At East Allen Township’s regular meeting Feb. 22, residents took to the microphone to comment about the proposed Jaindl warehouse project along Seemsville Road. The project was presented to Northampton Area School District and included relocating portions of Seemsville Road.

Robert Bysher explained his frustrations with the location of the warehouses and the impact on the community.

“They (Allen Township officials) are allowing these projects without considering the impact on the surrounding communities,” Bysher alleged. “We should be coordinating our approach and have multi-municipal (comprehensive) planning. What they are doing is tearing the fabric of our community apart.”

According to Bysher, Allen Township Planning Commission contends there is little it can do about locating warehouses because the property is zoned for industrial applications. Allen Township has located its warehouse developments on the outskirts of the township so that most truck traffic goes to adjacent municipalities, he added.

Chairman Roger Unangst explained that multi-municipal planning advocated by Bysher and others was tried but proved not to be workable.

The key factor at this point in planning for the warehouse development is that the Jaindl proposal has not been presented to East Allen Township - and it is not yet scheduled. Bysher contended that Jaindl indicated at the school board meeting that the proposal was, in fact, scheduled for East Allen. The citizens group CARD backed Bysher in his comments and agreed that Jaindl confirmed a scheduled presentation with the township.

“It is hard for us to comment on something that we have not seen,” Unangst said. “They will make a presentation, but we have nothing from them to schedule a meeting.”

In a related matter, a development proposal from Jaindl for property that it owns on Locust Road was delayed until April.

“According to the letter we received, they are weighing their options,” township Manager Deborah Seiple said.

The property would require a zoning change.

There was discussion from residents about truck restrictions on Weaversville Road. Residents living along Weaversville Road support limiting truck traffic. Supervisor Mark Schwartz clarified the restriction was limited to the size of the trucks using the state road but that trucks were not restricted. Several residents confirmed signs were erected on Weaversville Road setting the restrictions. However, it was noted that there are no signs on Weaversville Road when approached from Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

Fred Flamisch, who resides in the Victoria Village complex across from Bicentennial Park, asked supervisors for assistance. Flamisch claims that trying to exit the complex onto the constantly busy Airport Road is a safety issue. He asked for a traffic light at the intersection.

Route 512 is a state highway, and the final decision on the need for a traffic light is made by PennDOT after an extensive traffic study.

“We can ask for them to look into the possibility,” Schwartz said. “Conditions have changed since the development was first approved. But we don’t control the decision.”