By SARIT LASCHINSKY

Special to The Press

In addition to honoring the township’s volunteer firefighters, Upper Macungie Township supervisors also addressed a packed business agenda during their March 4 meeting.

They began by hearing neighborhood concerns over traffic speeds on Schaefer Run.

Jarrett Coleman said residents on Buck Hill Lane, Windmill Lane and Sleepy Hollow Lane have been noticing vehicles traveling at excessive speeds, which he said frighten and intimidate those living in the area.

Coleman said residents were requesting a traffic calming analysis be conducted on these streets, which should include speed bumps, chicanes or extended curbs.

He said residents photographed vehicles traveling 50 mph to 60 mph.

Coleman said he had spoken to township police about the issue and was told an analysis needed to be done before any mitigation actions were taken.

“The concern from us is ... I guess I just don’t know that’s going to solve anything, that it’s going to stop the speed until somebody gets hurt,” he told supervisors. “We want the speed dropped down, whatever needs to be done.”

Coleman also asked whether speed cameras on Schafer Run could be moved to better catch speeders, and about changing ordinances to increase civil liabilities for motorists, if the traffic calming study does not help.

Police Chief Michael Sitoski said speed signs provide data on the date, time, amount of vehicle traffic and average speed, and they could be moved on Shaefer Run.

Sitoski said the department had been looking into that area and would place another device, a “stealth box,” to collect data on possible violations and natural driving behaviors, and would double-check the speed limits.

In response, Coleman asked about what actions would be taken if the data and studies did not capture the actual violators, noting the dangerous drivers were not the “average” motorist.

“I’m worried about the outliers, the outliers are the ones scaring me, not the average,” he said.

Engineer David Alban said the township could look into traffic calming devices, and speed limits are usually based on the 85 percentile speeds with the lowest posted speeds at 25 mph per the municipal code.

Chairman James Brunell said the police department would bring the data to the board to come up with the best solution, though he cautioned devices such as speed bumps would likely not be installed due to interfering with snowplows and emergency vehicle responses.

He also asked residents to walk on the sidewalks instead of roads for extra safety.

In other business, the board discussed a proposed waiver regarding the proximity between driveways for a planned Sheetz Convenience Store at 951 Trexlertown Road.

Attorney Blake Marles, representing the applicant, said the plan had received design approval from PennDOT, but subsequently received concerns from the township about a right-out driveway proposed between Ruppsville and Cetronia roads, which is nearly opposite an existing driveway.

Marles said the design was right-in, right-out but the township planning commission was not in favor of the latter function and ruled against the related waiver.

Marles said PennDOT refused to approve the plan without the right-out driveway, and the planning commission’s decision had not included this latest information.

Solicitor Andrew Schantz said the application would need to go through the conditional use process, and the applicant must show they comply with all township ordinances, including a SALDO requirement for 300-foot separation between driveways.

Brunell asked for the matter to be brought back before the planning commission for reconsideration, in light of the new PennDOT information, which the board passed as a motion.

Under ordinances, the board approved a motion to adopt updated tax collector fees for 2022, which Manager Bob Ibach said would bring fees up to current standards.

Certification fees will increase from $15 to $20, duplicate tax bills will jump from $3 to $5 and canceled check feels will increase from $20 to $50.

For resolutions, the board granted preliminary/final approval for the Weiler Road Townhouse development, as well as approval of five out of six requested waivers, subject to satisfying township staff’s review comments.

Director of Community Management Daren Martocci said the project proposes 144 town house units in 36 buildings along Cetronia Road.

For motions, supervisors authorized the township solicitor to appear before the zoning hearing board during an appeal for the Fogelsville Senior Living project to represent the township as an interested party and possible objector.

Board members also approved advertising a public hearing for an ordinance amendment updating the township building code, as well as forwarding a proposed zoning ordinance amendment to the planning commission.

Ibach said the zoning amendment was asking to allow pharmaceutical manufacturing as a principal use within the limited light industrial district. This type of manufacturing is allowed within the light industrial district.

Finally, the board approved appointing Dana Heller as a full-time utility billing clerk, effective March 15, and Kevin Hodrick as deputy tax collector effective March 5.