LOWER SAUCON, TWP., Pa. — Public dissent for land rezoning and a potential expansion of Bethlehem Landfill was once again at the forefront of the Lower Saucon Township council’s midday meeting on Tuesday. And while the possibility of rezoning 275 acres is back on the radar of township officials, an even larger proposal looms.
In response, some members of the public brandished signs during the meeting, calling for the resignation of two members of the panel: Council President Jason Banonis and member Thomas Carocci.
- Lower Saucon Township council will hear public input on rezoning 275.7 acres from Rural Agricultural to Light Industrial at a hearing on Aug. 30 at 9 a.m.
- No location was announced for the hearing just yet
- Another proposal is on the table, one that would triple the previous acreage and allow waste disposal as a permitted use
The decision — for now
Council decided it would take another look at rezoning the original land in question as it relates to Ordinance 2023-05 for Zoning Map and Text Amendments.
This would involve rezoning 275.7 acres near the landfill from Rural Agricultural to Light Industrial and allow public input at a hearing to take place on Aug. 30 at 9 a.m. As part of the modified ordinance, waste disposal would be allowed on this land as a permitted use.
Jason Banonis, Thomas Carocci and Mark Inglis voted in favor, while Priscilla deLeon and Sandra Yerger opposed.
This move allows township staff to commence the adoption process, advertise the hearing date to the public and send the proposals to the township planning commission and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for further review.
A newer proposal, which saw council approval back on June 26 without exact acreage at that time, would involve triple the land compared to the smaller proposal and also allow for waste disposal as a permitted use throughout the parcels in question.
The original plan focused on 275.7 acres — but that would now be 848.47 acres, across 66 parcels to the north of Applebutter Road, east of Steel City, south of the Lehigh River and west of the Route 33-Route 78 intersection.
Banonis called for another look at that ordinance at a later hearing following the one on Aug. 30. Council Solicitor B. Lincoln Treadwell said “council always has the ability to change other parcels or to propose change in other parcels and have another public hearing.”
Council debate
Priscilla deLeon, a council member who opposes the expansion, said that the landfill’s problem of running out of land shouldn’t also be the council and township’s problem. She called it a “devastating abuse of land.”
“Coming from a medical background, I was taught to always treat a patient as I would want to be treated; I carry that over to my council,” she said. “Did you ever ask yourself who you work for? Who you serve?”
Council President Jason Banonis countered that rural agricultural uses take up 61% of the township acreage, while residential uses take up 33%. He added that the township could face a zoning validity challenge if the proposal wasn’t approved, as other commercial, business and industrial uses take up less than 10% of the space.
“When you look at those numbers, what’s glaring to me — and we’ve talked about this in prior meetings — is that the township is at risk of being sued as a matter of right by a developer who may want to come forward,” Banonis explained.
“Personally, I believe in 275 [acres]; I think the other one’s a little large. However, if something should go sideways because of a technicality, I’d like to keep that option open.”Mark Inglis, Lower Saucon Township council vice president
“Personally, I believe in 275 [acres]; I think the other one’s a little large,” Council Vice President Mark Inglis said. “However, if something should go sideways because of a technicality, I’d like to keep that option open.”
Sandra Yerger, the other dissenting voice on council, called the 848-acre option “over the top.”
Council Solicitor B. Lincoln Treadwell reminded the panel that any party looking to develop on the proposed land would have to meet a variety of requirements from the Department of Environmental Protection, the township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and other entities. This would involve attention placed on natural buffer zones as well.
Public comment
Before the vote, a number of residents came forward to express their dismay over the proposal.
Council member Thomas Carocci arrived late. During some of the commentary, Council President Jason Banonis and Carocci were on their phones or flipping through papers.
“Listen to the people who put you in those seats. I don’t think you will; you’ve proven that.”Janine Bonham, Steel City resident, speaking to council
Janine Bonham, Steel City resident, questioned why council appeared to be pressing forward when there's been a majority dissent toward the proposal.
“We don’t want [another] garbage dump in the Valley, another one,” Bonham said. “It’s already bad enough we have to drive around and see them dotted across the land.
“Listen to the people who put you in those seats. I don’t think you will; you’ve proven that.”
Victoria Opthof-Cordaro, representative of Citizens for Responsible Development-Lower Saucon Township, said the newest proposal would affect some notable parcels that are currently protected by conservation easement.
“I know we have some smart people on this township council; some of them have doctorate degrees,” Opthof-Cordaro said. “But I can’t imagine the elementary concept of keeping conservation property [as] conservation property. It’s downright atrocious.”
Dave Boulin, the one member of the public who spoke in favor of council’s actions, said people who oppose the landfill expansion needed to brush up on the dump’s history. He also said the sign-bearers “don’t want to know the facts.”
“You are so blinded by greed that you can’t wait to destroy the, as you say on your website, the ‘pastoral farmlands, tranquil woodlands and gently rolling hills’ the township is recognized for.”Stacie Misczenski, local opposed to the land rezoning and potential landfill expansion
Stacie Misczenski, another resident protesting the action, said she didn’t appreciate the council calling a meeting on such pressing matters in the middle of a workday. She added that residents have shown much disdain for the rezoning efforts, and to continue with it is only “desirable” for the landfill’s parent company, Waste Connections, based in Texas.
“You are so blinded by greed that you can’t wait to destroy the, as you say on your website, the ‘pastoral farmlands, tranquil woodlands and gently rolling hills’ the township is recognized for,” Misczenski said.
Frank Palumbo, nearby resident, said that in light of it all, he’s gotten closer with his neighbors.
“I’ve learned what great people we have in this community,” Palumbo said. “We have a common bond now, and it’s the fight [against] the council members that keep pushing for this trash.
“We’re creating Mount Trash-more here.”
“This council’s reckless, irresponsible, unethical and borderline criminal. That’s my opinion.”Frank Palumbo, nearby resident
He charged that residents will probably see some more landfill money funneled into the next election as well, comparing the council members to puppets on a string.
“This council’s reckless, irresponsible, unethical and borderline criminal,” he said. “That’s my opinion.”
Other business
Term limits for council members was on the agenda as well.
The current township Optional Plan of Government and Administrative Code allows council members to serve an unlimited amount of terms. The panel voted 4-1, with member deLeon opposing, approving an ordinance that would place a ballot question before Lower Saucon voters come November that seeks public input on the potential for future council members to serve up to two consecutive terms, or no more than eight years total.
If approved by voters, this new ruling would go into effect during the terms beginning on Jan. 5, 2026.
