Lehigh Country Club is proposing a zoning change in Salisbury Township that could allow an age-restricted community to be constructed on its property.

Representatives of the country club presented the proposal in a 45-minute discussion during the workshop at the Sept. 10 board of commissioners meeting held via the Zoom online format.

Approximately 10 acres of land owned by the country club along the Devonshire side of its property and down to Keystone Road could be a possible location for a cluster of homes for those age 55 and older.

The country club representatives emphasized there are no plans now to begin the development. The representatives said the zoning changes would allow the development to happen at some future date should the country club decide to pursue it.

“We absolutely have no plans,” Atty. Joseph A. Bubba of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba law firm said, on behalf of Lehigh Country Club.

Kathy O’Brien, chair, long-range planning committee, Lehigh Country Club, also attended the township workshop.

The township has no zoning policy concerning cluster development and age-restricted communities.

The zoning change could be applied township-wide, including to other tracts, such as the Salisbury Township School District land along East Emmaus Avenue, east of Honeysuckle Road.

The proposal would need to be presented at several meetings and hearings, starting with the township planning commission, before which a public hearing on the matter would be held, and before the township commissioners, when a second public hearing would be held.

Township commissioners and officials seemed to view the proposal favorably.

Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer and Salisbury Township Zoning Officer Kerry H. Rabold said the concept of cluster development and a housing for 55 and older has its merits.

The proposal is technically called Age-Restricted Cluster Cottage.

“We’re using the word ‘cottage’ to make a distinction from attached townhomes,” Bubba said.

“About three years ago, we first addressed this with the township,” Bubba said, adding, “Although three years have passed, it’s more timely from the ownership perspective and the Lehigh Country Club perspective.”

Bubba proposed an ARCC overlay in the township R-1 Rural Residential zoning district.

The cottages would be occupied by those age 55 or older.

The tract size would be a minimum of 10 acres. Each lot would be 30,000-square-feet. There would be 17 cottages. Each cottage would be 8,000-square feet.

“Our open space would be used by the residents of Salisbury Township,” Bubba said.

The project would generate township and school district taxes.

“It sounds like a good idea to me,” Salisbury Township Assistant Manager Sandy Nicolo said.

“We might want to have it in a couple other districts. With the right design restrictions, it could benefit the township,” Nicolo said.

“I am not a fan of overlays,” Tettemer said, adding, “You could just make an addition to the ordinance that would allow this.”

“I’d like to expand or modify what we have and if we can’t, then to add something,” Rabold said.

“Right now, Salisbury doesn’t have anything for cluster development. It’s a very efficient thing to do. I think it would be a very good thing to look into.”

“How can we make sure it’s done the right way?” board of commissioners President Debra Brinton asked.

“That would be written into the ordinance,” Tettemer said.

“I thought your presentation that Rodney [Conn] and I saw was very good,” Brinton said.

“Lehigh Country Club’s motivation is that we have vacant land and we think the best use of that vacant land is a 55-plus cluster development,” Bubba said.

“I’m not a big fan of overlays. We have the PRD section in our ordinance, and that’s authorized in the R-2. I’d rather see extending that and working within our ordinance,” Rabold said.

“I’d like to expand or modify what we have and if we can’t then to add something,” Rabold said.

“There’s a process. This is going to have to go through it. The public will have an opportunity to discuss this,” Tettemer said.

“On its face, it sounds like not a terrible idea to me,” township Commissioner Heather Lipkin said, adding, “We have to have a plan for our aging community.”

“This is a good idea. It’s a win-win deal for everybody who lives in the area and for the township to manage it,” township Commissioner Alok Patnaik said.

“As long as everything can be worked out, I am very for it,” Brinton said.

“I think this is something we have to check out,” Lipkin said.

“It’s something we’re lacking in the township,” township Commissioner James Seagreaves said, adding, “What land is available, there aren’t that many areas.”

“I don’t know if the school district land is available. There’s 10 acres,” Brinton said, referring to the East Emmaus Avenue land.

“That parcel would be a prime parcel,” Bubba said. “It would probably be a very good use of it. A parcel that has steep slopes and a creek enhances the recreation aspect of it.”