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 (Application Cut-Off Date 7/3/24)

Access the meeting recording here.

 

Planning Commission Meetings are held in person at the Township Municipal Building at 4444 Walbert Ave. They are also streamed on-line via the link found below.

Learn more about the Planning Commission HERE.

The Public Meeting Rules can be found HERE.

 


Public Notice:

PUBLIC NOTICE

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 August 8, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of conducting a public meeting to discuss the following, and any other business brought before the Board.

TILGHMAN HOLDINGS LLC COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT PHASE

MAJOR PLAN 2024-102

REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY/FINAL PLAN REVIEW: 

An application to develop a property located at PIN 547654969042. The plan proposes to enclose a portion of an existing outdoor storage area to provide for new tenants and to establish a Coordinated Development status for all the existing uses and proposed uses on site.  Additional improvements being proposed are parking lot striping and internal signage. The property is zoned Highway Commercial-1 Special Height Limitation.  Tilghman Holdings LLC is the equitable owner and applicant.

PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION

MAJOR PLAN 2024-103

REQUEST FOR SKETCH PLAN REVIEW

An application to develop a property located at PIN 547893306327 1.  The plan is proposing four (4) building expansions to individual sections of the existing high school consisting of an athletic entrance expansion of 5,385 sf, a cafeteria expansion of 2,753 sf, and two (2) classroom expansions of 18,773 sf and 19,363 sf. In addition to the building expansions, the bus loop at the rear of the building will be extended to create nine (9) bus parking spaces.  A new parking lot will be constructed to the southeast of the existing parking lot in front of the school which will add ninety-six (96) new parking spaces to the site increasing the total of parking spaces from 1,285 to 1,319 parking spaces. The property is zoned Rural Residential -2.  Parkland School District is the equitable owner and applicant.

81 & 111 SOUTH CEDAR CREST BOULEVARD

MAJOR PLAN 2023-107

REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY/FINAL PLAN REVIEW

An application to develop the properties located at 81 South Cedar Crest Boulevard PIN 548664952010 and 111 South Cedar Crest Boulevard PIN 548674051816. The plan proposes to consolidate the two parcels, raze the existing dwelling and outbuildings, create eleven lots of not less than 9,600 square feet for single dwelling units and one lot containing the remainder of the tract for stormwater management, and 400 linear feet of new road on the 8.3045-acre tract.  The property is to be served by public water and public sewer and is zoned R-4 Medium Density Residential.  The Estate of Morris and Bertha Sofranscy is the owner of 81 South Cedar Crest Boulevard.  Hallmark Homes – Cedar Crest LLC is the owner of 111 South Cedar Crest Boulevard.  Hallmark Homes – Cedar Crest LLC is the applicant.

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.

 

David Manhardt, Community Development Department


Project Information:

 

TILGHMAN HOLDINGS LLC COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT PHASE 1

MAJOR PLAN 2024-102: 

REMOVED FROM AGENDA

 

PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION

SKETCH PLAN 2024-103

Please See Agenda Information Packet Below

 

81 & 111 SOUTH CEDAR CREST BOULEVARD

MAJOR PLAN 2023-107

REMOVED FROM AGENDA

 


Agendas, Packets & Attachments:

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