LVPC Explains What It Does, Is a Treasure Trove of Data

In recent months, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) has been under fire in Northampton County. Executive Lamont McClure and the entire county delegation oppose its move to the Allentown Waterfront. Council President Kerry Myers has complained that salaries are too high. Council member Lori Vargo Heffner has even hinted at the county forming it own planning commission. Last week, LVPC Executive Director Becky Bradley updated Northampton County Council on what she's been doing over the past year, and brought several planners with her. When LVPC finished with a rather exhaustive presentation, no one had any questions. This basically tells me that many concerns raised behind LVPC's back are without merit. 

Here's a summary of what LVPC reported.  

Population growth. - Bradley expects the Lehigh Valley to add 100,000 people by 2050, with 70,000 new jobs. NorCo will grow 16% (50,400 people). These populations projections are critical to planning for housing, schools, transportation, emissions and traffic. 

Plan reviews have spiked. -  Jill Seitz, senior community planner, told Council that LVPC reviewed 1,200 plans in 2022. These are state-mandated. They improve safety, protect the environment and make developments better. Last year, the LVPC did its most subdivision reviews since 2008, when the Great Recession hit. There were 566 reviews in NorCo, including 251 subdivisions and 110 stormwater management plans. 

Residential development. -  Last year, LVPC reviewed plans for 6,400 new homes as well as the most apartments in a century. In NorCo, there were three times as many apartments as single family homes. This is a 32% increase in residential over 2021. 

Nonresidential development. - Steve Neratko, Chief Community Planner, told Council that LVPC reviewed 22 million sq ft in nonresidential development, of which 12 million sq ft is in NorCo. This is the most nonresidential development in LVPC existence. The vacancy rate just 5%. He noted a trend toward self storage units. 

Of 11.4 million sq ft for industrial use in NorCo, over half (52% ) is attributable to just one development. That is the Riverpointe Logistics development in Upper Mount Bethel Township (5.87 million sq ft.) Northampton County recently approved a tax break for that development. The plans for that development alone are 3.5' thick. 

By law, LVPC must respond to submitted plans within 30 days or they are deemed approved. Details about each plan in are located in LVPC's annual report. 

Multi municipal planning helps control growth. - If a warehouse is proposed in East Allen Tp that will result in significant truck traffic in surrounding communities, what recourse do they have? The answer, as Becky Bradley explained, is multimunicipal plans. Several communities in both counties have or are working on these. The Nazareth area multi municipal plan covers 10 communities, including Chapman Borough. If a municipality is subscribed to this plan, it can demand traffic impact fees from the developer of a warehouse in the multimunicipal plan area. This might make a warehouse developer think twice. 

Freight. - Transportation planner Patrick Osei told Council that 10 counties are preparing a freight plan for eastern Pa. LVPC monitors traffic on Rtes 33, 22, 78 and 309. It conducted 46 NorCo traffic counts in 2022, including 11 requested by Lower Mount Bethel Township concerning the River Pointe plan in adjoining Upper Mount Bethel. 

He also referred to a freight-based land use guide suggested by Executive McClure, which has been implemented.   

Walk Audit. - LVPC launched a walk audit on April 25 that addresses 23 separate locations in NorCo alone to identify the most dangerous pedestrian corridors. I hope that includes Green Street in Nazareth and Jaindy Boulevard in Lower Nazareth. 

Local technical assistance - LVPC has conducted classes for 1,250 public works crew employees to provide assistance in temporary traffic control, winter maintenance, and erosion and sediment control. It has also provided 44 tech assist to municipalities  For example, after a recent pedestrian fatality near Weona Park in Pen Argyl, LVPC and PennDOT met on scene with borough officials and provided suggestions to enhance pedestrian safety. .

Community engagement. Hannah Milagio, who handles community engagement, saud that LVPC reaches a quarter of LV households weekly . She said a monthly on WDIY reaches "thousand"s of listeners. A Morning Call Sunday column hits 40,000 doorsteps and a similar sideline in the LV Business Journal reaches 12,000. 

This seems a bit weak. There is no way that the WDIY show reaches "thousands." It might reach 10. LVPC needs to review its community engagement practices and make much more use of social media.  I've noticed that many people have a poor understanding of what LVPC actually does. I confess that when I first started blogging, I did as well. 

Data, data and more data. - In my view, the most important service provided by LVPC is DataLV. It tells you pretty much everything you want to know about the Lehigh Valley. It tells us the high school graduation rate in Allentown is an abysmal 65%, while Wilson Area School District is 95.63%. It tells us that 82% of our population drive to work alone, while just 2% rely on the bus. It tells us that 79% of our population work in "at-risk" industries.

Though much maligned, LVPC is worth every penny it gets from both counties.