The Home News November 17

Page 1

The Home News Your Local News

NOVEMBER 17-23, 2016

50 cents

Northampton High School’s Students of the month

Congratulations to the Northampton High School's September and October Students of the Month. September Girl of the Month: Brandy Moser and Boy of the Month: Ryan Rimple. October Girl of the Month: Cassandra Motyka and Boy of the Month: Alexander Skrapits. These four recipients were chosen based on the outstanding academic record, extracurricular involvement, leadership and service to the community. They were honored this week at a dinner sponsored by the Northampton Exchange Club. Featured on the photo are the four recipients and the Exchange Club panel who selected them. -Via Facebook

Discussion begins for dedication of Sleepy Hollow Road

By KERI LINDENMUTH Residents of Bath who live along Sleepy Hollow Road gathered in the Bath Municipal Building on Wednesday, November 9, to discuss plans that would dedicate the private drive to the borough. Officials recently discovered that Sleepy Hollow Road was never dedicated to the borough. As a result, no state funds can currently go toward the repair of the road. In addition, if the road remains private, the borough will be unable to plow it in the win-

75th Year, Issue No. 46 www.homenewspa.com

USPS 248-700

ter, despite having done so previously, which will leave the road’s 12 property owners to fend for themselves. Six of those property owners and all of Bath councilmembers came together to discuss the issue and begin planning for the road’s possible dedication. The major goal of the meeting, councilmembers clarified, was to gauge the opinions of residents at a concept level and move on from there. Some residents expressed frustration at being caught off guard by the news earlier this year. The borough, they explained, always took care of the road. Councilmembers understood their frustration. “We are trying to right that wrong now,” explained Borough Manager Brad Flynn. During the discussion, all resi-

dents present seemed to be in agreement with the road dedication, as long as two stipulations were met: that no sidewalks be installed along the sides of the road and that the road not be made a through-street. While council agreed that these conditions are not unreasonable, Assistant Borough Solicitor James Kratz did warn that, if residents “want this [the dedication] to happen, there is going to be some change.” In order for the dedication to be approved, the decision must be unanimous with all 12 property owners in agreement. As winter approaches, residents and council will work hard to move forward with the dedication. Said Mayor Fiorella Mirabito: “This should be done sooner rather than later.”

East Allen Township Sets conditions on VerTek construction By JUSTIN SWEITZER The East Allen Township Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, Nov. 9, approving VerTek Construction Management’s warehouse development project at the intersection of Airport Road and Route 329. A continuation of their meeting on Oct. 12, the board debated and solidified restrictions VerTek will have to abide by when constructing the warehouse under the rules of conditional use. Traffic was the number one concern of the township’s supervisors, leading the board to take multiple steps to try and reduce the amount of traffic the warehouse will cause. According to the board, VerTek must conduct a traffic study which will confirm that daily traffic will not exceed 305 cars and 31 tractor trailers, effectively capping the amount of traffic that will travel through the property. Additionally, single-side loading docks will be limited to 42 on the warehouse’s southern side. James Milot, of Hanover Engineering, discussed the conditions in detail, saying that VerTek will have to provide safety improvements to the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regarding traffic. “The developer will provide safety improvements and traffic congestion mitigation to offset and mitigate those traffic, safety

and congestion impacts,” he said. “This traffic study and design of any traffic, safety and congestion improvements should be subject to the review and approval of the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.” The board also stressed that there is to be “no parking, loading, staging or queuing” anywhere off of the premises, particularly forbidding such activity on Airport Road and Route 329. Trucks will be unable to turn right onto Route 329, as VerTek will have to provide construction to restrict trucks weighing over 26,000 pounds from making that right-hand turn. 26,000 pounds is the current weight restriction posting on the Jacksonville Road Bridge, which East Allen Supervisors were wary of as they came to the truckingrelated restrictions. Another crucial facet introduced by the board was the implementation of a berm to reduce disturbances emanating from the warehouse into residential areas. Milot said that VerTek “will provide for a continuous 100 ft. wide berm or its equivalent of adequate height along the southerly and easterly perimeter from Airport Road to Route 329 to mitigate sight, sound and light from leaving the site.” According to the board, VerTek will be notified of the board’s decision in writing by Nov. 28.

Celebrate Small Business Saturday with The Home News in our Nov. 24 Thanksgiving issue

Deadline Date - November 18


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Home News November 17 by Innovative Designs & Publishing, Inc. - Issuu