BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Residents’ concerns over increased traffic and potential environmental impacts are building over a proposed 67-home development along Township Line Road.
Several residents expressed opposition to the project during a sketch plan review by Bethlehem Planning Commission on Thursday.
The plan calls for construction of 67 single-family detached dwellings between Santee Mill Road and Route 22.
The 57-acre parcel, known as the Gold Tract, stretches over both the city and Bethlehem Township and is near Monocacy Creek.
“This is a treasure,” Scott Culpepper, of Santee Mill Road, told the commission, referring to the Monocacy.
“Monocacy Creek is recognized as a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection high quality, cold water, migratory fishery. It’s also designated as a wild trout stream.”
Culpepper noted the nearby Archibald Johnson Conservation Area, through which Monocacy Creek runs, is not merely a “parkland,” as defined by Andrew Boll, of Hanover Engineering, who represents the applicant.
“Do you know how many species of birds live in the park area?” Culpepper said. “One hundred ninety-three.”
'Should be carefully looked at'
Dennis Brennan of Trent Court is a bird watcher who said he worries about the effect the development may have on them.
“The developer is from out of state. The owner doesn’t know what this piece of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township has to offer.”Dennis Brennan, Bethlehem resident
“The developer is from out of state,” he said. “The owner doesn’t know what this piece of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township has to offer.”
One of the lots already includes a sanitary sewer pump station.
As for increased traffic concerns, Culpepper said his research indicates the average number of vehicles per household in the United States is 1.83.
Assuming 67 dwellings will be built in the development, “122 cars, a large percentage of them, will come out of that driveway every morning to go to work, onto narrow roads with speed bumps,” Culpepper said.
Commission Chairman Robert Melusky, referring to the narrowness of Santee Mill Road, added: “And if a FedEx or UPS truck is coming, people have to pull over to allow others to pass.”
Traffic on Altonah, Santee Mill and Township Line roads was a significant concern raised by the board as well as the public.
“I’m really concerned about [having] the traffic study,” Commissioner Joy Cohen said.
Cohen also voiced concern about a nearby train crossing that is “uncontrolled at a frightening intersection especially with more people coming with this development.”
She also said there's a history of significant flooding in the project location over the years.
“The study of water in this location and the flooding should be carefully looked at,” Cohen said.
Nineteen dwellings are proposed over 20 lots within the city limits.
Forty-eight lots/dwellings are proposed within the township.
A small portion of the city parcel is in the floodway. A significant part is in the Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone AE, with identified steep slopes and wetlands.
No dwellings are proposed to be within Zone AE.
