Fiorentino Cancels Planning Review of Martin Tower

Bethlehem Planning Commission Chairman Jim Fiorentino has canceled a meeting scheduled on Monday afternoon to review and recommend amendments to a controversial new zoning ordinance at the sprawling 53-acre Martin Tower development. His decision is based on documents obtained through the Right-to-Know law, which were first disclosed in The Bethlehem Press last week. Fiorentino asserts that the Planning Commission was "misled regarding the involvement of the owner/developer in the drafting of this ordinance."

Documents produced by the City reveal a seven-month dialogue between City planners and Martin Tower developer Lewis Ronca, including seven different versions of the new ordinance. They reveal that, even as the first public hearing was taking place, Ronca was sending text messages to Community and Economic Development Director Alicia Karner, seeking updates.

Ronca never actually appeared at any of the public meetings, and told city officials he "needed to avoid reporters."

This troubles Fiorentino.

"It is difficult to escape the fact that much of our work was performed in the dark because of behind the scenes negotiations between the developer and the administration," Fiorentino states in a letter to the Mayor. "The process of rezoning this significant and historic tract should and would have been done in the light of day."

Fiorentino has invited the Mayor and Karner to January's meeting of the Planning Commission to disclose the "exact nature" of their discussions with Ronca.

City planners have stated they've engaged all interested parties, including merchants opposed to the new zoning.

Amendments to the Office Mixed Use Ordinance, proposed by Eric Evans, would still permit nearly 380,000 sq ft of destination retail development at Martin Tower. This is roughly twice the size of the shopping district in Historic downtown Bethlehem, according to Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines.

This would be publicly subsidized as well. The Martin Tower development is part of Bethlehem's City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ). Developer Lewis Ronca can use state sales and other taxes to help fund the cost of the project. He can also tap into a $9 million state RACP to recoup the costs of demolishing the 21-story iconic Martin Tower.

On November 19, a divided Lehigh Valley Planning Commission recommended these amendments in a 12-7 vote, but called it a matter of "regional planning significance" and wants an impact study done once development plans are filed.

Hotel Bethlehem Managing partner Bruce Haines calls Fiorentino's letter a "public warning," but City Clerk Louise Kelchner stated that City Council would go on with its public hearing, scheduled for Tuesday night, despite the absence of a report from the Planning Commission.

Bethlehem planning a "fractured exercise in appeasement"

In addition to Fiorentino, Planning Commissioner Matthew Malozi yesterday forwarded a letter to Bethlehem City Council, criticizing the Martin Tower ordinance. He complains that planning in Bethlehem has devolved into "a fractured exercise in appeasement." He adds that meaningful public discourse "is being supplanted by ad hoc negotiations." .

Like many others, Malozi is disturbed that "no vision or plan" for Martin Tower has been shared with the Planning Commission.

Melosky Has Quasi Meeting Anyway

Fiorentino and Malozi were obviously in no mood for a meeting. Planning Commissioner Olga Negron, recently elected to City Council, has told the City she no longer is attending any Planning Commission meetings. Pro-development Planning Commissioner Thomas Barker, was in Florida and would be unavailable for today's meeting. But Rob Melosky, disappointed at the last-minute cancellation, decided to have a meeting anyway.

Three members of Council - Eric Evans, Lou Srellato and Willie Reynolds - were there. Planning staff were present, too. Some members of the public, apparently unaware of the cancellation, came to the meeting as well.

But no members of the public were permitted to speak. I rushed down when I learned of the meeting, but arrived too late. Melosky tells me he believes that Fiorentino and Malozi should have consulted with him before calling off the meeting.

Also missing from this meeting was developer Lewis Ronca. That has been the problem all along.

Will Arts Charter School Get Green Light Today?

Andrew Twiggar and Olga Negron

Last month, Bethlehem's Planning Commission put the brakes on a new Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, to be located at 321 E. Third Street, in the heart of a growing arts and entertainment district. Andrew Twiggar wanted to see a traffic study before approving plans for a three-story school. It made no difference that the school's engineer had already promised to conduct one and implement all recommendations. It mattered not that Traffic Coordinator Tiffany Geklinsky was unconcerned whether that study was done before or after approval. Pleas that this could affect financing for a $27 million project were summarily dismissed.

Today, at 4 PM, the Charter School will be back before Bethlehem's Planning Commission. This is just a few days after Allentown's Planning Commission rubber-stamped Twiggar's own plans for a $250 waterfront development.

They gave their blessing despite some lingering traffic concerns - pretty big ones, it appears.

Twiggar hypocritically thinks traffic studies should apply to everyone else, just not to him and his partners.

Though he has been very generous to Bethlehem, donating the space for a sub police station, he is still a walking conflict of interest. He's a major developer who has every reason to steer development to his waterfront project in Allentown and away from Bethlehem. He himself stated he is looking for tenants.

Bethlehem Planners Cancel Meeting Due to ... Poor Planning

Last time Bethlehem Planners considered an Abe Atiyeh plan for a psychiatric hospital at Center and Dewberry, they goofed. In Judge Edward Smith's words, they "improperly invaded the province of the City of Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board by making a determination of whether the use is a permitted use ... ."

Planners were set to consider a scaled-down version of Atiyeh's plan tomorrow, but that won't be happening. No meeting notice was advertised in the newspapers, as required under the Sunshine Act.

Centralized Human Services Bldg Gets Green Light

Planner Kenn Edinger worries about safety at mid-block crosswalk

At their March 25 meeting, Bethlehem Township Planning Commission unanimously endorsed a revised land plan for a centralized human services building at 2801 Emrick Boulevard. In February, Northampton County Council signed off on a 15-year lease for a 3-story, 66,375 sq ft building on 5.36 acres, with 256 parking places, at a cost of about a million dollars a year in rent. Because the plan previously approved by planners contemplated a medical office building, it had to be revised for human services. The plan must also be endorsed by the Board of Commissioners.

Planners are concerned, however, about a new bus stop being proposed by LANTA at the site. It includes a mid-block cross-walk. "We already got a problem at the Community College," complained resident Barry Roth, referring to a mid-bloc pedestrian crossing there. "Somebody's gonna' get hurt. It's not going to look good on the front page of the newspaper."

Roth's concerns were shared by Planner Kenn Edinger, who suggested that safety concerns be addressed. "I like the idea," he added. Project manager Jim Gentile assured planners that the safety concerns will be addressed.

This project, which is imminent, will result in 100 construction jobs at prevailing wages.

In other business, planner considered a Coordinate Health proposal for a 3-story, 49,000 sq ft medical facility contiguous to Outback Steakhouse. Attorney Tom Stitt, representing the Outback, urged planners, "Don't just rush this through." He complained he had concerns about drainage, parking and access.

Lee Snover worries about overcrowding at Coordinated Health

Although he's been a patient at Coordinated Health, Stitt told planners, "I don't want to be the first patient whose car gets towed." Chairperson Lee Snover noted that Coordinated Health does get crowded at other sites. "They get their foot in the door, and then explode in the building," she observed. Edinger added that Coordinated Health has a "bad track record" as a result of "overbooking."

Coordinated Health's Erin Kintzer, however, told planners that "this facility is different." She noted it is an out-patient facility, not a hospital.

Planner James Daley told Stitt, "Nothing goes zipping through here."

And it didn't. The plan is under review by township officials and engineers. "The bottom line is they gotta' meet with what the Ordinance say," noted Daley. "If our Ordinance is deficient, feel free to bring it up with the Board of Commissioners."

It's Davy Jones for Jack Jones Buick

At a brief meeting on July 12, Bethlehem Planners approved the demolition of Jack Jones Buick, located at 235 West Broad Street, for a 3-story, 17,040 sq. ft. medical office building. They also signed off on designs for a 34-car parking lot at nearby 532 4th Avenue.

Owner Ed Novak is hopeful that the new facility, estimated to cost around $5 million, will be completed by next June.

The only concern with the plan, expressed by City Engineer Matt Dorner, is that the landscaping proposed for the medical office building will encroach slightly into the sidewalk right-of way.

"Couldn't the building be a little smaller?" asked Dorner.

Novak's engineer, Bryan Ritter of Jena Engineering, answered that such an adjustment would eliminate at least eight parking places. Darlene Heller, the City's planning Director, added that her department asked Jones to move the building as close to the street as possible, calling it the "urban style of development you've historically seen at that site." She noted that Jones was in a "Catch 22" situation, getting criticized by one department for doing exactly what another department had recommended.

Heller called the proposed medical facility, located near the Route 378 entrance to the
City, a "gateway building." That refrain was echoed throughout the hearing.

Although Planners Jim Fiorentino, Rob Melosky and Olga Negron gave Novak's plans a green light, he still needs approval from the Zoning Hearing Board at their August 7 meeting. Zoners are waiting for City Council to approve a new zoning ordinance.

Moravian Village Expansion at Stefko Approved

Scott Pidcock

Despite concerns raised by a competitor, Bethlehem Planners unanimously approved plans for a 4-story, 86-bed assisted living and memory care center on Stefko Boulevard at the site of the former Minsi Trail Inn and Krick's Bakery. Representing Moravian Village, engineer Scott Pidcock told planners, at their February 9 meeting, that this expansion of a senior housing project on the other side of Stefko is something "the City can be proud of, as are we."

Assistant Planning Director Tracy Samuelson recommended approval as well.

This proposed expansion has been the subject of numerous legal roadblocks erected by competitor Abe Atiyeh, who owns two assisted living facilities in the area. A Zoning Hearing Board decision allowing the project to proceed was challenged in both County and appellate courts, but Atiyeh's objections were finally dismissed by the State Supreme Court in a one-sentence Order last September.

Despite this setback, Atiyeh continued to pose concerns to the Planning Commission. His VP of land acquisition, David Harte, complained that a proposed 45-space parking lot is too small and would present "safety concerns," even though it conformed to legal requirements.

"What we're hearing is your opinion. Thank you for that," retorted Moravian engineer Pidcock.

Attorney Bill Malkames, who had represented Atiyeh in his previous legal challenge, warned planners that nearby homeowners might have private rights in paper streets vacated by the City.

"Do you represent those people?" asked Planning Chair Jim Fiorentino.

"No, I don't," answered Malkames.

This meeting was the first for Nazareth football coach Rob Melosky and Olga Negron, who has served on CACLV and as Executive Director of the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. Their appointment to the 5-member Planning Commission was confirmed by City Council in January. Other members include Chairman Jim Fiorentino, Andrew Twiggar and Katie Lynch.

Their next meeting is scheduled on March 8, 4 PM, at Town Hall.

Steve Thode Steps Down From Bethlehem Planning Comm'n

I love living in Nazareth, just as I'm sure most of you love where you live, too. But square inch by square inch, the prettiest municipality in the Lehigh Valley, at least in my opinion, is Bethlehem. Whether it's Main Street or South Side, golf course or tow path, it's a wonderful place to live. And if I had to pick one and only one reason for it, I'd say it's because of good planning.

It has a great planning department. led by Director Darlene Heller. You'll often see her sitting in on evening zoning meetings, quietly taking notes. She cares.

In addition to Heller's department, Bethlehem is lucky to have a very thorough and transparent Planning Commission, one of the finest governmental bodies in the Lehigh Valley.

Its backbone, over the past five years, has been Dr. Steve Thode, who directs Lehigh's Real Estate studies. As you might have guessed, he knows a little bit abut planning. Unfortunately, the out-of-town travel required by Lehigh has forced him to step down, effective at the end of this year.

In a letter announcing his resignation, sent to Mayor John Callahan and Planning Chair Jim Fiorentino, Thode thanked everyone, from his colleagues to planning staffers, for their "exceptional dedication in their service to the people of Bethlehem." And he remains confident that "the city we all love is in good hands."

Thode states he'll miss everyone, but he should know that he'll be missed, too.

With Thode's departure, the Planning Commission will drop to a bare quorum of three members - James Fiorentino, Katie Lynch and Andrew Twiggar. In March, Lawrence Krauter resigned from the Planning Commission to become Executive Director at Spokane International Airport.