The April 16 workshop meeting of the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission centered on the submission of the overhauled zoning ordinance to the township board of commissioners. The zoning ordinance project had taken more than a year to complete.

A motion made to submit and advertise the zoning ordinance, along with the open space document and a flood plain appendix, was approved unanimously.

The zoning ordinance will be made available to the public on the township’s website the Monday before the board of commissioners meeting.

Assistant Planning Director Nathan Jones talked about how well received the zoning ordinance has been by the public so far.

“We had great success with the open house. It showed overwhelming public support. We hope the goodwill continues,” Jones said.

Jones explained although the planning commission has tried to be as transparent as possible during the zoning ordinance overhaul process, they could not personally speak with every business owner in the township.

He said it is possible issues will come up during the course of the review process and encouraged business owners to attend the review.

“We have worked hard to come up with a fair ordinance for both residents and people wanting to develop,” Jones said

Planning Director Sara Pandl talked about the open space development document. She explained how the layout allows for lots with less impervious coverage. She talked about the importance of the developments and how they were popular in Chester and Bucks counties.

“We are working with the developer to protect open space and promote development at the same time,” Pandl said.

There was some discussion of the design guidelines. The planning commission looked at streetscapes and street entrances to a building. There was also a discussion about parking lots. The parking lot included fire lanes, pedestrian bump outs and crosswalks as well as street trees and lighting.

Pandl talked about how pleased she was to have the zoning ordinance submitted.

“All of us staff, planning commission and consultants are very proud of the work everyone has put into it,” Pandl said.

The planning commission looked at different buffers for developments and discussed buffering standards for the 100-year flood plain.

This included what uses were permitted in the flood plain. There was a discussion of the possibility of the township purchasing a 20-foot easement within the 500-year flood plain for a walking path.

The next Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting will be May 14. 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, 3400 Brookside Road.