Amidst the recommendation for approval of a new Dunkin’ Donuts along Lehigh Street comes a call for a study concerning pedestrian safety along the busy highway in western Salisbury Township.

The Salisbury Township Planning Commission voted 4-0, with three planners absent Sept. 13, to recommend approval to the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners of the Preliminary-Final Land Development Plan for a new Dunkin Brands, Inc. Dunkin’ Donuts store at 3111 Lehigh St.

Planner Dr. William Licht made the motion, seconded by Planner Richard Hassick.

Township planners also voted 4-0 to recommend township commissioners request Pennsylvania Department of Transportation undertake a pedestrian safety study of Lehigh Street between 31st Street and 33rd Street and the vicinity of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Planners’ secretary Glenn Miller made the motion, seconded by Licht.

The matter arose during discussion of a request by the developer for a deferral from having to install sidewalks along Lehigh Street in front of Dunkin’ Donuts. Planners approved the deferral 4-0, with Hassick making the motion and Licht seconding it.

It was noted that, while a deferral for sidewalk construction had been granted when the Kost Tire & Auto Service store was approved adjacent to the west of the Dunkin’ Donuts site, there is a sidewalk along Lehigh Street in front of a used car lot adjacent to the east of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka noted the challenge of walking in the vicinity of Lehigh Street and Emmaus Avenue. The problem is that there are few, if any, crosswalks provided by PennDOT.

In discussing the Dunkin’ Donuts request for a waiver to combine the preliminary and final plan, David J. Tettemer, township consulting engineer, of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., said he would have no engineering objection. Planners approved the waiver 4-0 on a motion by Licht and a second by Hassick.

In his Sept. 7 review letter to planners, which he read from, Tettemer also said he would have no engineering objection to approving the deferral for sidewalks, because he said a sidewalk deferral was also granted to Kost, adjacent to the Dunkin’ Donuts’ site.

Planners also voted 4-0 to approve a deferral for placement of four street trees along the front of the property. Six other new trees are shown on the plan.

Sopka referred to her Sept. 9 review letter, mentioning that Norway maple trees are “undesirable.” Hassick recommended a different type of maple be planted.

Brian E. Gasda, P.E., senior project engineer, Lehigh Engineering Associates, Inc., representing the developer, said Dunkin Brands would provide four trees at another location in the township in lieu of the four street trees.

“If you decide to donate it, it would be better than in lieu of,” Tettemer said.

“That is up to the [township] commissioners,” Planners’ Vice Chairman Stephen McKitish said, presiding at the meeting in the absence of Planners’ Chairman Charles Beck.

Tettemer recommended storm drainage be kept at the right-of-way in the front, or north side, of the property along Lehigh Street. “There are stormwater issues at the rear of the property,” Tettemer said.

The township fire inspector’s Aug. 30 letter urged ensuring access lanes are wide enough for firefighting and emergency equipment, that access be provided on both sides of the building, that building overhangs be limited, that a right-turn-only sign be placed at the exit and that a fire alarm system and rapid-entry Knox Box be installed.

McKitish displayed a diagram said to show an adequate fire truck turning radius on the plan.

Miller asked Atty. John W. Ashley, township solicitor, if the planners’ vote to approve the deferral of a sidewalk in front of Kost could be reversed.

Referring to the Dunkin’ Donuts sidewalk deferral request, Miller said, “I’m thinking that we should not grant this deferral. There might people who might want to walk to Dunkin’ Donuts.

“There is a sidewalk in front of the used car lot. The Allentown side [of Lehigh Street] has sidewalks,” Miller pointed out.

Said Sopka, “I have walked to the South Mall. The problem I have is that there are no crosswalks delineated. And I know that’s a PennDOT issue. I don’t think a sidewalk is going to help.”

McKitish noted of the Dunkin’ Donuts store, “It is a walk-up as well as a drive-through. It does create an issue.”

Added Tettemer, “It’s a good point. What you may want to do is grant a deferral [for sidewalks] and then suggest to the [township] board of commissioners that PennDOT look into that whole [Lehigh Street] area.”

Regarding deferrals, Tettemer said, “At any time, they [the township board of commissioners] can go back to Dunkin’ Donuts and ask them to put in a sidewalk.

“You may not want to encourage people to walk there [to Dunkin Donuts],” Tettemer said.

“We already gave a deferral to Kost and I’d be the first to admit maybe we shouldn’t have done that,” said McKitish.

“The [township] commissioners can ask that Dunkin’ and Kost to install sidewalks,” Gasda said.

“If there was a deferral, perhaps the crosswalks could be looked at by PennDOT. And that way the sidewalks would be consistent,” Gasda added.

“Both sides are making compelling arguments,” McKitish said.

Planners voted 4-0 to extend the deadline for the Dunkin’ Donuts’ plan from Oct. 7 until Dec. 31 to ensure enough time for it to be placed on the agenda of an upcoming township commissioners’ meeting.

A meeting held in February with PennDOT officials determined that a “No Left Turn” sign is to be placed at the Dunkin’ Donuts exit onto Lehigh Street.

There will be 16 parking spaces, with 12 required.

At the April 12 meeting, planners voted to extend the Dunkin’ Donuts plan, which was to expire April 7, until Oct. 7.

Township zoners voted 4-0 at the Dec. 1, 2015, hearing to grant a special exception use and two variances for Dunkin’ Donuts.

A special exception for the Dunkin’ Donuts’ facility was required because it is a fast-food restaurant in a C-3 Zoning District.

A variance was required for the size of the Dunkin’ Donuts’ facility because the lot size is 19,479.39-square-feet when a minimum 20,000-square-feet is required.

Township planners reviewed sketch plans for the Dunkin’ Donuts project at their Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, 2015, meetings.

The site is the former location of Jiffy Lube, destroyed in a January 2014 fire. A nearby Dunkin’ Donuts will close.