At the June 17 Allen Township Planning Commission meeting, members unanimously made the recommendation to Allen Township Board of Supervisors to move the warehouse plan along Seemsville Road to the next step. Supervisors will review the plan as part of the approval process.

There are technical issues that remain to be ironed out, but those would not change the fundamentals of the project.

Some of the sticking points under consideration, but now resolved, included different agreements. For example, responsibility for the traffic control signal on the new Seemsville Road required agreements with East Allen Township, Northampton Area School District, Allen Township and the property owner.

Questions about the connector road between old and new Seemsville roads are resolved.

The public water line to Mud Lane will go to East Allen Gardens. Allen and East Allen townships were offered an opportunity to pay to extend the line. Both townships refused, claiming Bethlehem Authority, which receives water revenues, should step up to expand public water service to customers in the area.

The original plans called for an 8-inch main. Bethlehem Authority asked for an upgrade to a 12-inch line. The authority will pay the additional cost.

David Jaindl, of JW Development Partners, the developer, asked that the project be broken down into two phases. The second phase consists only of Building 6.

“We want to tie in with Liberty (adjoining property developer for Century Commerce Center), but we don’t have details of the plan, so that building may be delayed for a while,” he said.

Phase one will consist of 2.25 million square feet of office space.

A concern addressed by planning commission member Gary Krill was stormwater runoff overflowing onto Howertown Road. The developer’s engineer, AnnMarie Vigilante, assured Krill various holding reservoirs would detain enough water to reduce overflows during heavy storms.

Jaindl is anticipating a spring start for the project, with phase one completed by the end of 2020.

In a related matter, Vigilante indicated the continuing roadwork at the Kopper Penny intersection would be completed soon.

“The weather has been the biggest delaying factor,” she said. “They are doing tricky adjustments and technical work, which is causing delays when they close down lanes. Once this phase is complete, the additional improvements are minimal.”

The project calls for two additional right-turn lanes at Howertown Road and Route 329. A third right-turn lane is expected when an easement is granted from the Shell gas station property.

Vigilante is looking to have the scheduled work done by the end of the month, barring weather delays. The additional turning lanes will be completed in 2020.

Also at the meeting, Ronald and Lisa Check asked for permission to divide their property into additional parcels. The division would allow parcels to be granted to their children. Commissioners approved the subdivision.