The Salisbury Township Police Department Training Facility has received approval from the Salisbury Township Planning Commission.

Planners voted 4-0, with three planners absent at the July 26 meeting, to approve the land development plan. Jessica Klocek made the motion, seconded by Richard Hassick.

Planners also voted 4-0 to approve waivers, including to not have to include topographical features on the plan for the some 97-acre Franko Park. Klocek made the motion, seconded by Hassick.

The development project submitted by Salisbury Township proposes to construct a police training facility on the property at 1301 Black River Road (aka Franko Park). The property, which is improved with a public park, municipal yard waste center and cellular tower, is in the CR, Conservation Residential zoning district.

Attorney Jason A. Ulrich, partner, Gross McGinley LLP Attorneys At Law, planning commission solicitor, said the township is not obligated to have the project reviewed by planners.

“The township is doing this as a courtesy. There is no requirement that the planning commission must approve it,” Urich said at the beginning of the meeting.

Two residents spoke at the July 26 planners’ meeting, voicing concerns about the facility.

Also speaking July 26 was Salisbury Township School District Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten.

“This facility will be close to our elementary school, so I’m concerned about that,” Fuini-Hetten said.

Salisbury Elementary School, 1400 Gaskill Ave., is just off East Emmaus Avenue.

“Could we do some of this training during in-service days and not during morning or afternoon dismissals? I would like to be added to the notification list,” Fuini-Hetten said.

“We have engaged a Realtor for the school district land at 1108 E. Emmaus Ave. and that property is obviously closer to the range,” Fuini-Hetten said.

The police training facility is 1,145 feet from East Emmaus Avenue, Salisbury Township Chief of Police Donald Sabo said at the July 26 meeting.

Sabo presented the training facility plan at the Feb. 9 township commissioners’ meeting workshop attended by 12 township residents.

Commissioners voted 5-0 at the March 23 township meeting to authorize township personnel to proceed with the training facility plans.

The township earmarked $50,000 in the 2023 budget for the police training facility.

“It is actually in the drop-off center and is not open to the public. The entrance will be from Honeysuckle [Road] and it will be improved,” Sabo said.

“It will not be open when the drop-off center is open. The walking trails are to the east,” Sabo said.

The 150-feet-long by 45-feet-wide facility includes a firing range and a storage structure for equipment and targets.

Hours for the range would be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A 16-foot-high berm, topped by an eight-foot fence, would wrap around three-quarters of the facility. The design is to standards of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The facility is needed because police officers must qualify annually with the handgun and patrol rifle they are issued. Training would take place for a full day on four to five days a year and four hours per month by seven to eight officers. Fifty to 100 rounds would be fired.

“You’re going to hear noise,” Sabo said. “The noise will project to the back and will be pushed in an upward direction.”

Salisbury police officers have been training at Unami Gun Club, 75 Chestnut Hill Road, Emmaus.