A zoning amendment that would allow for the potential construction of a full-scale hospital in Whitehall Township has been approved by the board of commissioners. The commissioners approved a zoning amendment for the Lehigh Valley Health Network-owned parcel located at 3230 MacArthur Road from R-2 low-density residential and R-4 medium-density residential to R-3 low-/medium-density residential.

The zoning amendment will allow for a healthcare campus/hospital to be built on the 147-acre parcel of land at MacArthur Road and Lehigh Street. The township has not officially approved the project, only the zoning change, which amends the allowed use of the property.

The zoning amendment passed 6-1 among the board, with Commissioner Taylor Stakes as the only vote against.

Along with the hospital being proposed, developers are also proposing a bypass that would be built in alignment with MacArthur Road and Lehigh Street, leading to the hospital property and offering a shortcut to get to Mechanicsville Road. The bypass would end across the street from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Mechanicsville Road.

This plan for a hospital in Whitehall Township has been in the works and discussed by the township for many years, after many revisions and changes, it was reported.

Representatives from LVHN returned to the board at the beginning of the year, expressing their wishes to build a hospital in the township.

In January, the board unanimously agreed to send its plans to the legal and legislative committee as well as both the township and Lehigh Valley planning commissions for full review.

LVHN representatives and engineers from the Pidcock Company came back to the board in April with a more detailed plan regarding a possible healthcare center. While the board liked the idea of a hospital, commissioners didn’t fail to show frustration and disagreement with some issues with the initial plans, such as LVHN’s proposed sign, which most of them thought was too big, and fears of increased traffic on MacArthur and Mechanicsville roads.

LVHN representatives and Pidcock Company engineers returned to the board at September’s meeting for the official vote on the zoning amendment. Commissioners still expressed concerns regarding the proposed development.

Stakes said he was shocked to see this ordinance before the board at the meeting, due to his belief the applicants have not changed much from the proposal since their last meeting.

Stakes also said they didn’t fully address the concerns the residents on Dogwood Drive and Rosewood Lane have shared about the proposed development. Stakes had held a community meeting with the neighboring residents and representatives from LVHN to get their opinions and concerns about the proposed development in Whitehall Township.

Stakes said the township planning commission voted 5-0 to recommend denying the rezoning for LVHN. He asked why the board should go against the planning commission’s recommendation and vote to approve the zoning change.

Graham Simmons, an attorney for the applicant, responded by saying the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission was highly in favor of the zoning amendment.

“I’m concerned, knowing the concerns that the neighbors have had and not seeing any real changes in the ordinance, I don’t think that’s being a good neighbor,” Stakes said. “Is there any room for the hospital to listen to the neighbors, adjust and adapt to the requests of the community?”

Simmons told Stakes they’ve tried meeting with neighboring residents, saying most of their concerns had to do with land development.

Most of the discussion before a vote was focused on the sign LVHN is proposing for the hospital. It is an LED digital sign that was supposed to be 45 feet but, according to Pidcock, has since been reduced by 24%, after commissioners expressed their disagreement with the signage size in April.

Stakes again noted the frustration with the sign, which Pidcock said was brought down to 40 feet. Stakes argued it will still be the largest LED sign on MacArthur Road and that it currently goes against the zoning ordinance.

Commissioner Lee Christman agreed with Stakes about the proposed sign. He said it’s a huge problem, especially since it will sit adjacent to a residential neighborhood.

“If you want my vote, you need to do something with the sign. Nobody wants a billboard on MacArthur Road,” Christman said.

Christman added that if LVHN was not willing to fix their sign, they shouldn’t bother coming to Whitehall at all.

Stakes also argued that the sign developers are proposing for the hospital does not differentiate itself from the other LVHN-owned buildings in Whitehall, also arguing it does not do a good job of identifying itself as a hospital.

LVHN representatives defended the sign, even after they noted the size has been reduced, arguing the sign will help drivers identify the hospital, especially in emergencies when drivers need to navigate to the closest hospital.

Scott Pidcock, land planner and civil engineer from The Pidcock Company, spoke on behalf of the proposed LVHN development.

He discussed the sign in detail, arguing the sign needed to be that size to communicate a message to the public over a distance so that drivers can safely navigate the turn needed to reach the hospital.

Several pictures were displayed at the meeting for residents to see, showing the proposed bypass that would go in alignment from Lehigh Street to Mechanicsville Road, and where the sign would possibly go — near the Whitehall Diner and right next to the water treatment facility building.

Commissioner Ken Snyder added the current zoning ordinance caps signage in the township at 35 feet, while the representatives are still asking for 40 feet.

Snyder had different opinions about the proposed sign, saying he didn’t have an issue with it and argued the sign was crucial so drivers will be able to see the sign and be able to find the hospital quickly in times of emergency.

Snyder said the sign may not be a flat sign but might be angled. He added that if the LED sign is angled, the direct light from the sign could be pointed away from the residents and not shine toward their homes, especially at night.

“If the sign is at a 45-degree angle, you could be sitting in the Whitehall Diner’s parking lot, and you won’t see the front of the sign because of the way and angle it’s being pointed,” Snyder said.

Stakes disagreed with Snyder, saying the sign would still shine into neighboring homes on Dogwood Drive because of the way the road is curved.

Snyder also spoke about the proposed bypass, arguing it could eliminate congestion and traffic on Mechanicsville Road.

Snyder showed his support for the hospital throughout deliberations, saying, “The pluses far exceed the minuses.”

“Your community has a need, and this responds to it. If we’re going to be fully responsive to that need, it needs to work. Part of that is the wayfinding and the signage,” Pidcock said to the board.

Pidcock noted the digital sign is about explaining the services LVHN will offer to the community.

Stakes responded by telling them St. Luke’s and other hospitals of the same size do not use large LED signs to direct them in an emergency to the hospital, especially when they sit adjacent to residential neighborhoods.

“I’m very concerned that you’re not willing to budge for this,” Stakes said.

He added this development, including the bypass, will increase traffic on MacArthur Road.

However, Pidcock argued Mechanicsville Road will get better once the bypass is built near MacArthur Road and Lehigh Street.

“If you want a future where Mechanicsville Road gets better, it’s only going to get better with the bypass,” he said. “There is no other way.”

He said Mechanicsville Road would be appreciably better by 20% than it is today, including the full development of the Cassage Property and the bypass.

Dan Quay added LVHN representatives have approached the township for several years regarding building a hospital here, with Stakes adding a previous board of commissioners voted 5-2 in 2022 not to send this project for approval, which also included a bypass.

According to Pidcock, the previous project proposal from 2022 was different from the proposal presented this year.

“It has changed dramatically because of the community input,” Pidcock responded.

Snyder argued traffic is the same everywhere else you go, especially regarding having to go out of Whitehall for healthcare.

“This project gives the availability to bring healthcare to our community that is consistent for the service,” Snyder said, speaking in favor of the project.

Snyder and other commissioners discussed the struggle of residents having to travel out of the township for other forms of emergency healthcare, with Snyder saying, “None of these specialists do business in this town; they’re everywhere else. This gives it an opportunity to happen. You must consider this when you make your vote tonight.”

After hearing from LVHN representatives about the zoning amendment, Christman said, “I am more comfortable voting yes on the hospital than I was before.”

“You’re one of the biggest communities in the region,” Pidcock said. “You need this.”

Board Vice President Thomas Slonaker mentioned the previous board chose not to move on with plans for a proposed hospital in the township due to concerns about increased traffic.

Pidcock responded by saying they have returned to the board this time with traffic studies for the development, which he stated were submitted to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for approval and review, stating their studies have been proven to be reliable.

During public comment, residents seemed eager to welcome a hospital into the township but showed some concerns and anxiety regarding the development.

Karen Poshefko asked the board if the developers were still intending on building a helicopter pad on the campus. Quay confirmed it’s still part of the plan to include helicopters at the campus, estimating around eight flights a year.

Anthony Kopeck asked the developers how many parking spots LVHN is intending to include in their healthcare center, which Pidcock responded “around 1,000 to 2,000.”

Resident Brent Fenstermaker asked what kind of traffic mitigation will be implemented for the bypass near the proposed hospital, arguing the bypass would invite more traffic on Mechanicsville Road going toward Rural Road, but that it won’t alleviate congestion and heavy traffic on Mechanicsville and Rural roads.

Resident Howard Lieberman expressed the need for a hospital in the township.

“It’s really important that we get medical facilities closer to here. We’re too far away from medical facilities in this township, ” Lieberman said.

After much discussion, public input and debate among the commissioners that lasted more than two hours, the amendment passed 6-1.