By SARIT LASCHINSKY

Special to The Press

Upper Macungie supervisors had a busy agenda to tackle at their April 1 meeting, with several issues related to land development.

One of the items was a discussion on completion of a punch list for the Trexler Fields development.

Township Solicitor Andrew Schantz said when developers seek approval for a project, the township enters into several agreements to ensure the project is complete, fully-funded and secure.

He said it several improvement agreements related to the Trexler Field Project had expired and gone beyond the provided five-year time frame and, as a result, the developers were in default of those agreements.

Schantz added the township would be entitled to security increases of 10 percent per year, per its ordinances.

He added Trexler Fields had been put on notice and provided with modification agreements to extend the time for the defaulted sections by a year, and the township was seeking a 10-percent escalation in securities over the remaining improvements.

Eric Griesemer, of Kay Builders, said the developer was active and committed to fulfilling the dedication of all the development’s phases, and had been working to mark out areas for completion.

He asked for relief with regard to monetary security for the next 90-120 days to allow for the developers to reach “substantial completion.”

Chairman James Brunell said the township had been contacted by the developer’s homeowners’ association, and said in his opinion, the current level of security would not cover the costs of the unfinished work.

“That, coupled with the letters we’ve received from the homeowners’ association shows there is a perception of a lack of movement on your part from them,” he said.

A discussion then ensued over the type of work which still needed to be done, from landscaping to sanitary and storm sewer repairs, to maintenance work.

Brunell reiterated his comments about the current security being insufficient.

“So to only ask for $80,000 more, when it could be 10 percent compounded over the last five years, I think is extremely reasonable, because if we take the compounded, it would be exponentially more than 80 grand.”

Griesemer asked that in return the township not default the developers on the four phases which currently need extensions, if the builder posted the $80,000, was allowed to continue work, and if a schedule was submitted to the township.

The board voted to adjourn the topic until May to review the schedule and discuss the default.