The Nov. 14 meeting of the Lower Macungie Planning Commission included five projects: Western Lehigh Services, Mill Creek Pointe Apartments, Brookside Meadows Apartments, Top Golf and Lehigh Valley Town Center.

The first project discussed was Western Lehigh Services, located at 1500 Trexlertown Road. The project was represented by Attorney Blake Marles of Stevens and Lee along with Western Lehigh Services Vice President Jake Longenbach and Bill Erdman from Keystone Consulting Engineers.

There were discussions about the width of the public access easement on the property and the buffer bordering the neighboring mobile home community. Marles questioned the noise pollution and hours of operation condition the township had. A motion to recommend approval of the conditional use passed.

The next project discussed was Mill Creek Pointe Apartments. The lawyer representing this project was Kevin Fogerty. There was a discussion about trails on all frontages of the property.

Fogerty also asked about the buffer along Lower Macungie Road. Township Planning Director Nathan Jones explained the different type of buffers and said this buffer would need eight to 10 foot evergreen trees as well as a mix of shrubs.

There was a discussion about the traffic impact study and traffic design questioning why some of the intersections were listed to be part of the study. The township agreed to speak to Traffic Engineer Andreas Heinrich about some of the intersections.

Fogerty asked about the buffering and fencing on both sides of the water conveyance swale. A motion to recommend approval of the conditional use plan passed.

Another project discussed was the Brookside Meadows Apartments, located at 3500 Brookside Road. The project was represented by Attorney Catherine Durso of Fitzpatrick Lentz and Bubba along with Tony Ganguza of Boyle Construction and Jeff Bevin of Bohler Engineering.

The planning commission asked for an additional monument sign installed at the main entrance to the site on Brookside Road to ensure drivers do not miss the entrance to the property.

Durso said there was not room for a monument sign there and asked if a different type of sign could be used that could go in the right of way. The planning commission agreed.

There was a discussion about whether reserve parking should be built. There was also a conversation about the location of the fire lane on the property. The motion to recommend approval of the preliminary final land development plan passed.

The meeting finished with the discussion of the Top Golf and Lehigh Valley Town Center plans. These projects were both represented by Attorney Erich Schock from Fitzpatrick Lentz and Bubba and John McRoberts from the Pidcock Company.

The Lehigh Valley Town Center portion of the discussion focused on the access drive that comes off Cedarbrook Road and the stormwater management required to accommodate Top Golf. There was no discussion about the mixed-use component or any other commercial component.

There was a discussion about slope requirements for stormwater basins on the property. There was also talk about the realignment of Cedarbrook Road.

Schock talked about getting a waiver for the curve radii on local and collector roads on the property. This would impact the remainder of Cedarbrook Road and a service road on the property.

There was a discussion about traffic through the property and traffic calming methods. A motion to move the project to procedural review passed.

The next Lower Macungie Township Planning Commission meeting will be Dec. 12. Usually the planning commission meets the second Tuesday of every month and occasionally there is a workshop meeting on the third Tuesday of the month. There will be no workshop in December.

Meetings begin 6 p.m. and currently all panning commission meetings will be held both in person and over Zoom with a video recording uploaded to the township’s YouTube channel after the fact.