ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A Northampton County township’s draft of a sewage plan update on Tuesday passed a staff review by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee.
Plainfield Townships’ Act 537 plan was unanimously advanced, without discussion, by committee members during the meeting.
“The LVPC actually reviewed previous versions of this plan in 2021 and 2022,” Corinne Ruggiero, an environmental planner, said.
“There is no capital financing required to implement the selective alternative. No other changes have been made to the plan.”Corinne Ruggiero, an environmental planner
“The 2021 draft version was withdrawn by Plainfield Township to address comments made by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, or PA DEP.
"The 2022 version addressed Pa. DEP’s comments, but was not formally adopted by the township, which is why we're seeing it today.”
The most recent version of the plan “reflects changes that align with 2025 cost data,” she said. She said the commission’s review comments are not very different from those for previous plans.
While the majority of the township’s residents have on-lot sewage disposal, areas in the northern part of the township, next to Wind Gap and Pen Argyl, have public sewer service by each borough's respective wastewater treatment plants.
A 2019 lot sewage needs assessment found no confirmed malfunctions, but 40 properties along Sullivan Trail, north of Stockertown, were identified as having either a suspected or potential system malfunction.
To identify alternatives focused on addressing short- and long-term sewage needs, the plan calls for the township to adopt an on-lot sewage management program, dividing the township into five separate sewer districts, and requires septic tank pumping at least every five years for all properties served.
“There is no capital financing required to implement the selective alternative,” Ruggiero said. “No other changes have been made to the plan.”
The plan on Thursday will go before the full commission.
Trail inventory, gap analysis
In other business Tuesday, the committee was told work continues on the Lehigh Valley Trail Inventory and Gap Analysis, an initiative to inventory existing and planned trails across the region, as well as analyze gaps.
The last regional trail inventory was updated more than a decade ago, in 2013.
The overall vision, Susan Myerov, LVPC’s director of environmental planning, said, “is to develop an interconnected trail network that ensures users can move throughout the Lehigh Valley and beyond, strengthening multimodal connectivity, expanding equitable access to outdoor recreation and enhancing quality of life.”
Christian Martinez, one of the environmental planners leading the project, said they’re deciding which gaps to prioritize by impact, aiming to encourage connectivity across municipalities and between recreation areas, as well as population employment centers.
Out of 57 gaps identified, planners have prioritized 10, including two on the Jordan Creek Greenway Trail, three on the D&L Trail and single gaps on the Karl Stirner Arts Trail, MLK Trail Phase 2, Stockertown/Tatamy Rail Trail, Two Rivers Trailway and Bushkill Township Trail.
“We have a lot of real[ly] great conceptual trails,” Martinez said.
“However, some are really long, and while it would be awesome to see that infrastructure be developed in the region, for identifying our priorities for this document, we're looking at trail gaps that are five miles in length or less to really emphasize projects that can be done more quickly and get our trail network developed quicker, as there are a lot of opportunities within that five mile or less range.”
The plan is scheduled to be presented to the committee for comments and review during its next meeting, slated for Jan. 20.
Next year’s chair, vice chair and new LVPC staff
Also during the meeting, committee Chairman Steve Repasch was unanimously voted to serve for another term, and Michael Drabenstott was voted in as vice chairman.
“Mike, all you need to be is the Robin to his Batman, and you will be golden,” Christina “Tori” Morgan said. “You got this. You're going to be amazing.”
“Well, as long as I get an entry card to the Bat Cave, I'm OK,” Drabenstott responded with a chuckle. “I’m in.”
In addition, new staff were introduced, including: Mary Grace Collins, a community and regional planner; Peter Lantz, an environmental engineer; Giovanna Rizkallah, an artificial intelligence engineer and innovation planner; and Jacob Weinberg, a community and regional planner.
“It’s wonderful to have so many talented individuals, and young individuals, joining the LVPC staff,” Repasch said. “Really, really good to see and to welcome all of you and wish you a long and prosperous career at the LVPC.”
