Lehigh Valley Planning Comm'n Exec Director Becky Bradley provided Northampton County Council with an annual update at Council's July 3 meeting.
It reviewed nearly 1,000 plans throughout the Lehigh Valley. It also examines grant applications, proposed municipal ordinances and plans, sewage and solid waste plan reviews, stormwater projects, traffic impact statements and permit reviews.
Bradley noted a surge of 3,519 residential units proposed last year, of which 2,323 are apartments. This year, 375 housing units have been proposed through April, of which 97 are apartments and 211 are townhouses.
In 2024, 6 million sq ft of commercial development was proposed in 2024, of which 4.7 million is industrial and 4.1 million is warehouse. Nearly 1 million sq. ft in commercial development has been proposed this year through April, of which nearly 0.5 million is industrial and 317,000 is for warehouses.
Bradely said that the market for industrial development is changing as companies consolidate and the amount of available space declines. She expects this decline to continue, especially as municipalities have adopted more stringent zoning practices.
She also touted three multi-municipal plans - the Northern Lehigh Plan (which includes municipalities in both Lehigh and NorCo); the River Central Plan; and the Slate Belt Plan (to coordinate zoning)
19 comments:
“In 2024, 6 million sq ft of commercial development was proposed in 2024, of which 4.7 million is industrial and 4.1 million is warehouse.”
I realize that simple math is not a democrat strongpoint, but I sincerely hope that this error is yours and NOT the Planning Commission’s.
Bohare to 7:46. As I understand, the warehouse is actually part of the industrial development.
BO @ 8:35 - Thanks for the clarification. It’s an oddly worded sentence, but I understand it now. Thanks again.
Did any of the Slate Belt council members ask what they are doing to help bring industry to the Slate Belt
Warehouse development will continue as long as there is suitable land. Recent projects are building on less-than-prime real estate, including quarries and sites not near major roads.
There are ups and downs but this region’s allure to warehouse developers is the location and that doesn’t change.
The 866,350-square-foot warehouse planned for Freemansburg Avenue, on land in Freemansburg and Bethlehem Township, will be at the site of a former dump and quarry.
There will be more to come.
Jeff Ward
Math is not the strong suit of a lot of people regardless of political affiliation. I would guess that it's 6 million total commercial & industrial of which 4.7 million is industrial and 4.1 of the industrial is warehousing (as warehousing is considered industrial).
So, when will thousands of dollars on drawings for bringing rail service back to the Lehigh Valley be asked for?
8:35, That's on me. I should have been clearer. But as you correctly observed, I am a Democrat.
As long as the Slate Belt has a dump in the center of it, commercial and economic growth will be limited. The pro-dump supervisors in Plainfield seem to think that "more of the same" garbage dump economy will benefit the masses, when it is just the opposite. It will benefit the township coffers for them to spend, spend, spend, while the local economy continues to tank.
Industry to the slatebelt HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA they dont even have roads to get the people to work
There are some people, generally older people, in parts of the Slate Belt who oppose adding industry and will spend much of their time organizing against it.
Jeff Ward
It’s a shame this is all we have become.
Slate Belt economy 101. Plainfield township has an opportunity to get out of the garbage business and bring in real jobs that pay better and bring economic growth to the community. These supervisors selling out to a garbage dump are lazy, unwilling to do the real work to grow the township. They have $16M sitting in their laps to build a successful economy, but yet we'll see the same stagnant economy and high poverty population (15.5% in Pen Argyl!) for another 30-50 years when they accept another dump, which we all know they will. WM will have their hand in all major decisions for the township as long as the leaders bow to their money. Remember, they were the ones that thought bringing in a Sewage Sludge Baking facility was "economic growth" and threatened to shut off the GKEDC! How much money was spent fighting to keep that stink out? Economic development?! Show me proof of what the last 30 years of dump funds has done for downtown Pen Argyl business or the mess that Wind Gap is. This is what is considered "success" in Slate Belt Economic Development language. "Free money" for the leaders, while the population suffers with the stink. Shameful.
Can anyone explain the benefits of any of this development?? Life in this valley has gotten steadily worse over the last 25 years. Who’s it good for?? The people moving from the high tax areas??I just don’t get it
What jobs with better pay are the opponents of the landfill bringing in? The same people fighting the landfill are the same ones that fought the sludge treatment facility and the same ones who led the Township into never ending litigation with Nazareth Borough Authority over, you guessed it, sludge being dumped on farmland. Some people can't get out of their own way.
Save the farms save the land no more warehouses, and should create a special tax on warehouse to bring in more income
Sounds like you are one of those that just accepts that the Slate Belt is a dumping ground and that's all it will ever be. Let's not argue the sludge factory again. It was a worthwhile fight. It was a WM and GKEDC project 'for the community'. Imagine that? Our leaders at the landfill and the private GKEDC cronies thought a sludge factory would be good for the community. Look at the research of sewage sludge that has been published since then and you'll understand the reason to save protected farmland from the toxins found in sludge. The fight is worth it to keep NBMA from dumping their smelly pollution in the Slate Belt, next to a park no-less.
Regarding the villages concept: it isn't a replacement for care facilities. It's a way for seniors to help other seniors stay LONGER in their homes. This is a peer-based solution, and it won't work for everyone. This works when seniors are eating well and exercising appropriately for their situations. Gracedale, SNFs, and assisted independent living have their place. I'd rather (age 69) stay home another 15 years.
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