In October, VerTek Construction Management proposed a warehouse-style development at the corner of Airport Road and Route 329. The area is zoned commercial and has been for decades. The zoning allows for warehouse operations.

Earlier this year, the East Allen Township Board of Supervisors passed a change to the zoning ordinance requiring all applicants for warehousing projects to present their plans to the board. The option allows the board to impose reasonable restrictions on the development.

“Before we passed changes to the zoning ordinance to address warehouses, it was possible for any developer to put up a warehouse in permitted zones without any further action,” Chairman Roger Unangst said.

VerTek is the first developer to propose a warehouse under the enhanced rules.

The board is required to report its list of conditions to VerTek no later than Nov. 28.

At the last meeting of the board, several residents wanted to present opposition to the plan, but the rules require comments be incorporated into the public hearing held at a prior meeting.

The board had nine points it wanted to address as conditional uses. The comments concentrated on access to the proposed site.

“We don’t want to see trucks stacked in the street waiting to get onto the site,” Unangst said.

VerTek is aware of the requirement and proposed parking on site. Board member Mark Schwartz expressed his concern that the proposed holding area on site is inadequate.

“We need to be sure that we look at the whole picture. Trucks will be parking at the shopping center and the banquet hall if we let them,” he said.

In addition to keeping parked trucks from blocking traffic on Airport Road and Route 329, the board wants to control access. The contractor proposed an entrance off Airport Road and an exit off Route 329. The board wants to restrict trucks from turning right on Route 329 and complicating traffic patterns in Bath and along Jacksonville Road.

Township Engineer James Milot cautioned the board that Route 329 is a state road and is considered truck-accessible. The board modified its requirements to prevent trucks with a gross weight of more than 26,000 pounds from turning right. The 26,000 pounds is the weight limit on the township’s bridge on Jacksonville Road.

The board wants to hold VerTek responsible for limiting traffic to the 31 trucks and 305 cars identified in the traffic study included with its proposal. There are questions on how to measure the traffic.

At the board’s next meeting, Nov. 17, the finalized conditions will be presented to VerTek.

“These are just the conditions that we want to see implemented,” Unangst said. “The developer needs to present a land development plan to the supervisors before he can proceed. Everyone will have an opportunity to comment on the land development. The plan must meet the conditions that we present.”