Planning Commission

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The South Whitehall Township Planning Commission is a seven-member board comprised of Township residents. Each of the members are appointed by the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners and serve four-year terms or until they are replaced by the BOC. They serve voluntarily without pay.

 

Planning Commission Members

 

  • David Wilson  | Chairman (Term expires 12/2022)
  • Brian Hite  | Vice Chairman (Term expires 4/2026)
  • Trevor Dombach  | Member (Term expires 4/2024)
  • Timothy Dugan | Asst Secretary (Term expires 4/2026)
  • Todd FahringerMember (Term expires 6/2027)
  • Diane E. Kelly  | Member (Term expires 7/2022)
  • Mark Leuthe  | Member (Term expires 7/2025)
  • Anthony Tallarida  | Assistant Engineer
  • Jennifer Alderfer, Director of Legal Affairs  |  Solicitor

 

If you are interested in serving on this Commission, please click on the Volunteer Board Member Application link below to print out, complete, and return to South Whitehall Township as directed on the form. There is (0) vacancy at this time.

Volunteer Board Member Application Form

Letter of Intent for Board Reappointment Form

 

Please send any communications for the Planning Commission to David Manhardt, Director of Community Development.

 


 About the Board

The great bulk of the subject matter studied by the Planning Commission pertains to the suitability of land development and subdivision plans; however, it also reviews proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, proposed changes to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, Comprehensive Plan revisions, rezoning petitions, and conditional use applications.

The subject matter to be considered by the Planning Commission is advertised in the newspaper, as a Public Notice in the classified ads section, two weeks, and again one week, before the meeting. Public Notices are also posted on this web site. As a courtesy, ten days before a meeting, the Township will attempt to send property owners within 300 feet of a proposed land development a copy of the Public Notice by mail.

Subdivision and Land Development applications must be submitted by the published cut-off date. Resubmitted plans may be received after the published cut-off date, with the prior agreement of staff and Township Engineer. There can be no guarantee, however, that plans submitted will be deemed sufficient for a review by the Planning Commission. Also, circumstances such as: the volume of plans to be considered, the availability of a quorum, or bad weather can affect the possibility of having a review on the desired date. The members do their best to accommodate expeditious review; however, most plans require more than one meeting before a recommendation can be rendered.

The Planning Commission is advisory to the Board of Commissioners. After it completes its own deliberations, the Planning Commission forwards its recommendation on to the Board of Commissioners for final disposition. 

The Planning Commission’s annual reports to the Board of Commissioners can be found here: 

2021 Report

2022 Report

2023 Report

 


Meeting Schedule and Information

All meetings are open to the public.  

This Board meets at 7:00 PM in the Public Meeting Room of the Township Municipal Building , 4444 Walbert Avenue and virtually via the link on the event or through the Planning Commission GoToMeeting Room.  The Planning Commission generally meets on the second Thursday of each month; but there may be cancellations of regularly scheduled meetings or extra meetings scheduled for emergency purposes and heavy case loads.

Meeting Recordings:  Meeting recordings can be accessed by visiting the South Whitehall Township Planning Commission Meeting Recordings Playlist.  You may also access the recordings by clicking on the specific event below and following the link found on the event page.

Meeting Documents:  Recent Planning Commission meeting documents are available in the calendar list below.  All meeting documents since February 2020 can be found in the "Planning Commission Documents" folders located at the upper left corner of this page.

Meeting Dates and Information:

Planning Commission Meeting

Access the meeting recording HERE.

 

Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission of South Whitehall Township will meet in the Township Municipal Building located at 4444 Walbert Avenue, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, on Thursday May 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. for an agenda review, and at 7:30 p.m. for the purpose of conducting a public meeting to discuss the following, and any other business brought before the Board.  The meeting will also be streamed live through GoToMeeting.  Due to the limitations of the facility, public comment may or may not be available for remote viewers.  To access though your computer, go to https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/757430189.  To access the meeting through your phone, dial 1-224-501-3412 and, when prompted, enter 757 430 189.  

Click here to download the Meeting Agenda

Click here to download the Meeting Agenda Information Packet

 

BLUE BARN ROAD SUBDIVISION
MAJOR PLAN 2020-107
REQUEST FOR SKETCH PLAN REVIEW

An application to further develop the following properties: Tract 1, the 10.58 acre property PIN 547702122303 on the west side of Blue Barn Road north of Clauser Road zoned RR Rural Residential; Tract 2, the 43.44-acre property located at 5123 Chapmans Road zoned RR Rural Residential; Tract 3, the 1.1-acre property PIN 547701028357 at the northwest corner of Chapmans Road and Blue Barn Road zoned RR Rural Residential; Tract 4, the 9.6-acre property PIN 546790861069 at the southwest corner of Chapmans Road and Blue Barn Road zoned RR Rural Residential and R-5 Medium Density Residential; and Tract 5, the 25.095-acre property PIN 547700879525 at the southeast corner of Blue Barn Road and Chapmans Road zoned R-4 Medium Density Residential.  The plan proposes to subdivide: Tract 1 into five lots between 1.02 and 2.59 acres in size; Tract 2 into seventeen lots between 1.00 and 4.32 acres in size, a 14.91-acre Open Space, and 2,122 linear feet of new road; no change to Tract 3 proposed; Tract 4 into 11 lots between 0.23 and 1.68 acres in size, 0.94-acre open space, and 450 linear feet of new road; and Tract 5 into 45 lots of at least 9,600 sq ft in size, 4.27 acres of open space, 3,323 linear feet of new road and stormwater management areas.  David Jaindl is the owner.  Jaindl Land Company is the applicant.

Click here to download the Meeting Agenda Information Packet Excerpt

Click here to download the Sketch Plan

 

4828 HUCKLEBERRY ROAD
ZONING MAP AMENDMENT REQUEST 2019-502
REQUEST FOR REZONING REVIEW

An application to rezone the 17.393-acre property at 4828 Huckleberry Road (also known as 2091 Blue Barn Road).  The bulk of the subject property is currently zoned Rural Residential RR and the northern portion is zoned Neighborhood Commercial NC.  The plan proposes to change the zoning of the entire tract to Highway Commercial HC.   Theodore J. and Lynn K. Lopsonzski are the owners and applicants.

This application has been withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the applicant.

 

AMENDING SECTION 350-42(h) TO CLARIFY THE HEIGHTS EXCEPTIONS PERMITTED
REQUEST FOR ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REVIEW

An amendment to Zoning Ordinance Section 350-42(h), proposed by staff, to clarify the conditions under which the Maximum Height of Buildings or Structures listed in Section 350-24(c) may be exceeded.

Click here to download the Agenda Information Packet Excerpt

 

All properties are located in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Copies of plans, applications and supporting documents are available for public inspection upon request.
Gregg Adams, Planner, Community Development Department

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