meetings. Watch him at a meeting, he has no knowledge of what is going on, he is like deer in a headlite, clueless about what to say. Tell me what opinion has he ever stated that means something. He doesn't have the brains to make a statement. But he yells open meeting open meeting. Maybe we should all join hands and form answers based on a love fest hand holding session. His governance is governing from stupidity and blindness. And he is doing this to ramp up his credentials to go after Cartwright! Please give me a break.
Bethlehem Township should table all new projects until storm water has been addressed. They have allowed too much construction without handling what is already here. The road by the golf course was just closed due to flooding.
Bethman or Country Club Road?
Farmersville Rd was closed from Green Pond Country Club entrance to Notre Dame entrance due to flooding.
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