Part Four

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth part in a series looking at the Salisbury Township 2026 Comprehensive Plan.

Salisbury Township will hold a public hearing Sept. 24 on adoption of the Salisbury Township 2026 Comprehensive Plan.

The Salisbury Township board of commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in the meeting room of the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

The comprehensive plan, titled “Planning for a Safe, Healthy and Connected Future,” serves as a vision and guide for township officials, residents, businesses and developers.

The plan outlines four focus areas: growing strategically for financial benefit, preventing property disinvestment, building a connected community, and sustaining and enhancing parks and open space.

Each focus area includes priority strategies, estimated costs and the township entity responsible for implementation.

Growing strategically for financial benefit

The goal is to reduce long-term pressure for tax increases by encouraging strategic, higher-density development and redevelopment in appropriate commercial corridors and on underutilized sites while balancing financial sustainability with protection of community character.

Priority strategies include supporting mixed-use development along East Emmaus Avenue, East Susquehanna Avenue and Lehigh Street; encouraging higher-density residential development along Lehigh Street; coordinating a joint corridor study with Allentown and Emmaus; and allowing modest density increases to support senior housing near Cedar Crest Boulevard and Lehigh Country Club.

Preventing property disinvestment

The goal is to address blight and deterioration, support well-maintained housing and protect neighborhood quality and stability.

Priority strategies include enhancing code enforcement data collection, registering rental, vacant and foreclosed properties, and exploring conservatorship options.

Building a connected community

The goal is to strengthen ties between the eastern and western sections of the township, encourage community interaction and ensure residents have access to township resources and services.

Priority strategies include evaluating recreation amenities on township-owned land across from the municipal building currently used by the public works department, creating a digital newsletter, increasing social media outreach, enhancing the township website and hosting community events.

Sustaining and enhancing parks and open space

The goal is to sustain and improve township parks and open spaces through investment, maintenance and partnerships that expand recreation opportunities.

A key strategy is pursuing additional parks and trail master planning efforts to identify connections among neighborhoods, parks, schools and the regional trail network, including potential links to the Lehigh Parkway Path and the Delaware & Lehigh Trail.

A community survey conducted for the comprehensive plan received 384 responses. According to the plan, Salisbury Township’s population is 13,605.

The comprehensive plan also includes chapters on future land use, community development objectives and implementation strategies.

The Salisbury Township planning commission voted 6-0, with one abstention, May 27 to recommend adoption of the draft comprehensive plan by the Salisbury Township board of commissioners.

The Salisbury Township planning commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at the municipal building.

The 104-page comprehensive plan is available on the township website.

Parts 1 through 3 of the series were published July 8, July 22 and Aug. 26.