- Upper Macungie supervisors will hold a special meeting on Friday, Nov. 17, to discuss a potential agreement for a warehouse plan on Route 100
- The township initially opposed the plan, but is now working on an agreement for conditions of approval with developer Prologis
- Prologis also proposed a manufacturing facility at the same site as a backup plan
UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. — Upper Macungie supervisors will soon discuss a controversial warehouse plan.
The township Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting on Friday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. to discuss a potential agreement for a warehouse plan at 110 PA Route 100, township staff announced Wednesday.
The 150,000-square-foot warehouse plan was proposed by Prologis, an industrial real estate company. Township staff previously decided that the plan was not allowed per township land use laws, and Prologis appealed.
The Upper Macungie Zoning Hearing Board, a quasi-judicial body that makes decisions independently from the township, has held two hearings regarding the appeal.
Both Upper Macungie Township and Star Hospitality Group Inc., owners of Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Allentown West next to the property, were objectors in the hearing.
But at the Oct. 11 Upper Macungie Zoning Hearing Board meeting, representatives from all sides said they were nearing a compromise.
They plan to agree to conditions of approval for the project instead of having the Zoning Hearing Board rule on the validity of the initial decision.
The Upper Macungie Board of Supervisors first has to agree to those conditions before the agreement can be finalized. Township Solicitor Andrew Schantz said the board has reviewed the conditions during executive sessions, but still has outstanding questions.
If the supervisors approve the agreement, it would then go to the Zoning Hearing Board for review. The board scheduled a special hearing for that purpose on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
A manufacturing facility plan?
Prologis has also proposed a plan for a manufacturing facility at the same site, which would be about the same size as the warehouse. The plan was tabled at the last township Planning Commission meeting.
“We wanted to be able to invest our opportunities to either do warehousing or manufacturing, in the event that the township didn’t approve the special exception application."David Koerner, Prologis Development Officer
Prologis Development Officer David Koerner said that the company made the second plan in case the agreement for the warehouse does not work out.
“We wanted to be able to invest our opportunities to either do warehousing or manufacturing, in the event that the township didn’t approve the special exception application,” Koerner said.
The lot at 110 PA Route 100 is in the township’s Light Industrial zoning district. Some types of manufacturing are permitted “by right” in that district, meaning a landowner has the right to use the land for that purpose.
Conversely, warehousing is permitted by “special exception” in that district, meaning it needs to be approved by the township Zoning Hearing Board.
When a warehouse is allowed by “special exception,” that means it is an allowed use as long as the property owner proves the warehouses will not harm the township any more than another warehouse plan, Sostarecz said previously.
