Looking out of his office at 1651 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., South Whitehall Commissioner Glenn Block noticed what he referred to as a tanker tractor-trailer rig parked along Office Center Drive, across from a day care center and not far from the Coordinated Health medical facility.

At the Sept. 2 meeting, Block expressed his objection to the truck being parked at that location.

“There’s been a big increase in activity,” Block said. “It takes place in hours when the day care center is open and traffic is at a high point.

“It can be dangerous for emergency vehicles to get through.

“We don’t know what’s in the trailer. It might be something flammable.

“There is a right and a wrong place to park trucks. Most municipalities don’t allow this.

“We just can’t have tractor trailers parking wherever they want.”

Block then asked commissioners to adopt a resolution authorizing the township manager to look at the 18-wheeler problem and make suggestions for solving the issue.

Board President Christina “Tori” Morgan offered comments.

“What needs to be considered here is to look at the bigger picture and not alienate people by not offering alternatives,” Morgan said.

Commissioner David Bond provided his thoughts.

“We need to look at everything,” Bond said. “Some look like big landscape trailers just sitting around. Even big RVs could affect the clear sight triangle.”

When Morgan asked if anyone in the audience had comments, Bryan Panella, 2310 Huckleberry Road, stepped forward.

“I am the driver of that truck,” Panella. “I pull a 45-foot trailer. It holds plastic pellets used to make water bottles and styrofoam.

“If it were hazardous, I would have to put a HazMat placard on it to indicate a risk to the public.

“I’m willing to work with the township. I make sure there are no homes nearby and I check with police officers every so often.”

He recalled Roma offered him a parking opportunity at the Roma Corporate Center several years ago.

“The Roma lot is much fuller now than when he made the offer,” Panella said. “I don’t want to interfere with his clientele.”

Panella said a sign was put on his truck on Aug. 23 indicating “Enforcement action will be taken” if the tractor trailer is parked on Office Center Drive again.

Block said he placed the sign on Panella’s truck after clearing it with township Manager Howard Kutzler through a phone call.

Throughout the discussion, the verbal exchange between Block and Panella became so intense, Morgan had to use her gavel to restore order.

Panella said he is being harassed.

“It’s a violation to park in front of my house,” Panella said. “I’m willing to work with you guys.

“There’s no dangerous chemicals in my truck.”

Presently, there are no regulations forbidding parking along Office Center Drive, Block noted.

He said the township needs to address the issue of truck parking sooner rather than later to insure the safety of residents.

The board granted Kutzler and staff approval to look at the situation of large vehicle parking, including not only tractor trailers but also RVs, wreckers, landscape business vehicles and all others.

“Let’s look at all areas of this and see what the alternatives are,” Morgan said.