The May 14 meeting of the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission focused on a proposal from U-Haul for a self-storage area and the 5G Wireless Ordinance update.

Planning Director Sara Pandl said the project was a non-conforming use and the applicant was looking for a variance. The property would be Spring Creek Road near Route 100. Pandl said the buildings on the property would be outside of the 500-year flood plain on the property.

The property would include a three story building for indoor storage. The planning commission was curious about the landscape. They wanted to wait and see when it came to the lighting and debated deferring the sidewalk requirement.

The U-Haul project was represented by Matt Chartrand from Bohler Engineering and Erich Schock from Fitzpatrick Lentz and Bubba. Chartrand and Schock said the main building would be for typical self-storage and a smaller building on the property would be for storing portable containers.

Chartrand and Schock explained the smaller building would have a loading dock for unloading containers off of trucks. The larger building would have 700 storage units ranging from 5 feet by 5 feet to 10 feet by 15 feet. The smaller building would hold up to 200 pod units. There would also be a 3,000 square foot showroom and office on the property.

Chartrand and Schock said any member of the public could enter the property through the main drive and assured the planning commission there was no onsite fueling for trucks. They said the property would create minimal traffic to the site, approximately 50 trips per weekend. There was a discussion about the possibility of taking down an abandoned building on the property.

Pandl talked about the type of easement there would be on the property and township access to the flood plain for the possibility of a trail in the future.

Township resident Mike Sigel wanted the developers to model the property after the medical offices down the street. Sigel felt the buildings should match the architecture of the area, possibly a mix of stone façade and brick. He suggested having the sidewalk built across the street from the building instead of in front of it.

There was a discussion about the stormwater basin being naturalized. It was also suggested the stormwater outlets have a shutoff valve so if there is a fire on the property nearby Spring Creek will not be contaminated.

Chartrand and Schock assured the planning commission that firearms, flammables and perishables would not be allowed to be stored on the property. The planning commission asked for elevations and architectural renderings for the next meeting. The discussion was tabled.

The planning commission also discussed the 5G Wireless Ordinance during the meeting. Maury Robert questioned the equipment clearance. He was unsure if the clearance should be raised from 12 to 14 feet.

Pandl talked about having any equipment that was not on a pole be underground. The planning commission agreed if the equipment coexists on an existing pole it is a use by right. There was talk about equipment being allowed on arterial and collector status roads, but not on internal subdivision roads. Robert wanted the planning commission to clarify what the definition of a decorative pole was.

There was a discussion about what kind of banners and signage would be allowed in the easement. The planning commission agreed to forward the ordinance to the planning and zoning committee after the discussed changes were made.

The next Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting will be June 11. 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.