Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Welcome to the April 14, 2026 meeting of the Northampton Township Planning Commission. Let us stand for the pledge of allegiance. A moment of silence for the men and women of our armed forces and first responders to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Um, tonight's uh, meeting has two agenda items. The first is the consideration of the preliminary final plan land development at 92 Steam Whistle Drive SLD25-4. The second one is the consideration of preliminary final plan of subdivision and land development for 400 Twin Ford Road subdivision SLD21. Uh our first order of business though is to approve the uh meeting minutes uh of January. Do I have a motion

to approve? Yes. Okay. Second. All in favor? I I Good. Okay. Let's move on to the two projects that we have. We'll start with the the Steam Whistle Drive presentation. Um, and thank you. Good evening. Go ahead.

Chelsea Jackman. I'm here on behalf of Begley Carlin Amandio and on behalf of the applicant, which is 92 Steam Whistle LLC. Uh, seated to my right is John Richardson from GMAC Engineers. Uh, we are in receipt of the uh, Gilmore review letter from March uh, 24th of this year. Uh, and we're here tonight for uh, an existing uh, business here in Northampton uh, which is reliable uh, equipment service. Oh, excuse me. Reliable equipment and machinery, which is a US-based manufacturing uh business that sources and produces its products domestically. It is fabrication of uh uh very specific um uh hydraulic tools, parts, equipment, and solutions for power and utility lines. Uh they're looking to do an expansion of about 7,000 square feet to the already existing nearly 18,000 square feet at 92 Steam Whistle. Uh it is uh there will be a storm water control dry well uh that's proposed in the rear of the lot. It will be public water and sewer servicing that area or that property. Uh and the uh proposed addition is by right in the I1 district. Um I'll have Mr. Richardson go over the plan generally. Um we are requesting a number of waiverss, many of them very standard. Um probably of note is to state that there is a request a waiver for uh sidewalk. We are requesting a fee in lie of that sidewalk uh for reasons Mr. Richardson will state if necessary. So I'll ask him to go over the plan briefly which has been uh cast on the screen behind you.

Okay. Yeah. Behind you. Uh and then if you'd like for me to go specifically through each waiver, I'm happy to do that as well. And just so everyone understands, this is in a the Northampton Industrial Development Park, correct? Yes, that is correct. And and and just uh one more piece of information as to the reason why. And it's really just to have more dry storage. Uh they're not increasing uh any of their processes. Uh they're not having any more new employees. They already have about a hundred uh that go to work there throughout the three shifts throughout the day. Um so it's really just to expand um physically in terms of the space that they have and that's about it.

Okay, Mr. Richardson, if you could. So the site is currently occupied by an the existing building. Uh the client would like to do an addition to the rear. The purpose of the addition is he needs additional space and there's some uh tight configuration on the site. Uh currently trucks come in and have to try to configure to back in on along the northern property line. Uh it's relatively tight and a little awkward. So by doing the addition in the rear, what allows them to do also is to shift that loading to the rear of the building. uh and uh not only do you pick up the additional space, but it makes the loading issue uh irrelevant for how it is now. As part of the land development, once the rear edition is built, the the loading dock on the side of the building would be abandoned to alleviate that issue. Uh as Chelsea said, the addition of the in the rear and the additional parking will be managed by underground stormwater drywall in the rear of the lot. Uh there is currently public storm water uh piping along the front of the lot in an easement. The drywall will connect to that. So it's not going to discharge the surface. It will be all maintained underground and discharge to the existing system that is also underground. As part of the project, we're proposing the landscaping that is shown on this plan. Uh it's additional trees for buffering and surrounding parking lot for shade on on the asphalt. Uh as Chelsea said, we are asking for several waivers. I'd be happy to go through those if the board would like. Um, I don't believe any of them are are overly ownorous or abnormal or anything like that. I would point out that we are asking for two waiverss of steep slopes, but those steep slopes are already man-made. Uh, they were created during the development of the original development and it's not like some pristine slope or anything like that. So, we are asking for a waiver of man-made steep slopes, but the ordinance treats it just like it was a a natural

slope. Um, yeah. Do we want him to go through the the waiverss just for the record or as you said, they're they're pretty standard uh run-of-the-mill. Um, any I'm okay with them all. Okay. There's a reason for all you want you wanted to go through them. No, never at all. Yeah. And there was an explanation there. So, I don't see any reason to any comments uh from the from our folks.

I just had one question and In the discussion of the plan, uh there's some there we go. There is some discussion in the plan of a potential retaining wall at the back to deal with the slope issue. Could you speak to that issue?

Sure. So, we are proposing a section of retaining wall along the the rearmost of the uh parking lot. Uh there is a grade change there. There will be a small retaining wall, more like a garden wall. It's not significant, but there will be a small wall along there. The discussion was in regards to what I'll call the northeast corner. There are some trees along the property line uh in this area here. Mhm. I'll point out over here also

and uh the there was discussion of whether we could save those trees by installing a retaining wall in that location. Um, I actually prepared a little bit of a sketch. If uh Mike, can you go to the very last sheet? Oh, you had it. Uh, very last one. This is roughly a twocale sketch of that configuration where uh this is the edge of the parking. Uhhuh.

And this is the tree and the drip line of the tree is shown relatively accurate for this sketch. And you would notice that all of this is within the drip line of that tree. It's normally recommend that if you're m doing major disturbance within drip line of a tree, uh the the tree has a low likelihood of survival. So in our opinion, whether it's graded out or a retaining wall is put in, it really is kind of irrelevant. Uh the tree is the disturbance is well within the tree. And whether the retaining wall is built or it's graded out, it's significant disturbance of the root system because it's not just the retaining wall. In order to build a retaining wall, you have to come back with some clearance to construct it and then you have an excavation phase.

So it's not just the disturbance. So in our opinion, uh putting in the retaining wall does not allow us to save those trees in that area. Okay. And so you're hoping to save those trees. We are not we don't believe they can be saved. They're going to make they're going to make it. Okay. All right. All right. Well, I saw no pro other problems with the plan.

Okay. Any other board comments? consultant comments anything that No, nothing that Okay. Uh I don't have any. Um and we've talked to the consultants and all the there's going to be compliance with all the uh the various uh comments that have been made on the the letters that have gone back and forth. Um public comments. Anybody here from the public on this particular project? No. Okay. Um, then I guess we should

Okay. Well, then I move that we recommend to the board of supervisors the preliminary final approval of 92 uh steam whistle drive land development SLD 254 subject to compliance with the township's engineer review letter dated March 26th, 2026. It's also re recommended that the requested waiverss be granted. All those in favor? I I any nay? No nays. It passes. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good

luck. Must have got a microphone. Okay. Our second project tonight is at 400 Twining Ford Road, SLD25-1 um in Northampton Township. And why don't you folks go ahead with the presentation? Tell us what the project's all about.

Sure. Uh I'll begin with introductions again. Chelsea Jackman, Begley Carlin, and Mandio here tonight on behalf of the applicants, DC LLC Investment Groups, owned by the two gentlemen seated behind me, Chris Levens and Troy Brennan, opposite order, Troy Brennan, Chris Levens. And to my right from Tri-State Engineering, is John Genevvisi. Uh, so this project is a uh 4.89 parcel uh subdivision. Uh, where the applicants uh it's in the R2 single family uh residential district. It is out the uh it's south of the intersection of Cloverly Drive on Twining Ford Road. And the uh proposal is a seven lot subdivision, six residential lots that are all compliant uh by the ordinance standards and then one uh lot for storm water management uh by way of a uh infiltration basin uh that would be maintained uh proposed to be maintained by the homeowners association of those uh of those homes. Uh the a new private culdesac is proposed uh to be uh used by the residents. Uh there's an existing dwelling and pool on the parcel at this time that will be demolished. Uh all of the lots will be serviced by public water and sewer. Uh and uh each minimum each lot is uh between 20,000 uh square feet and uh 20,374 ft. So, uh, similarly situated properties across those six leading up to the seven. Uh, I I'll lean into, uh, of issue particular with the project is a, uh, is the woodlands disturbance and the trees that'll need, uh, that will need to be removed, uh, to create this subdivision. Um so at the out uh out out uh front here I'll state that uh the applicant is in agreement with complying with the replantation plan working with the township the engineers to make sure

that we are in compliance with that uh prior to going to the board to the supervisors. Um with that same as last I will ask Mr. Genevesei to kind of go over the plan and a little bit more detail for all of you. Uh and if you'd like we're happy to go through each waiver uh one one by one. a lot of them very standard, a lot having to do with the existing condition of the property as is. Um, but with that, Mr. Genevese, if you could uh provide a little bit more details to what I've just outlined.

So, uh, Twining Ford Road is is on the left of the plan and, uh, as you can see, there's a culde-sac that's about 800 ft long. Um and the six lots and the detention basin lot are all on um the southwest side of the parcel. Um the culde-sac will be private. Uh all of the utilities will be in that culde-sac. Uh, one feature that we'd like to point out is that on the northeast side of the culdesac, there exists a a uh stone driveway. That driveway is in an easement, an access easement to uh the uh Williams gas pipeline all the way at the end of the parcel. Um it's been agreed with the pipeline company that they can use the private road for access so that um the easement is to be extinguished except at the very end uh where the culdeac is um point so uh the there's a piece of easement here that we can't extinguish because our our parcel stops. But um the the pipeline company could come off of the culde-sac and then access their uh facility back here, but for the length of the easement all the way to Twining Ford, uh that would be extinguished. And so the properties, the existing uh uh property

owners would not have to worry about u planning or fencing in their property. Um they would have an additional 10 ft along the property line with our with the uh with this parcel. So that's one benefit to look like. There's some major trees along that side of the easement. they would be maintained. Um on on on this side of the easement, there would be new trees put in and street trees according to the ordinance. Um and uh more trees of course uh planted according to the township's ordinance. Um that pretty much sums it up. There is uh uh not much else to say. the drainage uh and infiltration basin is is here uh at the end and you have the uh Northampton Country Club parcel here and you have the township part uh parcel here. So there would be no um drainage impacts on the neighbors uh to the northeast. Um, and if there's any any more questions, we'll be glad to answer them.

We probably ought to go down through the the waivers on this one and just uh why don't you point out that what they are and and your compliance uh uh position with the various waivers. I think there's a total of 13. Yes. Let me find my list. I have it. You want to go in tandem while read off and we can go. You want to go? Would it be okay? Yeah. If it's okay with the board, maybe we can do this in tandem. I'll uh go line by line and then I can ask uh Mr. Genevi the uh reason for that waiver. Is that okay?

Great. Uh so uh the waiver request letter just dated December 9th, 2025. The first request is section 22-301B uh to permit a combined preliminary final major subdivision plan instead of a separate submission. Uh I don't know if that needs further explanation of standard request uh for that waiver. Is that okay to proceed?

Thank you. The second one uh section 22 304.5. E5 to wave the requirement to show all storm drainage, sanitary sewer and public water supply lines or facilities within 400 ft of the site. Uh I understand uh Mr. Genevi, can you explain to the board uh that's also standard and that aerials have been provided in lie of existing features being plotted as there's an aerial plan that's contained in the set. It would be at the very end of the of the drawing set sheet 22. Okay. It shows the overall

the next one's I'm sorry I mean cut you off. Section 22-304.5 again to wave the requirement to show the location names and widths of streets, curves, pavement, property lines and owners of tracks or parcels within 200 ft of the site. Uh again standard and uh same rationale as the uh last one. Correct. Correct. The next one section 22-43.2A to wave curbing along Twining Ford Road. uh if you could provide some uh explanation as to that. I understand it uh has to do with the trees and the telephone poles that are already there.

Correct. On on on a long twining ford um you have just the asphalt pavement and a small stone shoulder and you have utility poles and then you have a set of large existing uh trees that line twining forward. Uh to get the curb in, uh we would have to move the poles and then we would be excavating in the drip line of the trees. And as it was explained just prior by the other engineer. When we do that, we risk the survival of those trees. And they're they're they're beautiful big trees. So is there is there curbing there now?

No, there's not. What about on the other side? on the other side on the Clover on Yes. On the other side there is curbing and there is curbing down the new private road. Yes, we would propose per curbing all throughout the private road. And again, that waiver request uh is because it would threaten the vitality of the current trees that are already existing. Correct. Correct. Okay.

The next one uh 22-43.2B 2B uh to wave the sidewalk uh along Twining Ford Road and the proposed private roadway. Uh it's is it accurate to state that there is that sidewalk would not connect to anything? Yes. And again, we would be excavating, you know, in much more into the into the drift line of the trees along along 204. Okay. Is there a fee in lie of for that sidewalk? Do you know? There is in fact. Yes, I think there is. Yes.

Yes, there is. uh section 23-501.5K uh to wave the 100 foot minimum distance from the highest freewater surface of any above ground or partially above ground detention basin drainage facility to a dwelling unit. The proposed distance is 29 ft. U Mr. Jenny if you could explain the rationale for that request. The um the basin is located in this area as we described. The uh emergency spillway is along this side of the basin and so that if there was an overflow situation, it would exit that um spillway spillway uh onto this parcel away from away from the dwellings that are proposed. Um the drainage there is a there is a drainage pipe proposed um and that also is on this corner. So um even the 10 or 25 year storm discharge uh which is small which is very small would come out of that pipe. uh 22-6 uh 12 point C to wave the minimum 20 foot residential driveway with uh we have 10 feet proposed at the street and 20 ft at the garage. Uh can you provide the rationale for that?

Um the rationale would be to reduce the amount of impervious surface um which which you know lessens the amount of runoff. Uh but at the houses the um the driveways are 20 foot wide and there's a turnaround area so that all the cars exiting onto the private drive would be able to exit without backing up. Okay. Section 20 sections 23-502.10 A and 23-502.10B2 uh to permit grading within 5 ft of the property line. Uh, I understand that helps run off to the basin. Could you elaborate?

Yes, there is a there is a drainage swale proposed along the line common with the country club that would uh would accept the runoff from the proposed dwellings and get it into the detention basin. Um, the flow is generally in this direction. And so that's the reason for the swale. to get the swell in there, we would be closer than five feet um to the property line.

The next one, 22-618, is to permit disturbance of 98% of the existing woodlands. Uh and I uh led the presentation with stating that's probably the biggest uh waiver request here. uh and it's the applicant's intention uh to comply with a replantation plan to stay in uh communication with the township uh with the engineer Mr. rigs and to ensure that uh that before we even attempt to go to the supervisors, we are in compliance and working with them to make sure that replantation plan suffices. Is that accurate? That's correct.

Section 22-43.1R uh one to permit the coldest act to exceed the maximum 600 foot length. Uh we're currently proposed length at approximately 800 ft. Uh fair to say that the circulation plans for that show no problem for a fire, excuse me, fire truck turnaround. Um and our emergency radius complies with what is uh uh prescribed by the ordinance.

Correct. the the uh the bulb at the end of the culde-sac is according to um township standards and so fire trucks and trash trucks can can come to the uh culde-sac bulb and then turn just swing through the bulb and exit. Okay. Uh section 22-43.1K to wave the minimum 36t cartway width on Twining Ford Road. Uh the existing cartway is approximately 27.4 feet and so we're our waiver request is to not widen that. Is that accurate? Correct. Okay. And basis for that

is that um it's pretty much uniform throughout from from the proposed private drive all the way down to uh Second Street Pike. Uh so we're we're hoping not to have to disrupt that feel and and traffic flow out that out that way.

And the final two waiverss have to do with the storm pipe uh section 23-501.2. L1 to wave the 3-foot minimum cover over the HDP storm pipes. Uh can you provide a little bit of background on that uh as it's a little bit more technical and the basis for it? Um there's there's a there's storm sewer that runs in this easement all below the swale and there's a small crossing uh into the into the culdeac. Um all of this piping has the three-foot cover. There's only that one small section uh that doesn't meet the ordinance requirement and the cover is 2t 6 in. And uh when you were we were going through these previously, you had explained to me that the manufacturer of the uh pipe itself allows for one foot for the proposed diameter. Is that accurate as well?

That's that's accurate. Okay. Section 23-501.2A to wave the requirement that all storm sewer pipe within the road right of way be reinforced concrete pipe. Uh again, we are proposing the HDPE uh and the road will be maintained privately by the HOA. Can you provide the basis for that waiver? Um the HDPE is more or less standard use approved by Penn Dot. Um it's hydraulically better than concrete so that the flow is easier. It's easier to clean. Um that's mainly the reasons why we use it now.

Uh I believe that's all the waiverss that we went through one at a time. There any questions on any of those? I think we're going to want to come back to nine and talk about nine a little bit, but let's uh let's let the consultants have an opportunity. Do you have any comments that you want to make at this point? I'll just say for all those waiverss for the nine that are from the subdivision land development ordinance, we'd have no objection to those. Uh subject to the fee and loop for the sidewalk. Yeah.

And then and the tree replacement for the tree disturbance. And then for the storm the four for the storm water management ordinance. Um, again, have no objection to those. Um, I'll point out though, the one maybe a little bit more concerning would be the 100 feet from the dwelling to the edge of the basin, but there is a I think it's a 8ft difference elevation between the bottom of the basin and where the house would be. Okay. Um, and between that spillway is another two feet between that and that bottom of that house. So, you're comfortable with that? We're we're comfortable with that as well. So, um, board comments, anybody want to raise their hand? Anybody have anything they want to bring up? No problem.

I'd like to hear just a little bit more about uh how you're going to or what you're talking about as far as the compliance with the woodlands uh issue. Uh are you going to be putting trees on the properties? Are you going to be putting trees on the edges of the properties? Are you going to go down the road somewhere and put trees in? because there's a there's a requirement to to replace caliper or something. H what kind of discussions have been taking place on that?

And uh I'll uh defer to Mr. Genevese. He's been involved in those discussions. My understanding is that it's all of the above. So on the property uh surrounding the property and in areas throughout uh uh that area that would uh suffice uh in in furtherance of complying with whatever township engineers and zoning officers have to say. So uh frankly we understand that there uh this project doesn't get approved until the powers that be say hey we're okay with what you've presented by way of a replantation plan. And we understand sometimes that might include coming back and saying nope, we need more here or we need more here or a fee and loo here. We're comfortable with that and completely understand that this is a pretty significant uh disturbance. Um and there have been trees removed already uh in the sense that they were dead trees. Um, but we understand and I uh I imagine that many of the people seated behind me are very com are very used to having uh that area be entirely wooded and that this is a very big change and the applicants recognize the significance of what that's going to look like, want to be good neighbors, want to uh make the township whole uh for lack of a better way of explaining it and whatever that requires they're happy to do.

Okay. and any discussion about barriers or you know some type of vegetation that would be used to allow separation of of properties.

We have we plan our plan we have a we have a a a plan that we've talked with the township already along the um norththeast side of the of the site. we would plant um additional trees uh to fit in with the existing trees that are there already and plus there would be street trees planted along the u along the edge of the cartway. Um on each of the lots there will be at least uh five or six trees um depending on the area. So, so the larger lots would get six dew trees, smaller lot would get five, but all the lots would have trees. Uh, there would be a buffer planning along the um country club and a buffer planning along um the park. So that um not right away maybe, but in a couple of years um it would be fairly well tree covered. You're going to you get them growing. It'll look pretty good. And I think that buffer along the neighbors is going to be uh pretty substantial.

Has the country club expressed any concerns of any sort? Uh

uh yes, they have. Um I haven't spoken I haven't attended meetings with them but there have been discussions and um they are very interested in making sure that you know this this area is uh buffered along the entire length. Any other board questions at this point? Okay, public, your turn. Anybody want to come up and uh and speak uh to

my concern is everything pointing away from me. I'm the last house here, the very last house where excess road's going to be. Yeah. Let us know what your I'm sorry, your your name and your address. Molesc 45 Woodside Drive. Okay. Okay, I am currently this last house where all this mess is going. That is my family room. Microphone. They don't even know where this road is. Step up to the microphone there, Mr. Sorry. Everybody wants to hear you.

So, yeah. Okay. So, this is my house here and this is still like up in the air. Where are they going to put this road here for the access road? Um, this is my family room right there. So, I'm going to have a culde-sac in my family room. Um, I've lived here 23 years. I live on 5 acres. This was a single 5 acre lot and I'm on a fiveacre lot. Now we're going to have a bunch of houses. I mean, I guess it's legitimate to that extent, but I really kind of feel like everything they point here doesn't wind up with me. I wind up with all the stuff from the access from the gas pipeline and we're not really sure what's going to happen with the access road coming out of the culde-sac going back to there because the uh the gas pipeline bring tractor trailers in there and heavy equipment and everything else. So, they can't have a turn in it like that. So that's not going to happen the way it is. So I don't know is and they, you know, I'm kind of very curious about how that's going to work out.

Have you guys coordinated as far as access? Do they they're good with this path? Yeah, we've talked extensively with with uh the pipeline people with Williams and they're happy with the arrangement. So, you're going to give them probably go straight out of here more uh and give them property up there across here. They're going to turn back into my house. Right now, they're going out the end of the See that orange area? That's 20 ft wide. And then the existing part of that dirt road that remains is also 20 feet wide. Right. But there's a turn here.

Yeah, there's a turn there. But you got 20 feet. It's uh it's fairly substantial. Well, right now they have to back the truck down from all the way from Twining Ford. They back it down the road to get it in there. And they don't they're not going to have to back it anymore. Well, they could turn it here, but they got to back it through there probably. Well, they may have to back it through there, but they'll be able to get down to the end of the culdesac, swing around in the culdeac. Um I'm not sure what they're backing up. may have to back up that short distance, but it's a very short distance. It's maybe less than

they have a tractor trailer that comes to do their pigs about once every two years, which uh is probably 65 foot long and it uh they empty the pipe out with that thing and it's a major tractor trailer they back up in there. Okay. And that's without them doing any work. If they bring work in, it's a regular, you know, low boy with it's excavation work that they bring back in there. Okay. Well, we can probably we can probably angle that. We'll talk I'll bring it up with them and people in my office and we could angle that access more so it's lined up with the uh with that extension for the remaining part of the dirt road.

If I may, um if it's okay, the applicant uh has asked if he could respond. Is that okay to uh Mr. Mo's question? Sure. Sure. Here you go. So the second Could you identify yourself, sir, please? How you doing? Chris Levens on the applicant floor at the project. So, right here in the corner, you'll see where we abolish the the easement. We can change the trajectory of this here to go a little more not so much towards the neighbor's house, but more to merge in as long as we stay within our property line to merge back onto the easement, which even 20t wide going where it is a tractor trailer up 52 foot plus the tractor can definitely make that turn. So if that'll change it.

So somebody's going to get a look at that at that. Uh so the gas company already did agree he they approved our preliminary plan. So I'm sure they first.

Anybody else from the public want to speak? So I'm first on the block. Do you want No, I don't want the microphone. I can bellowbody. We need your name and and address. I'm Mary Patrice Ezo. I live on the corner lot, the first lot there. Okay.

So, I bought the house 39 years ago. When we first bought the house, none of this was R2. When did that change? Because you wouldn't weren't allowed to build a house because there wasn't enough frontage according to the township. Now all of a sudden we have six houses going in half acre lots on six supposed to be five acres but really three that's two one acre a piece. So it's six houses on three acres. The other thing is where's these trees that he's talking about are 40 years old. They're falling down. They were they were planted by Bob Reinbach 40 years ago. They don't need to stay there because they're falling down anyway. Anything that you do along here is going to bring them down. They keep falling in my yard. I didn't even plant them. The other thing I want to know is you're going to have a lampost there. I don't want a lampost shining in my back window. The And the other thing I wanted to ask because I made lots of notes is I know y'all don't know what this property looks like. We all live here. We know what this property looks like. to put six houses in our backyards is not really pleasant. So maybe you'd want to go take a field trip and see what this property really looks like before you say six acres, six houses on this little property. Planting all these trees that are already some there and not there have to grow, not grow. That's a lot of problem here. So for 40 years, it's been a beautiful place, quiet, peaceful, we have deer, we have a lot of extra stuff coming in here. Now, I don't know who has the two horses, but they're beautiful. We should keep those two horses and not trying to get more houses in this township that used to be bucolic, and now we have houses on every square foot. And I've worked in this township 40 years and seen lots of changes. And this is not one that I think is going to be good.

Any other public comments? I'm Robert Filer. I live at 33 Woodside Drive. I'm six houses down from Twani Ford Road. Um, first question is, is that are you going curbing on both sides of the street on each side? Yes. Okay. The easement that's there now, we technically own half that easement. Correct. Correct. And where is our property line going to be now? What's proposed? It will be where it is now actually. Uh this is the property line here. This heavy dark line. So

that that's so that's in the middle of the easement. Correct. And that's in the middle of the So the property line remains where it is. Okay. Uh and that uh the dirt road which is the dash lines will be extinguished. Right. Okay. So, and you're proposing putting trees along that down that side as well. Yes. And there'll be trees along that side as well. Uh and there'll be street trees along the inside.

Along the inside. Yes. Now, what h what are you what are you proposing to put up as a barrier for the pro? You know, because you know, you're going to have cars coming down people's backyards. I don't have a fence. I haven't never had a fence. You're the only guy that has doesn't I don't have a fence. He doesn't have before they mentioned they were going to put a fence back there possibly. I don't have a fence. There's fence there's fence along along these properties. They're they're they're private fences. Yes, they're private fences, but we're not proposing a barrier uh along there. There'll be there'll be heavily it'll be heavily landscaped and there'll be street trees along that side.

So, basically, the the property owners would have to extend their fence. Property owners could do that. Sure. They could they could move the fence out to out to their property because it was my understanding initially that you were going to put some type of barrier along the line along there. You said and if we were proposing a fence fence it that's really up to the township if they they want more trees or if they want a fence. We would we don't want people looking out our back windows. You don't want people looking No. That's why we would we would comply either way. Okay. All right. Cuz I have I have two grandchildren who now I

if they weren't touching trees, you know, it would be a tree barrier, you know, but if you if it was a fence Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. Take it. Take it with me. Troy Brennan. Um uh Chris's part on this. Either way, whether it be a white PVC fence or a tree barrier, you know, we would we you know, we understand we would comply so that way it blocks view. Trees obviously are probably going to grow higher as a barrier than a fence would in the future. So kids from going outside though. Yeah. Yeah. So either way, I mean we we would be okay with it either way. Yeah. Because they have young children. Yeah. We have kids walk. They have they have fencing. So it's

and I don't want trees because then it's more for me to rate. So all these are going into my yard. So Okay. All right. And the culdeac, why does it have to be 800 feet as opposed to 600 feet? um to take advantage of to take advantage of uh of the site and to get the detention basin in there, we have to extend it um to provide the the infiltration that we need according to the ordinance. Okay. Thank you.

And just real quick, John, um that waiver to extend that culde-sac It's pretty much it's the same length as the culde-sac in the street following the neighborhood of we're at the same length. The only difference is is they have 17 or 18 houses. Our culde-sac is is for six. So the traffic impact is much lower, but it's really the same as the neighborhood next door. You mean our street, the one behind? Yeah. The street. Yeah. Yeah. Your Yeah. You got houses on both sides following the same street, the same street length as we do. Yes, but nobody's looking in our back with it. No, I'm just talking about us standing the way we're looking for.

You want people looking in your backyard? Well, that's why we we offered both to fence or No, you didn't. You didn't offer anything. We sent out these things and then you never showed up to the meetings.

We did. May I ask the commission if uh we could uh handle this one at a time from the microphone? Thank you. if if you have something to say, you can come back up to the microphone, but and and they're all legitimate questions. So, we're not trying to uh cut anybody off or ignore anybody. We want to make sure you get all your questions, all your issues out so that everybody here can can hear them. And you have to remember that this uh um our um planning commission is to determine whether it meets whether it conforms or not. The supervisors also have a a part in this for some, you know, for other issues, but you know, right now we're really focusing on the conforming with all the various um uh you know, laws and what all that apply to this particular

Yeah, absolutely. development. I'm sorry, your name, please. Jacquelyn Higgins, 21 Woodside. So, I'm the fourth house in um when we met before in the fall, you mentioned that we were going to be gaining some property. who are going to be giving us back property. So the easement gets you said the easement plus about 10 ft. The easement will get extinguished so you can use the entire property. So you're the 10 or 15 ft wherever your fence is now you can gain all the way to the center of the road. But that's still our property. Like we own that to the easement. I I believe that when we met before you said that you were going to give us an additional 10 ft of us of usable space by extinguishing the easement. That's not what you said, right?

Yeah. So you said when we met at the meeting in September, you were going to obviously the easements are property. You said you were going to giving us an additional because you can't use that easement right now. You can't put a fence across that ement. I realize that. But now you we that entire property will be yours.

But you're not giving us anything. I think that was part of the thing was you're going to be giving us property back. I can't remember the word that you used before, but you were going to give us I think part of the deed uh for that little plot of land behind each one of our houses. Is that still happening? Yes or no? Could I could I just respond because I think this is a legal question. Uh the the property is always yours. It's been yours. That dark black line is your property. You can't use that space from the black line to the dotted line. So I think it's a form of semantics for them to say we're giving you 10 ft. They're they're saying you can use this 10 ft. There's no it wasn't that you're getting a new deed set of uh of space. It was worded. It's going to be to the next

to the next dotted line. That's how you said it. So, I'm worried that you're going to be taking that land that you said earlier that you're going to give us the extra land past that black line because you had no use for it and then you're going to be planting all these trees there now because that's your land technically. But before you said that you were going to be giving us additional land that was like the woohoo, we're going to get some additional land out of the deal. You're gaining 10 feet out of it at usable space. No, that's not what they that you said before. So, there's there's minimum requirements in the township. We can't lose any more space. We wouldn't be able to fit our road in.

I to top off that. Yes. So your I'm sorry. Your name? My name is Katie Fel. I am Jacqueline's neighbor. So I just moved in. What's your address, please? Where?

15 Woodside. Um I am the newest person two years ago. I have three children. Very, very young. Um, so what Jacqueline just said is what concerns me. You, we did meet and you said, "Okay, this is the easement. We can't use it. We don't want to abolish these beautiful trees. So, we're going to go on the other side of the tree line is what we discussed." And I we thought that was ambitious, but clearly it didn't work out. Um, you had originally told us that there was going to be a fence on the other side of the easement. So the whole gas line there was going to be a fence after that. Now it seems like it's going to be straight through the center and it's just going to be a bunch of trees. No more fence. So my children can now walk into the driveway that the gas that the gas line which normal okay but any of those six cars. So that could be 12 to 15 cars plus delivery drivers plus uh recycle. I just a lot more activity than what I purchased. What I I'm new to Council Rock. I'm new to Northampton. I I was told when I bought the home that there would probably be two maybe three homes. I don't know about the R2. I'm not smart about that. But this is a lot of homes to squeeze. So, one question um in terms of privacy, how do these homes like I can't tell on this. How is it going to align with my back windows? Are they like plot for plot or is there any type of consideration to maybe staggering them so that they're not looking directly into my back window? When someone's not pulling out of their home in the morning, it's not lighting up my son's bedroom at 6:00 a.m. Can you answer that?

We offer fence. Not the fence. No, I'm asking about the alignment of the homes now. Well, that's how they have to lay out. You can see up there. It's like you guys I think So, where's my home? Sorry. I think the lots are these lots are wider than the than all your guys lots. Am I correct by saying that, John? That's correct.

So, these lots are actually bigger than all the lots that you guys have up top. That's why you're able to squeeze so many houses in up top less than we can't squeeze because we got to meet today's ordinances. So, and I think elevation wise, Jonathan, am I correct by saying our houses drop a little bit lower in elevation wise than where theirs does. So, if they pull out, if there was a fence there or whatever it is, those lights would hit that fence because the elevation's a little lower than the houses above it than your actual house is on your street. Correct. Correct. Correct. And the fence actually would be along the um south southwest side of that dirt road. Show can you show her which line that would be?

I'm not even sure I'm advocating for a fence. I'm just asking for the consideration of privacy. No. And and we want Okay. That's that's there's options we're trying to offer to that. I would hope that would be a communal decision.

So the this is the um I'll say side or the edge of the uh dirt road that's on our property and that is the other edge that's on your property. So that a fence could be installed along this lower edge of the dirt road. It's just that um we were under the impression that trees were more important. Privacy is important. So yes, trees and fences, all of it. I'm not saying I'm not saying they're not important.

And I thought we were okay with the fence. Just just so clear. We we were 100% okay with the fence from the beginning and the township, which we're trying to appease the neighborhood obviously without disruption and you guys as well. and they said, "Okay, let's put a whole barrier tree line down there to for the impact of the some of the trees we're going to remove." And everybody was happier with the tree line that Okay. And forgive me, what kind of trees? Um I mean variety of trees. Yeah, there was a lot um big ones with just tall trunks or are they going to be like fluffy ones that have green around like what kind of We try to go with the big ones with the fluff the ones that the deer like that's I

Yeah. cuz they have the like we have them and they don't work. So that's what I'm wondering. Green giants work well. Deers don't really green giants. So I mean there's there's trees to use. Well, the deer are going to be looking for a lot cuz you're taking their home. There's a part here as well.

Can I can I um if it's okay just make one comment um on on the process and kind of where we are to clarify what uh the applicants are willing to do. So I keep saying the phrase by right and forgive me if you want if you know this. I don't know anything. And and and by the way, as a mom, I totally get it that you have these concerns and coming here and telling the township what they are is is absolutely you're right. And these two guys behind me are considering it and they want to be good neighbors. But when we say buy right, the size of the properties, the things that we're asking to do, we didn't have to go and ask under the law, hey, can we do this here? By right means they own the property, so they can do these things. Now, separate from requesting waiverss for various pieces of it, which is what we're here explaining why we want to do that. And I say that to you not to say, well, you don't you don't get to tell them. They want to hear what you have to say, but the part of it that's like, I don't want this because I don't want these people here, if I'm being very real with you, is is not their decision in a sense. It's in and we have a right, and I say we, the applicants have a right to make reasonable use of property they just that they purchased. and and I get it with with all of my heart. Do I understand? I grew up in Northampton. I know what it used to be. Um they want to hear what you have to say. They want to be good neighbors. They want to understand that this is a really big change for all of you. And so the fence versus the trees are all things that they're happy to consider. We're here to say these are the things that we need them. We want them to recommend, hey, these people are going to do the right thing here. and they want to be good people that are uh good neighbors to all of you and your homes and understand that this is a really big change. So, let us know what kind of trees do you like? What kind of fence do you want?

Because in a sense, you're lucky that you have people that care about it and want to get it right for you. That's all. I just wanted to bring that up. Good point.

I appreciate that very much. And we did meet, I guess, in the fall. Um, and that definitely was a miscommunication because you did uh we walked out of that thinking we were getting our the owned land from our easement plus some. Um, and so in my eyes, my understanding was these properties are going to be even further away from my home. Um, and now hearing that it has changed because of whatever it is, that pushes these people closer to my backyard. And I Yes, it's their right. Um, so on that note, the five to six trees you're going to plant on each property, how many are in the front versus the backyard?

Um, in general, there will be two in the front yard, two on each two on each side of the house, and two at the rear of the house.

Okay. Um, all right. And then my next question is the construction. And I know um I'm just that's a bus stop. Um I'm there every morning. Also, I have a seven-month-old who doesn't sleep. Like what what's this going to do to my dayto-day and how long is this going to take? And I know that it's your right, but if you could explain that, it would be helpful because one day people just showed up cutting down trees and we had no warning. Yeah. So, we anticipate cut construction is going to take about a year to finish from start to finish. Our construction entrance will be where the road is now existing

where the bus stop is. It's where the bus stop is now. That concerns me a lot for kids that are just waiting there. And I I know you can't control it, but I don't know what we can do about that. I don't put our fence up. Yeah, I absolutely around the site. We'll put fencing up around the site, but where the construction entrance comes in and out of the site, I don't think with with what we're trying to save on Twining for Road, I don't think we can move that. Okay. But John can answer that better than I can. If we can move it, I'll move it. I have no problem entering the site from somewhere else. But, um, but construction is going to take about a year. Uh, does the time school go? Um so well if there's multiple school buses um I starting at seven till like 9ine.

Yeah that well 8 8:35 840 and construction will typically start at 7. Yeah. Um go ahead. I was just going to point out so uh there are requirements under uh for when they're not allowed to work. Uh I I feel for you with having are like 6 hours a day. So like No, no, I was what I was saying is they can't work at 6:00 a.m. having trucks and I don't know what the what it states as it relates to time, Mr. Solomon. 7. So you're you're it's early. So you're you're saved by way of the baby at at that time. But uh the little kids uh bus the ones that you'd probably be most concerned with running out is an 8:30 bus time, right? Something along those lines. Get off at like 4

and we'll already be underway at that point. Yeah. Okay. Um, I'm sure I have so many more questions. Hold on. Let me think for one sec. Buffer long drive by the trees. They called us. Yeah. And Chris and Troy that she's uh if I'm I'm sorry, tell me your name again. I'm Katie. Katie's uh comments uh being things that both of you as dads understand and and you're willing to share your contact information like hey this was really loud that or hey we're happy to let you know that you know it's going to be loud for the next week just letting you know around this time.

And how about like the homes? I think we talked like they're four to five bedrooms right? How many like that's a lot of extra people that are going to be on that street then if you think right I I'm just four to five bedroom homes that kind of fit in the area that's what makes a township is four to five bedroom homes I mean how much are they going to be valued at like I they will be north of a million yeah I that's not the area that I live like I don't know they're it kind of is though

I bought my home two years ago and it was not for that. And I'm just saying that I could see a lot of people living in a home like that to afford it is my thought. Um I don't know. I just I appreciate it the time, I guess. Um but if you could communicate with us. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Any other comments from anybody up here? Mike,

I would just add if everybody could put their contact information on that sign sheet, I think we can collaborate and have that discussion on those issues moving forward. To the extent that was a question, we'll we're happy to send out a list serve or there's a lot of discussion here tonight as far as moving forward, you know, fence, trees. I think it'd be great if we could just have a list of all the neighbors and the contact information. Absolutely. And I'll leave my card out there as well so they can contact me too. Great.

Um, can you explain the process for like what happens next? So, the next step um if the planning commission makes a recommendation tonight, the next meeting would be before the board of supervisors. That schedule has not been finalized yet. It could be next month, but we will post it on the website or you're welcome to reach out to me for um for that date. Any other comments this point? If not, uh let's go ahead and vote on this. Uh, we have a Mike, you got a um motion?

Yes. I move that we recommend to the board of supervisors prelim preliminary final approval of the 420 Ford road subdivision SLD 25-1 subject to compliance with the township engineers review letter dated February 26 2026 and the township track engineers review letter dated February 25th 2026 Six. We also uh want the applicants to agree to replant replacement trees as proposed by the township uh replant replantation plan. And we also ask the developers to consider the neighbors um concerns. Okay. It is also re Oh, I did all that. It is also recommended that the requested waiverss be granted.

Thank Thank you, Mike. That's good. Okay, let's vote. Uh, all in favor say I. I. I. Any nays? Nay. Motion is passed. Thank you very much. I think that is the last piece of business we have today. Um, and thank you for your comment. Thank you for your help explaining it. Uh neighbors are glad to see you out here and with that I will meeting is adjourned.