On March 14, the Lower Macungie Planning Commission held an open house where they invited neighbors and business leaders in the community to review proposed changes to the township zoning code. The planning commission has been working on improving the zoning code for several years.

After the forum, Planning Director Sara Pandl was pleased with how the evening went.

“It was a good way for people to meet individually and talk more informally than in a formal hearing. I think it went really well,” Pandl said.

The open house involved six different stations where there were presentations on different areas of the zoning code. Topics presented included main streets and villages, highway commercial uses, new uses, environmental regulations, open space and design guidelines for adaptive reuse.

Developers who attended the forum questioned how strict the design guidelines had to be adhered to. Pandl said the design guidelines would be somewhat flexible.

“We need to have a little bit of flexibility and I think we have,” Pandl said.

During the forum, there were questions about the Bieber Bus terminal on Hamilton Boulevard. A suggestion was made the property should be moved into a neighboring zone.

After the forum, the planning commission debated moving the bus terminal from the highway commercial zone to the Wescosville commercial zone. This area has become a point of interest since Bieber Bus has gone out of business.

One argument to change the property to the Wescosville commercial zone is that the uses on the property might be more appropriate than some highway commercial uses.

The planning commission will have its next meeting March 27. During that meeting the commission will review the entire zoning code as they continue in the process of submitting it for approval.

Usually the planning commission meets the second Tuesday of every 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 township municipal building.