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| Jack Muschlitz (L) and Arif Fazil (R) |
High End Gas Station - WaWa, Sheetz or Top Star?
Arif Fazil, President of D'Huy Engineering and a respected professional engineer, has decades of experience representing developers before local government boards. This time, he represented himself. He and Jack Muschlitz, VP of Muschlitz Excavating, are pitching a project of their own. They want to convert the old Leiser Rental business, located at 3608 Nazareth Pike, into a high-end gas station.
This is a 3.8 acre tract located along the northeast corner of Oakland Road and Nazareth Pike. It is next to commercial properties like Dunkin' Donuts and Josh Early Candies. It is also close to residential neighborhoods. The property has been vacant since Leiser's Rental moved two miles south to 3464 Linden Street.
A sketch plan proposes a 7,600 sq ft convenience store, gasoline pump bay with canopy, parking for 97 vehicles and a stormwater management basin that will filter water across the street and into Monocacy Creek.
Both Nazareth Pike and Oakland Road are state highways, so highway occupancy permits will be needed from PennDOT for access. In addition, the state Department of Environmental Protection will have to issue what are called NPDES permits for the stormwater discharge.
Fazil, who lives nearby, pointed out that the combo gas station and convenience store is more than a permitted use. "There's definitely a need for a gas station in this area," he argued. "The site was really made for this use."
"I agree it's needed," responded President Mike Hudak, who suggested that Fasil's real problems will be with PennDOT and the discharge of stormwater into a high-quality trout stream Resident Tom Keifer was a bit more blunt. "You're going to pollute the hell out of the Monocacy," he charged.
Fazil disputed this after his presentation. "We're going to have less impervious coverage than is there now," he noted. He added that the water will be filtered before it ever hits a stream, and believes he can get the permits.
The engineer-turned developer himself acknowledges that residential neighborhoods are close, and is proposing a buffer to protect neighbors. He was unable to say for sure whether the facility will be open for 24 hours because an end user is yet to be determined.
Commissioner John Gallagher warned that people going from Oakland Road to Nazareth Pike will use the gas station as a shortcut to avoid waiting at the light.
Fazil and Muschlitz were unable to say when this project would start or the end cost, noting that would depend on the plan review as well as the ultimate end user.
Solebury Senior Living
Prominent local Attorney Joe Bubba pitched Solebury Senior Living, a 7.8 acre parcel located along the south side of Freemansburg Avenue, between Wagner Drive and Farmersville Road. Heritage Senior Living is proposing a 70,000 sq ft facility with 120-beds. There will be parking for 65 passenger vehicles, stormwater management areas and walking paths It has been called both a nursing home and life care center, both of which are permitted as "special exceptions" under the Township's zoning laws. Township Engineer Brian Dillman is recommending that access from Freemansburg Avenue be limited to emergency vehicles.
Township Vehicle Policy
Based on multiple complaints from resident Barry Roth, Commissioners adopted a motor vehicle use policy for township-owned vehicles. Under this new policy, only three employees will be able to take township vehicles home. They are the Chief of Police, Fire Marshal and K-9 officer.
Roth agreed about the K-9 officer, noting that a dog might "lose the scent" if police wait too long to unleash the hounds on a runaway suspect. But he said there was no justification for allowing the police chief or fire marshal to drive township vehicles home.
Commissioner Jack Gallagher was the sole vote against the policy. He wanted these employees to fill out mileage logs, but Commissioner Malissa Davis countered that would be insulting to two police officers.
It was a lengthy and substantive meeting, and I will have a second story for you tomorrow about (1) plans to refinance Township debt and save some money; and (2) critical township road projects being pitched for major federal funding.
23 comments:
It is "insulting" to log mileage on a township car when you are off-duty?? OK, well that is a new one.
What's insulting is the budget the police department has! What city/town do these 3 individuals live in?
That Leiser's back lot had been an eyesore for many years, I was actually happy to see them close down that location with hope that a business with better housekeeping practices would move in there or re-develop it. Full of their junky faded yellow equipment, old boats, an abandoned motorhome with a tree growing out of it, weeds galore.
Just a minor correction. Leiser's moved 2 blocks, not 2 miles down the road.
What exactly is a "high end gas station"? One that only sells premium grade fuel and all-beef hot dogs?
@8:21,
Neither the fire marshal (whose job is really just a code enforcement official) nor the police chief live in the township. Not sure where the K-9 officer lives.
Leisers moved to Bethlehem City from Bethlehem township to set up a new junk yard at the old Gargoyles and Streetscapes sight, this was a clear violation of the zoning laws of Bethlehem and should not have been allowed in this RR district.
Shame on Bethlehem Zoning and Alicia Karner for this gross oversight
I wish I could find a moneymaking venture for my low end gas. I certainly have a lot of it.
High end gas and beer
Twp. cars belong left at the Twp building. Tel the freeloaders to pay for their own gas. Are they issuing them 1099's for the Twp gas and use etc at the end of the year?
Shame on the commission, as a volunteer this is an insult, do you not realize we use our own vehicles to respond. Has anyone asked how many calls the marshal responded to last year?
@10:09,
Please cite the zoning ordinance that disallows a retail business in a RR zone.
They are going to take storm water runoff and filter it and send it into the creek. What kind of high tech filtering do they plan on doing to get all the chemicals out of that water. Keep your own gosh darn runoff and don't send to creek. After all, you are an engineer and look how good are storm management programs are working in the Lehigh Valley. What a sad, sad joke!
1303.07 Purposes of Each District.
(a) RR Rural Residential District – To provide for low density neighborhoods that are primarily comprised of single family detached dwellings.
(b) RR-F and RR-T Residential Overlay Districts – See Article 1310.
(c) RS Single Family Residential District – To provide for medium density neighborhoods that are primarily comprised of single family detached dwellings.
(d) RG Medium Density Residential District – To provide for medium high density neighborhoods with a mix of housing types.
(e) RT High Density Residential District – To provide for higher density residential neighborhoods with a mix of housing types
https://www.bethlehem-pa.gov/ordinance/Zoning%20Ordinance.pdf
Page 33 and 34. All no for anything but a house post office church cemetery that’s IT
" Keep your own gosh darn runoff and don't send to creek."
Right now, the water on that property runs right into the creek and is untreated. What Fazil proposes will mean less impervious coverage. That alone will reduce the stormwater. On top of that, he is planning a large basin and a filtration system. The DEP will be testing and unless the water quality is good, this will not happen.By the way, do you keep your own damn stormwater? Do you realize how ignorant you sound?
8:11 & 8:16, you are citing the wrong zoning ordinance. This is Beth Tp, not Bethlehem. What is proposed is a permitted use.
@8:16,
The previous owner operated a retail business at that location. Would that not set a precedent?
@8:16,
The property (3464 Linden) was granted an exception by the Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board. It was consistent with a similar exception granted for the same property in 2009.
I really like Wawa.
High end Scheetz? Now that is funny!!!
Bernie, talking about where leysers moved into the city of B in a RR zone
where is Bernatos when you need him?
@2:47,
Looked at the zoning map of Bethlehem. It appears to be zoned RG. But, since a variance was approved in 2009, precedent was set to grant another exception.
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