The Allen Township Board of Supervisors may likely vote at its July 10 meeting on the proposed $335 million FedEx Ground warehouse/distribution center.

The township planning commission has recommended conditional approval of the center that will include 800,000 square feet and eventually grow to encompass 11 million square feet.

Township Supervisor Al Pierce said at the meeting June 24 he was ready to put a motion on the floor for a vote on the FedEx project, but backed off when Supervisors Dale Hassler and Larry Oberly said they needed more time before they voted on the FedEx issue.

Rockefeller Group and FedEX Ground representatives discussed details of the plans for the massive project, including major road upgrades, sanitary sewers, truck traffic and other concerns, utilizing a PowerPoint demonstration. The discussion took place at the Allen Township fire hall.

Officials assured the supervisors road improvements would be complete before FedEx begins operations which it hopes will be in late 2016.

A National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit is required and Hanover Township, Lehigh County, will weigh in before the project proceeds. PennDOT has given its consent to the FedEX road projects.

Charles Everett, executive director at the Lehigh Valley International Airport, whose land for the FedEx project is involved, told the supervisors the airport authority supports the FedEX plans.

Attorney Jackson Eaton, solicitor for neighboring Hanover Township, Lehigh County, asked that his township be granted more time to address the proposal.

Many Allen residents who objected to the proposal at previous hearings were not present last Tuesday. However, one of them, Robert Nappa, asked that no vote be taken so he and others could make their own presentations on their concerns.

The FedEx facility would start with 700 employees and would undergo three expansion phases. The later phases would be done following major road improvements at Route 328 at Kopper Penny and in the area south of Ace Hardware on Route 329.

Three FedEx operations in the region will be consolidated to the Allen Township site.