City council was quick through its affairs July 7, breezing through its meeting in less than an hour. But that efficiency was made moot when a number of residents were ready to share some serious concerns.

The primary topic raised by citizens was news of a proposed zoning change that will affect the legal use of space on the 53-acre, 21-story Martin Tower complex. The proposal would expand long-expected residential units to include retail use. As the property is part of the Community Redevelopment and Incentive Zone, local business owners are concerned about the building essentially becoming a self-contained shopping district that will sap consumers from existing downtowns.

Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines outlined this perspective, calling the news disturbing and that it would further undercut city businesses already under assault by Allentown's Neighborhood Improvement Zone. He said the retail incentives and the businesses they would attract to the location would only compound current small business difficulties elsewhere.

"Strip malls killed the downtown in the 60s and the 70s. Lifestyle centers like the Promenade severely impacted the downtown in the 1990s. A mixed-use Martin Tower property is bad city planning," Haines said. "The property needs to stay residential."

Moravian Book Shop's Dana DeVito and Donegal Square's Neville Gardner stated their agreement.

DeVito said the book store is already hard-pressed to support its current size, and more competition may force them to downsize in the city and move some products to satellite locations. A shame, she said, for maybe the oldest continuously operating book store in the world.

Gardner, who is also president of the Downtown Business Association, said he was only speaking on his own behalf, but that he would almost certainly be back at the DBA's behest if this proposal remains viable.

Council itself mostly performed maintenance with its votes, moving some funds about and considering a proposal from Advanced Storage Technology, Inc. to build a new salt building. Council also made its annual vote to increase parking fines in high-traffic neighborhoods during Musikfest.