The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission presented its bicounty annual report at the Northampton County Council meeting March 21.

The Lehigh Valley is growing and changing, according to report details - and as such, the LVPC had a busy 2023.

Planning commission officials reviewed more than 1,250 projects, including 595 subdivision and land development plans and 190 stormwater management proposals, according to Jillian Seitz, senior community planner. Northampton County reportedly submitted 485 of those plans.

Both residential and nonresidential reviews remained high. More than 4,900 residential reviews were completed last year, including 2,472 apartments and 764 single-family homes, Seitz said.

In 2023, the LVPC reviewed 21 million square feet of nonresidential reviews, with warehouses and industrial development making up 83.8% of that number.

There were no agricultural reviews for the first time in three years. according to Seitz.

Finally, the LVPC developed the Lehigh Valley Priority Climate Action Plan. The plan is funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and aims to reduce “transportation-related emissions by increasing the use of alternative fuel vehicles, increasing transit ridership, using technology and efficiency to reduce congestion and creating green infrastructure along our busiest highways.”

In other business, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure recognized the retirement of James Kostura as director of corrections, effective May 1. Kostura served the department for 31 years, beginning as a corrections officer.

“The administration is proud, young and eager to transition the [department] into the future. They represent what I believe to be the best in the state of Pennsylvania,” Kostura said in his letter of retirement.

Northampton County Council will be meeting 6:30 p.m. May 2 in the county building, 669 Washington St., Easton.