When North Whitehall residents received their tax bills this spring, a 0.1 mill assessment was included for the first time for farmland preservation.

At the primary election in 2019, voters approved a referendum establishing the mill rate for the new farmland preservation fund.

Township Manager Chris Garges reports the farmland preservation committee is preparing guidelines for the fund and will work with Lehigh County on the matter.

“We will use the money to help facilitate the county’s current program,” Garges said. “Our program is in its infancy.”

Supervisor Dennis Klusaritz leads the farmland preservation committee which includes four residents and meets quarterly.

Although not new, the streetlight assessment on tax bills has frequently raised questions from township residents.

Township Secretary Brenda Norder explained property owners within a 250-foot radius of a street light are assessed $45 on their tax bill.

Depending on the layout of a neighborhood, multiple property owners within the 250-foot radius of the light are assessed for the fixture.

On another topic, Garges stated 1.3 million square feet of warehouses are underway along Independence Drive, Schnecksville.

He said earth and site work have commenced by a company with an office in Conshohocken.

Garges also discussed the possibility of a Wawa coming to North Whitehall.

“We haven’t seen any plans for it,” he said.