Summit Lawn residents, an estimated 60-strong, packed the Salisbury Township municipal building for the December township planning commission meeting with several voicing concerns about a proposed building project at the Girl Scouts’ Mountain House Day Camp atop South Mountain.

Residents, some of whom have properties bordering the Girl Scouts camp, said they object to potential cutting of trees to make way for a two-story building, which will house meeting rooms and bathrooms and a septic field to serve the bathrooms in the facility. The residents also cited concerns about the possible blasting of rocks to clear the site and the potential for increased traffic.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania submitted a sketch plan for 2638 W. Rock Road for review by the Salisbury Township Planning Commission.

The plan proposes construction of a two-story building of 3,414-square-feet and 12 new parking places, driveway widening and a new on-lot septic system on the 15.37-acre Mountain House tract along the south side of West Rock Road.

The site has existing on-site water facilities and no existing latrine sanitary sewage facilities. The site is in a C-R Conservation Residential Zoning District.

Mountain House Day Camp is on South Mountain, west of the Interstate 78 Summit Lawn exit.

No representatives of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania attended the Dec. 10 planners’ meeting.

Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc. said Girl Scouts representatives informed township officials before the meeting they didn’t plan to attend the planners’ Dec. 10 meeting after they were informed the plan would have to first go before the township zoning hearing board.

“They [the Girl Scouts officials] submitted a sketch plan in order to get what the process would be,” Tettemer said.

A sketch plan submitted to planners does not require action by a planning commission.

“In this case, the developer [the Girl Scouts] took our thoughts when we told them they needed to go to the zoning hearing board. They chose not to come tonight,” Tettemer told the residents at the meeting.

The Girl Scouts’ sketch plan was not shown or reviewed by planners at the Dec. 10 meeting.

“That’s their next step. Before they come back to the planning commission board, they need to go to zoning,” Tettemer said of the Girl Scouts officials in answer to a resident’s question at the meeting.

The Girl Scouts’ project is not expected to be on the agenda of the scheduled 7 p.m. Jan. 7, 2020 zoning hearing board meeting.

The project might be on the agenda of the scheduled 7 p.m. Feb. 4, 2020 township zoners’ meeting. The deadline for submissions for the February, 2020 zoning hearing board is Jan. 3, 2020.

Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka said residents whose properties are within 300 feet of the proposed Girl Scouts project are required to be notified when a project is presented to zoners. “We do notify the residents,” Sopka said.

“My concern is my children’s safety and now my grandchildren’s safety to get to the school bus. The cars fly up there. There are deer, bear, coyote. If the land is disturbed, where are they going to go?” Ellen Storm, a resident who lives in the vicinity of the Girl Scouts camp, said.

The existing building on the Girl Scouts camp is to continue to be in use, according township officials.

An estimated 40-45 Girl Scouts attend the day camp.

There are no indoor bathroom facilities at the camp, township officials said. There is one outhouse. Trees would need to be removed for construction of the building, parking lot and septic field area.

According to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania website, Mountain House will hold an open house, 12:30-2 p.m. March 21 and May 17, 2020.

Camp hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for 25 weekly programs July 6 through Aug. 14 for several age levels.

The Girl Scouts Lehigh Valley Service Center is at 2633 Moravian Ave., Allentown.