During the April 3 meeting, Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners discussed four motions entering into indemnity agreements with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Those motions will be voted on at the next meeting.

If approved, this would mean the township is one step closer to resolving the traffic that backs up onto Mechanicsville Road from people turning into McDonald’s, located at the intersection of Mechanicsville and MacArthur roads.

The westbound lane of Mechanicsville Road will supposedly be widened two feet, at PennDOT’s request. This additional width, according to PennDOT, will create a runaround area that would allow motorists to get around those turning into McDonald’s.

In other business, commissioners heard a presentation on code enforcement from Lee Rackus, planning, zoning and development chief, as well as James Murzdeck and Derek Woodis, the township’s code enforcement officers.

Code enforcement covers many areas zoning does not, such as housing issues and property conditions, including weeds, according to Rackus.

The township’s code is enforced through certificate of occupancy inspections, new construction, complaints received and violations observed. The compliance period for violations depends on the severity, she said.

Commercial properties tend to have more outdoor violations based on aesthetics, Murzdeck and Woodis said. On the other hand, residential properties can have both outdoor and indoor violations, mainly regarding the health and safety of residents.

The most recurring issues the code enforcement department sees are overflowing dumpsters in commercial properties or garbage in residential yards, graffiti, hoarding with aging residents and vehicles either parked on grass or not covered with tarps when they are not in working condition.

Residents blowing snow and grass into the streets is another common issue.

Topics such as these come down to an education issue, as many people don’t know it is not allowed.

Maintaining compliance is a big problem, according to Rackus. For example, a commercial business could fix its overflowing dumpster to comply one day but have it overflowing again just a few days later.

The commissioners will next meet 7 p.m. April 10 in the municipal building, 3219 MacArthur Road.