Two representatives of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission in Allentown attended the March 9 Alburtis Borough Council meeting.

Geoffrey A. Reese, P.E., director of environmental planning and David E. Manhardt, AICP, chief geographic information systems planner, spoke with council and presented a slide show including maps and charts about the Southwestern Lehigh County Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan which includes Alburtis, Emmaus, Lower Macungie, Lower Milford, Macungie and Upper Milford. These communities have agreed to work together, plan together, adopt the plan and move forward.

The plan includes historic and projected population, (from the year 2000 projected to 2040); community facilities and housing tenure covering subdivision and land development data, land use and agriculture; natural resources; transportation and traffic patterns for Pennsylvania Department of Transportation roads, congested corridors and high crash intersections; agriculture and much more. The representatives said agriculture was an important part of the plan because the agricultural land which exists now will not be able to feed everyone in this area in the future. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is working to preserve as much farmland as possible so it is not developed for housing.

Wanting input from the community at large, surveys were created and sent to random residents. The commission received 1,300 responses from the communities.

Three meetings have been set to give the community members opportunities to go over the results of the surveys, envision the future and contribute their ideas. The meetings will be held at the former Kings Highway Elementary School in Old Zionsville 7 p.m. March 29, April 26 and May 24.

In other business, councilperson Kathleen Raines, chairperson for parks and recreation committee, requested funds to rough and paint the hockey court. Work includes acquiring a machine to rough the court before painting, measuring and obtaining the paint for the court, lines and the icon in the center. It was noted $3,500 has been budgeted. Raines has been trying to get a grant and has asked previously to have this done. Council President Ron DeIaco requested council inspect the court and Donnie Derr, with the maintenance department, will be contacted to determine the cost of renting a machine, labor and paint. A report is expected at the next meeting.

Derr has requested repaving from the top of Third Street by the post office to Stone Alley and down Front Street. The cost is approximately $17,000. Councilpersons Sherryann Oels and Steve Hill volunteered to look at it and report back to council.

Trexler advised council $60,416.43 was received for the liquid fuel tax fund payment.

A motion was passed authorizing Manager Sharon Trexler to contact The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Cooperative Purchasing Program regarding the cost of salt and services in the borough.

Council authorized Trexler to contact the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce about applying for a grant from theMain Street Lehigh Valley Chamber Foundation Grant for signs including the cost, type and location in the borough.

Council authorized the Alburtis Volunteer Fire Company Special Fire Police to assist Good Will Fire Co. No. 1 of Trexlertown with traffic and crowd control during their 119th annual Four County Firemen’s Parade July 16 as part of their 100th anniversary celebration.

A letter was received notifying the borough the County of Lehigh Community Development anticipates $1,116,773 will be allocated in 2016 for Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Council is considering applying to repair the 400 Block of Franklin Street.

Council briefly reviewed Lower Milford Township’s Ordinance No. 127 amending the zoning ordinance, as required by the current Comprehensive Plan Inter-Governmental agreement between the boroughs of Alburtis and Emmaus and the townships of Macungie, Lower Macungie and Upper Milford.