The June 8 meeting of the Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission involved four development projects.

The planning commission began the meeting by introducing a new member Rudy Fischel.

The first item discussed was a preliminary and final plan for Spring Creek Settlement Subdivision. There was discussion about a deferral of frontage along Spring Creek Road. Township Engineer Bryan McAdam discussed Sauerkraut Lane extension.

The project engineer said the area of the property along Spring Creek Road doesn’t really need a sidewalk. A request was made to defer the sidewalk requirement along Spring Creek Road until the township finds it necessary.

The engineer for the project was Paul McNamara and the attorney was Joseph Zator of Zator Law. The motion to recommend approval of the preliminary and final plan passed 6-0.

Another item discussed was the Boyer Allentown Life Care Center preliminary final land development plan. The project is a single story surgery rehabilitation site. The trail system on the property is for the assistance in rehabilitation of patients and is private.

The applicant has also added pedestrian access along the frontage of the property and has tied it in to the surrounding neighborhood. The property utilizes existing tree lines and plantings on the property.

The project was represented by Spencer Summerhays of Boyer Company. Summrhays said he reached out to the eight residents encroaching upon the property and has received five positive responses back so far. Summerhays talked about the option of lot line adjustments on the property.

Commissioner Robert Rust and Solicitor David Brooman questioned if the project met the definition of a life care center. Rust felt a life care center would need to be a long-term care facility rather than a short-term surgery rehabilitation center.

The planning commission decided to table the discussion until the next month.

The third project discussed was the Spring Creek Settlement Subdivision Mertztown Road residential tract preliminary final plan. The property included 400 residential units which are a combination of single family homes and town homes. There was a discussion about the sewer line on the property.

The property was represented by Zator as well. Zator talked about having a loop in the development that could connect to Mertztown Road with a crosswalk. There was talk about parts of the property in the 500-year flood plain. Zator said no units will be in the 500- or 100-year flood plain. The plan was tabled until the next meeting.

The final project discussed was the Allen Organ redevelopment sketch plan. The property includes 12 carriage houses and a pair of mixed use buildings. The carriage houses will include 99 units. There would also be a pocket park and walking paths on the property.

Commission Chair Thomas Beil said the plan is more in line with the Gateway to the Borough plan than previous versions of the plan. The project is very walkable and has generous landscaping while saving pre-existing trees.

The two commercial buildings will have an additional 28 residential units above them. The picnic area is meant to serve the residents on the property while the plaza and pocket park is for public use.

The planning commission wants better integration of the pocket park with the commercial use. There was a discussion about the access road. The driveway on to the main road will probably be right in, right out and a second access point on a side road.

Jeff Heartbloom, a resident who lives next to the development, asked about maintaining the tree line on his property. He also asked about the possibility of rotating the retention pond slightly.

The next planning commission meeting will be July 13. Usually the planning commission meets the second Tuesday of every month and occasionally there is a meeting on the third Tuesday of the month.

All meetings begin 7 p.m. and the planning commission meetings will be in person with an online option over Zoom available and a video recording uploaded to the township’s YouTube channel after the fact.