The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners discussed a plan from Lehigh Valley Health Network at the meeting Jan. 12 that would allow a zoning amendment for an upcoming project to be sent to the township’s legal and legislative committee for consideration at February’s meeting.

The project discussed is the possibility of an LVHN medical facility and 190-residential unit building in Whitehall. Attorney Graham Simmons noted this is “a nine-step process,” while being “barely at the very beginning.”

Should this property be approved in the future, it would be located at Lehigh Street and MacArthur Road.

LVHN asked the board for a zoning change request that would allow for the rezoning of a 147-acre parcel from an R-2 to an R-3, which would allow a health care facility with 20 more residential units under an R-3, versus the 170 units allowed under an R-2.

“Forty to 45 acres have been reserved for the health care property. There’s still a very real possibility of a hospital here,” said Dan Quay, LVHN vice president of business development.

The project came to the board again for resubmission and adjustments to earlier plans that didn’t go through the first time, which Commissioner Ken Snyder noted in their discussion.

“We remain convinced that health care is a good thing for Whitehall,” Quay said.

The representatives reported this facility would not have a helicopter pad, and board President Jeffrey Warren noted it would not serve as a level-one trauma center. It was not confirmed by the representatives whether the hospital or the medical offices would be built first.

“I want to see a hospital that’s going to serve the residents now and into the future,” Warren stated.

After much discussion and input from the public, the board unanimously agreed to send the proposal to the township’s legal and legislative committee.

In other news, the board approved reappointments at its meeting. In unanimous 7-0 votes, the board approved John Gulycz and Allen Sandt Jr. to serve on the building code board of appeals, Roger Reichard to serve on the zoning hearing board, Joseph Bonshak to serve on the Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority with a term expiring in December 2030, Jonathan Bolton to serve on the planning commission with a term expiration of December 2029, Janet Minnick to serve on the shade tree committee with a term expiring December 2030, Boyd Kreglow to serve on the tax appeals board with a term expiring December 2028 and Douglas Sammak to serve on the Whitehall Township Water Authority with a term expiration in December 2030.

Jeffrey Warren was approved in a 6-1 vote to serve on the Whitehall Township Industrial Commercial Development Authority, with a term expiration of December 2030. Snyder was the only vote against Warren’s appointment.