Upper Milford super-isors spent nearly half of their Aug. 1 meeting in an hour and 10 minute executive session, called for undisclosed personnel reasons.

Most of the rest of the meeting was spent discussing the pros and cons of requiring sidewalks and curbing for the Fields at Indian Creek, a 212-unit "active adult" community located partly in Upper Milford and bounded by Chestnut Street, Cedar Crest Boulevard and the Northeast Extension of the turnpike.

Rick Koze, president/owner of Kay Builders, Inc., who has proposed the development, argued vigorously for not putting in curbs and sidewalks, although insisting he is willing to do whatever the board wants, but supervisors indicated they would prefer to see sidewalks on one side of the street.

The process of seeking approvals for the 78-acre development will be complicated, as it lies in three municipalities– Emmaus, Upper Milford and Lower Macungie Township– as well as along the turnpike.

Supervisors' views on the sidewalk issue, as of now, are not binding, because planning is still very much in the preliminary stages, but Koze said he met recently with the township planning commission, and would now like a sense of how supervisors feel.

Planners split 4-4 on whether they would require sidewalks in the development, he said.

Koze said 160 of the 212 units will be in Upper Milford, and, at least at this stage, they are all single family homes.

He said aesthetics are very important to him, and he feels the look of streets flush to the lawns, rather than with curbing, is more aesthetically pleasing. "It has a rural feel," he said.

He also argued it is preferable environmentally, because it allows stormwater to infiltrate into swales rather than run into gutters.

Curbs and sidewalks also need more maintenance, he contended, and would be more expensive for the homeowners, since the streets in the development are planned to be private.

The case for sidewalks, he said, seems to be for the safety of school children, and there will be few if any children in this development, since it will be age-restricted.

He also said the development should not have much traffic, and he is also proposing walkways around the outside of the development where residents can walk.

Supervisors Chairman Daniel Mohr said, "I could rebut everything he said" and said he personally would prefer to walk on sidewalks, than along a street with no sidewalks.

He said he has sometimes voted to waive the sidewalk requirements for small developments, such as two or three-lot subdivisions, but this proposed development is so large and dense that sidewalks are appropriate.

"Face it; it's all about the money," he said of Koze's argument.

"I take offense to that," Koze responded, saying if he does not put in sidewalks, he will have to make the roads wider, at greater expense.

Supervisor Robert Sentner said he is concerned about pedestrian flow, and said the way the homes are proposed now, putting sidewalks in front of some of them would make the front lawns too tight.

"I can see it both ways," Supervisor George DeVault said. He said he thinks in a development this dense, curbs and sidewalks on at least one side of the street would be an asset.

"I'll go whichever way you want," Koze said.

Sentner said he would like to at least see curbing, so there wouldn't be concern about people driving on the lawns.

Eventually they seemed to arrive at a consensus in favor of curbing and sidewalks on one side of the streets.

In other action, supervisors approved the Seedway land development plan for an addition to its existing building, as well as several waivers for such things as street trees, curbing and sidewalks along Vera Cruz Road and street lighting.