City Council passed resolution 9C on its Nov. 19 agenda, authorizing an agreement of sale between the City of Bethlehem and Greenway Park, L.P. for development of land between 6 and 12 West Third St.

According to an internal-departmental correspondence sent from Bethlehem's City Solicitor John Spirk Jr. to City Clerk Cynthia Biedenkopf, the parcel of land sold for $70,000. The Sale Agreement specifies that Greenway Park, L.P. intends to "develop the property as part of a mixed use project for restaurant, retail, office and academic space."

While Mayor John Callahan expressed that the project, "is a great opportunity for urban infill," many community residents gathered in opposition to the proposed development for a public comment section of the meeting that ran for over two hours.

What is it?

Currently, the parcel of land at the corner of New and Third streets is the site of Maze Garden, a community garden owned by the City of Bethlehem and tended to by many Lehigh University Students under Lehigh's South Side Initiative. As indicated on their website, the South Side Initiative is a university-wide project that seeks to "foster the exchange of knowledge, enabling students and faculty to share specialized academic expertise with our neighbors, and enabling community members to share local forms of knowledge, historical memory, and cultural practice with those in the university."

In 1990, the land was bought by Northampton County at a Sheriff's sale and later given to the city. The site has been utilized by South Side Initiative as a community garden for the past 17 years.

Divided opinion

As Lehigh University students, local business owners and other area residents presented their opinion on the sale before council, public reaction was clearly divided on whether a vote authorizing the sale of maze garden would ultimately benefit the community or be detrimental to the surrounding neighborhood. At the onset of the public comment hearing, Lehigh University Assistant Vice President for Community and Regional Affairs Dale Kochard commented on the dilemma presented by the possible sale. According to Kochard, "We need to be open to appropriate development of our land … while at the same time respecting our history."

While many local merchants voiced their support for the sale to Greenway Park, many Lehigh University students expressed concern for end of the garden and skepticism that a new garden could be built. Student Emily Gibbs works at the garden alongside members of the local Boys and Girls club. Gibbs read a letter before council written by a 10-year-old she has worked with at the garden and concluded, "As a stakeholder, I feel it is unfair that I was left out of this decision."

Council reaction

Prior to voting on the sale of Maze Garden, councilwoman Karen Dolan proposed an amendment to be added to council's resolution which would recognize in writing that the "garden's demolition will create a deficit in the community." The proposed amendment committed the parties involved to working with the community to find a way to work towards replacing the garden. With no second motion to her proposed amendment, the original resolution was voted on and the sale of Maze Garden was authorized with a 6-1 vote.

Dolan, who dissented, commented just prior to her vote regarding what she had hoped the amendment would accomplish. Addressing concerns laid out during the public comment section of the meeting, she apologized for a lack of communication between the city and the public, expressing to her colleagues that, "the majority of concerns [today] were about faith in government."

Other business

Council issued a citation to John Spatig, a former member of the Bethlehem Fire Department for 29 years. Spatig was promoted to lieutenant inspector in 2007.

The next council meeting is Dec. 3.