One of the good things about Salisbury Township is that it has a lot of trees.

The trees make residential properties desirable.

One of the bad things about Salisbury Township is that it has a lot of trees.

The trees, from the east side to west side, can be many years old and prove hazardous during storms to residences, power lines, pedestrians and vehicles.

Township officials have grappled with the good, the bad and the ugly in tree management over the years, including the township board of commissioners sitting as a de facto shade tree commission, ruling on removal and replacement of trees on residential properties.

Township officials want to codify the township approach to tree management in an attempt to give residents more options.

A progress report on the discussions and proposals, which have been underway for months at the township environmental advisory council and the planning commission meetings, was presented to the township board of commissioners at its April 8 workshop with as many as 16 participants listed on Zoom. Township commissioners and officials met in the municipal building meeting room.

Salisbury Township Assistant Manager Sandy Nicolo and Salisbury Township Zoning Officer Kerry Rabold led the discussion of the plans, which elicited praise from township commissioners.

Proposed are updates to the township zoning ordinance (Parts 2 and 5), tree ordinance and grading ordinance.

“Tonight begins a long review of zoning ordinances. This will be an ongoing process,” Nicolo said.

“The new grading ordinance requires a permit and stormwater inspections for earth disturbances,” Nicolo said.

“Zoning is not a proper place for environmental matters. Some ordinances are going to be reviewed in SALDO [Subdivision And Land Development Ordinance],” Nicolo continued.

“We are changing many definitions so that they are less ambiguous,” Nicolo added.

“This new ordinance replaces the shade tree ordinance. Taking trees out of the ordinance, combining them with shade tree and putting it as stand-alone makes more sense,” Nicolo said.

Some of the changes are the result of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office stating the Salisbury Township tree harvesting, aka, logging ordinance was invalid.

“We received a letter from the state attorney general saying that it was too restrictive. It’s now based on the Penn State ordinance,” Nicolo said.

“A permit will be required for shade tree removal. Interior lot tree removal will be no longer regulated,” Nicolo said.

“Tree harvesting requires a permit. The conservation district handles that. We would like a copy of the plan for our files,” Nicolo said.

Township board of commissioners President Debra Brinton asked about environmental protection.

“Most of that is being removed from the ordinance,” Rabold said.

Brinton asked for Nicolo to explain shade tree removal.

“We’re trying to strike a balance, to budget a small amount. Those trees will have to be replaced, and we’ll do so,” Nicolo said, referring to a planned fund to purchase replacement trees for township residents’ properties.

“It’s expensive to cut a tree down. And you can’t plant a tree in the same spot. And that’s expensive,” Brinton said, adding, “Anything that you’re going to do is very nice, something that the township doesn’t have to do.”

Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich noted, “There is still a waiver process.”

“Trees that were part of a land development, they are required to be there,” Nicolo said.

In response to a question by two residents on Zoom, Rabold said, “With the new ordinance you would get a permit to remove the tree and get a waiver to not replace it.

“We’re trying to make it easier. While we want people to replace trees, we realize that it’s not always possible,” Rabold said.

“We want to encourage people to replace trees and we don’t want to make it a huge burden,” Rabold said.

Brinton suggested placing a bullet-point listing concerning the township trees policy on the township website.

“Part of this is to have community input. This is a preliminary discussion,” Rabold said.

Commissioner Alok Patnaik said, “Some neighbors in Green Acres had contacted me.”

“We’re looking to strike a balance for people to plant trees but not to make it a burden,” Bonaskiewich emphasized.

“Our tree-harvesting ordinance was too restrictive. We had to loosen that up. For a single property owner, we don’t want to make that more restrictive than tree-harvesting,” Bonaskiewich said.

“Ten-thousand square feet of tree harvesting, that’s when stormwater concerns must be addressed,” Rabold said, noting Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., would review tree-harvesting proposals.

Rabold said the township is calculating one tree equals 700 feet of tree canopy.

“We were blessed with oak trees that are overpowering our neighborhood. We had a windstorm and you couldn’t drive the roads,” township resident Chet DiRomualdo said.

“A lot of people have spent a lot of money on landscaping. I think you have to look at individual lots,” DiRomualdo said.

“We’re trying to allow flexibility. Every lot will be looked at on an individual basis,” Rabold said.

“Instead of saying, ‘One size fits all,’ you’re going to try to take it on an individual basis,” Brinton said.

“I have concern about the safety of people who walk and ride bikes in Saddlebrook,” Sue Cummings said.

“I think you have to look at safety issues. The oak trees are very debris-falling and laden. Salisbury Township should look at this as a safety issue,” Cummings said.

“We have no sidewalks. This is a problem. It has nothing to do with being a green community,” Cummings said.

“The maintenance of the trees is the responsibility of the homeowner,” township Commissioner Heather Lipkin, township representative to the township Environmental Advisory Council said.

“What we’re trying to do now is allow that flexibility and individuality. Currently, you have to replace that oak tree. But if the ordinance is passed you can cut it down and replace it with another tree,” Rabold said.

“We did raise the fine from $100 to $500. The permit to get a tree removed is $30. And we will plant a tree for you,” Lipkin said.

“I think this will make life easier for everyone,” board of commissioners Vice President Rodney Conn said.

“We wanted to start to make things work together. We took definitions from MPC [state Municipal Planning Code] and expanded upon it and made it very specific,” Rabold said.

Rabold, referring to an arcane term, flag lots, said, “It was previously not permitted, but I would like to permit them because in some developments it makes sense.”

“They [Nicolo and Rabold] put a lot of time in this. John [Salisbury Township Solicitor Attorney John W. Ashley] and Dave [Tettemer] reviewed it,” Bonaskiewich said.

“I am glad that someone can read it and understand it. This is not the first time we talked about zoning. It has to be the same in all of the places,” Brinton said.

“They’re not done yet,” Bonaskiewich said.

Concerning the grading ordinance updating, Rabold said, “It’s very clear: 500 square feet or more for residences.

“We’ve clearly stated this is tied to SALDO. They will look at things like stormwater management on these things,” Rabold said.

Concerning permits, Rabold said, “It’s all now going to be covered under one.”

Patnaik asked about the quality of repaving in the township.

Rabold said she and Salisbury Township Acting Public Works Director James Levernier are discussing repaving and will be setting standards.

Ashley noted a public hearing must be held on zoning ordinance changes. The changes have been recommended by the township planning commission.

The grading and tree removal changes don’t need to be sent, but SALDO changes will be sent to the Lehigh County Planning Commission.

“I also want to thank Kerry. We meet and share our thoughts, but she really put this together,” Nicolo said.

“This is going to be a work in progress. In the past it was done as a bulk. You have to take a little bit at a time,” Nicolo said.

Brinton said she wanted Rabold to move ahead with the zoning ordinance updating.

An executive session was held following the meeting.

During the April 8 meeting, commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to:

•Authorize the township manager to execute the Community Development Block Grant application and to pledge a 10 percent match commitment from township funds for the 2022 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project.

“This is something the township has done for the last 10 years or so. It’s for the sewer-lining project,” Tettemer said.

Conn moved, seconded by Lipkin, to bring the motion to a vote.

•Authorize execution of termination of restrictive covenant agreements for a property at 2660 West Rock Road. It’s for the termination of timber harvesting.

“The property owner had done some logging on the property. They are selling the property to the Girl Scouts [Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania]. And apparently everything has regenerated,” Ashley said.

“If there’s development, there could be some trees cut down, but it won’t be logging,” Ashley said.

“This is a property that they’re [Girl Scouts] buying as part of their project [Adventure Place at Mountain House],” Ashley said.

“When someone applies to do tree harvesting, they must enter into a covenant for a reforestation plan. The plan was submitted about 10 years ago,” Rabold said.

“It’s a single-family dwelling on the property. This is just so that it can be sold free and clear,” Rabold said.

Patnaik moved, seconded by Conn, to bring the motion to a vote.

During the commissioners’ comment portion, Lipkin said, “I just want to thank the Salisbury Township Police Department media for the drug-sniffing ferret joke. You got me on that.” It was an April Fool’s joke posted on the township police department social media page.

In other business, a hedge is reportedly blocking vehicle drivers’ views at the Lehigh Parkway North and 24th Street intersection. Levernier said he will talk with Allentown officials about it.

It was asked when Lehigh Parkway North would be repaved.

“We hope to get that paved this year, hopefully, this month or next month,” Levernier said.

Brinton asked about township roads damaged by snowplows during the winter.

“If any were missed, they should just call in,” Levernier said.

“Cypress and Wayne Avenue. I’ll tell my husband. Well, he’s a constituent. He complained to me,” Brinton said.

Salisbury Township Director of Finance Paul Ziegenfus said he is considering township bond refinancing to get a lower interest rate.

“We’re looking at increasing the bond to take on some projects over the next couple years. We’re looking at three projects, and will find out what the costs will be. I will be providing more information,” Ziegenfus said.

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Kevin Soberick said the township police department is partnering with Neighbors By Ring: https://ring.com/neighbors.

“It’s an app. If you have suspicious activity, you can send videos that you choose to the police department. I encourage people to sign up for that,” Soberick said.

Levernier said a 2021 paving schedule, as well paving schedules for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, would be added to the township website.

Bonaskiewich said she has received a request for a food truck to park at Lindberg Park for an event, adding, “I would like to review those in-house and allow them or not allow them.”

“I think that’s something the parks department can handle,” Lipkin said.

The notice for township taxes has been extended to May 17 in keeping with the IRS income tax filing deadline for 2021.

“The local tax deadline will be extended to May 17,” Bonaskiewich said.

Bonaskiewich said the Franko Farm Park house lease is expected to be on the agenda of the next commissioners’ meeting.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. April 22.