A brief Emmaus Borough Council meeting was held in borough hall Oct. 21.

It was noted a public hearing and second reading pertaining to an area at Furnace and South Second streets will take place at the Nov. 4 meeting.

Back in September, developer Jeff Trainer came before council with a proposed zoning change for 6.1 acres of land at 300 Furnace St. and 2.7 acres of land on 326 S. Second St. The properties are currently zoned as light industrial and conservation residential. Council will be voting to change the areas to a high density residential office zoning district.

Trainer wants to turn the area into a high end apartment complex, which doesn’t sit well with some residents.

“I would anticipate a crowd,” Borough Manager Shane Pepe said.

Pepe said they have been receiving a lot of phone calls regarding the area and “the neighbors are definitely interested in the area, whether it’s good or bad.”

In other business, council voted 7-0 in favor of hiring Joseph Rothrock as a full-time police officer for the borough contingent upon the following: successfully passing the physical and psychological exams according to MPOETC standards, successfully passing all requirements of PA Act 120 certification according to MPOETC standards and successfully completing a one-year term of probation with the Emmaus Police Department. Rothrock currently works 70-hours part time, splitting his duties between Palmer Township and Fountain Hill.

The Household Hazardous Waste Dumpster Day will take place 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Emmaus Fire Training Grounds off Klines Lane. Residents can drop off items such as oil, paint, pesticides and other chemicals that may be lying around their houses.

Ordinance 1194 passed its first reading which will add a residential handicapped parking sign on 542 Broad St.