The Nov. 11 meeting of the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission included a project from NP Landholdings and the review of a data center zoning ordinance from Upper Macungie Township.

There was a second project on the agenda, Estates at Woodmere, which was removed at the request of the applicant.

The first item discussed was NP Landholdings. The applicant had recently submitted an updated plan to the township based on staff level meetings between the township and the applicant.

The project is a 55,000 square foot building at 7428 Industrial Park Way. The property is zoned for light manufacturing. The property would include several loading docks. This lot is responsible for stormwater management for the Industrial Park Way development.

There was a discussion about a crosswalk across Schoeneck Road. Township Planner Nathan Jones also asked that “no parking” be painted along the edge of the curb on the west side as well as signage at the entrance to ensure access for emergency vehicles.

There was a discussion about landscaping modifications when it came to some of the species of trees.

Township Engineer Bryan Mcadam said the existing stormwater basin that the runoff would flow into would be increased.

The stormwater would be held in the basin and discharged via spray irrigation.

There was also an zoning ordinance amendment reviewed during the meeting. Upper Macungie Township sent an ordinance amendment regarding data centers.

Some of the items included in the ordinance were noise and water pollution, power supply issues and emergency planning. In Upper Macungie Township, the data centers would be allowed in the rural technology and general industrial zones.

Township Planning Commissioner Ozias Moore said he felt the 200-foot boundary Upper Macungie Township set was not enough for some of the residential and more sensitive uses.

Jones talked about the importance of using berms and vegetative buffering. It was questioned if there was a way to protect local infrastructure and make sure data centers do not put a strain on the community’s electrical grid.

Since the zones are all internal to Upper Macungie Township, there does not seem to be a direct concern to Lower Macungie Township. The planning commission sent their comment regarding the 200-foot boundary.

The planning commission wanted to make it known the 1470 Brookside Road Subdivision, the Sprouts Development and the planning commission’s administrative zoning changes will be up for consideration during the board of commissioners meeting Nov. 20.

The next Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting will be Dec. 9. Usually the planning commission meets the second Tuesday of every month and occasionally there is a workshop meeting on the third Tuesday of the month. There will be no workshop in November.

Meetings begin 6 p.m. and currently all planning commission meetings will be held both in person and over Zoom with a video recording uploaded to the township’s YouTube channel after the fact.