The July 21 Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting focused on the zoning ordinance look-back and the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance rewrite.

Planning commissioners wanted to take a look back at the zoning ordinance to make sure the ordinance is working and that they are happy with it. Commissioners agreed to have a monthly workshop meeting on the third Tuesday of the month.

The workshop in August and September will focus on the zoning ordinance look-back and the SALDO rewrite would take about nine months of workshop meetings. The planning commissioners agreed to work on the SALDO rewrite during the planning commission meetings if the meetings are light.

During the SALDO workshops the planning commissioners will bring staff suggestions for discussion. There was a discussion about the possibility of having online meetings on Zoom if necessary later in the fall.

Director of Planning/Community Development Nathan Jones said it was important to focus on one section of SALDO at a time. He said they would rely heavily on the township engineer for aspects of SALDO.

Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners member Maury Robert wanted to discuss the Hills at Lockridge becoming its own zone. The planning commission looked at rules for age restrictive communities.

Commissioner Tim Pickle questioned if a commissioner could join a planning commission meeting remotely if they are unable to be there in person. Jones worried there would not be enough space on the cloud to share applicants’ plans digitally during a meeting.

It was questioned whether SALDO would be submitted to the Lower Macungie Township Board of Commissioners all at once or in sections once the planning commission finishes it.

Robert said he felt it would be simpler for engineers if SALDO was submitted all at once so there wouldn’t be a new ordinance every month.

The next Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting is scheduled Aug. 11. Usually the planning commission meets the second Tuesday of every month and there is a workshop meeting on the third Tuesday of the month.

There will be a workshop meeting Aug. 18.

The planning commission meetings take place 7 p.m. and workshops take place 6 p.m. All meetings are in the Lower Macungie Township Municipal Building, 3400 Brookside Road.