The Jan. 9 meeting of the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission began with some reorganization.

Maury Robertson was appointed chairman and Ann Bartholomew was appointed secretary. The vice chairman position was left open because the commissioners wanted to wait until the vacancy on the commission is filled.

The second phase of the Stone Hill Meadows project was discussed. Thomas Dredge was the engineer for the project. The water basin on the property has been revised to be more natural. Dredge was looking for preliminary plan approval.

Stone Hill Meadows would consist of 109 homes on approximately 100 acres. Dredge said 70 percent of the land would be open space. The development would include trails for outdoor recreation.

Twenty-four lots of the development were approved in the first phase and the second phase would include the other 85 units. Director of Planning and Community Development Sarah Pandl suggested they wait for a second access road on the other side of the property before beginning the second phase.

There were also two fees Dredge would have to pay; a recreation fee of $319,200 and a traffic fee of over $156,000. Macungie Borough Council wanted to make sure all construction traffic uses Gehman Road and not the smaller roads in the borough that cannot handle the heavier trucks.

The commissioners were concerned the driveways of three of the units were too close to an intersection and they looked into the possibility of moving these units to a different location in the development.

Another project discussed was the Fields at Indian Creek. Lou Rock was the engineer for the project and Jim Preston was the attorney for the project. The majority of the project is in Upper Milford Township, while some is in the Borough of Emmaus. There is primary and secondary emergency access on Indian Creek Road.

There was a discussion about the possible traffic impact in Lower Macungie Township. The planning commission agreed to send a letter to the board of commissioners approving the waivers for this portion of the process. The commissioners said they did not need to see plans for parts three, four and five as they are in other municipalities.

Amending the Borough of Emmaus Official Zoning Map was discussed. The adjustment was in an area of four acres behind the commercial buildings between 10th Street and Cedar Crest Boulevard. The zoning of the land in question would be changed from medium density residential to limited commercial use. There were some concerns about increased traffic in the area, but the ordinance was approved.

The Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission will hold its next meeting Jan. 16. In addition to a regular meeting Feb. 13, there will be workshop meetings Feb. 6 and 20 to discuss the zoning ordinances.

Planning commission meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month and occasionally there is a workshop meeting on the third Tuesday of the month. Meetings take place 7 p.m. and are in the Lower Macungie Township building, 3400 Brookside Road, Macungie.