By SARIT LASCHINSKY

Special to The Press

Weisenberg Fire Chief Matt Krapf spoke to supervisors Aug. 9 about driveway radius requirements, and related concerns about accessing properties with fire vehicles.

Krapf said he recently finished several driveway surveys and noted, according to ordinances, the township has an 11 percent driveway grade, but only a minimum 40-degree radius on driveway curves.

“What that means is some of these homes that are built high up in the hills have to put in switchbacks to get up to them, to meet the 11 percent grade,” he explained.

“However, those switchbacks do not provide us the turning radius to get the trucks up there.”

Krapf said at minimum, when executing a perfect turn, the department’s ladder truck can manage a 57-degree radius.

“Right now, there’s 52 driveways in the township that we will not get the ladder truck up to,” Krapf said. “And, it’ll be the same for the new tanker as well because it can’t physically get there.”

He also said of those 52 driveways, 41 are possibly inaccessible by the department’s engines, because these vehicles cannot make the turn radii either.

Krapf asked if supervisors could look into making changes to the ordinance and increase the township driveway radius requirement, adding he would get the turning radius specs for the new tanker.

He estimated a 60-degree radius would be sufficient to accommodate the larger trucks.

Township engineer Stan Wojciechowski said he could look into amending the township SALDO as well.

Board Chairwoman Linda Gorgas said she had no concerns about making changes.

“It would be silly to approve driveways that fire trucks can’t get up,” Supervisor Richard Bleiler said.

“It’d be dangerous, and possibly a liability as well,” township Administrator Brian Carl added.

In his report, Krapf said volunteer firefighters responded to 123 calls this year, with 21 last month.

He also said the cab of the new tanker/pumper has been mounted to the vehicle’s chassis, showing several pictures to the board.

Krapf added the department received $13,302.71 in state grant funding last month to purchase new equipment for the apparatus and paperwork was submitted for a $200,000 state grant through the office of state Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th, which will go toward the new tanker/pumper.

He told the board July was a busy month, with 18 different team members responding to calls, and the department having some major calls and rescue situations, including removing people from vehicles on several occasions.

“Once again, a huge thank you to supervisors and the community because the tools we have are great, and it makes those situations a lot easier to try and get people out of cars,” he said.

Krapf said a confirmed EF1 tornado passed through the northwest tip of the township during the July 29 storm and brought a tree down on a moving vehicle. He noted the passengers were able to escape safely.

In other business, for the Environmental Advisory Council report, EAC Chairman Martin Rakaczewski said a rain barrel workshop would be offered Oct. 16 at the fire station, in conjunction with the Lehigh County Conservation District.

Carl said there would be 100 barrels to give away, with two preregistered sessions running 9-10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for residents of Weisenberg, Lowhill and Heidelberg townships.

In the engineer’s report, Wojciechowski said the township had received a letter from U.S. Fish and Wildlife stating work can be done in the stream channel for the Kuhn’s Hill Road culvert replacement project, provided that work is done between Nov. 1 and March 31, 2022.

He said because of this condition, the township will look to use precast concrete to help with winter construction.

He anticipated having the work ready to bid by the end of the month.

Wojciechowski, however, raised a concern if the township waits until September to authorize the bid, by the time all legal notices are completed, they will have to wait until November to award a bid.

The board then approved a motion to authorize project bidding subsequent to the review of the bid documents, in order to keep the project moving along.