South Whitehall commissioners granted approval July 18 to a pair of resolutions allowing Cetronia Ambulance Corps to construct its Joint Operations Facility.

First, commissioners voted to allow subdivision of a 96.4005-acre property owned by Lehigh County at 4200 Broadway.

Lot one is comprised of nine acres at the southwest quadrant of the Parkway Road and Broadway intersection. Lot two encompases 87.4005 acres designated as the residual tract.

In a second vote, the board granted approval to Cetronia Ambulance Corps for construction of a one-story, 85,000-square-foot Joint Operations Facility on lot one.

The project includes 221 parking spaces, a new driveway onto Broadway, and grading of two future soccer fields on Lot two.

The ambulance corps organization will rough grade and seed two soccer fields south of the existing pavilion, with the county finishing the turf later.

In other matters, commissioners approved site design revisions for a proposed car wash at 4540 Broadway, revisiting a plan first approved six years ago.

Peter Cooper originally wanted to construct an innovative green car wash, which would meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design specifications, at the 1.3-acre site near his Lexus dealership.

When grants for the green project were not forthcoming, Cooper modified the stormwater management design of the facility.

Manager of Community Development Gerald Harbison commented on the car wash.

"All issues have been worked out by staff," Harbison said.

Solicitor Joseph Zator provided comments on the Neighborhood Improvement Zone litigation undertaken by more than a dozen municipalities, including South Whitehall, in response to funding for the hockey arena in downtown Allentown.

Faced with lawsuits that were delaying the project, the state legislature dropped the idea of keeping earned income tax from non-residents to help pay for the arena.

Zator offered advice to commissioners.

"The actions of the legislature have made the litigation moot," Zator said. "The return of EIT funds should be underway this week. I think the township should withdraw our suit and discontinue the litigation."

Commissioners voiced unanimous agreement.