The Lower Saucon Township Council passed a resolution Wednesday giving the go-ahead to the developers of the proposed Woodmont Saucon Valley apartments on Friedensville Road to begin working directly with township officials to further their development plans for the 204-unit complex.
Chief Investment Officer David Trager and Senior Vice President for Development Steven Varneckas of Woodmont Properties appeared before council to provide an update to their development proposal on approximately 24 acres of land located across Friedensville Road from Lehigh University's graduate student apartment buildings.
Trager's update included retaining the same 204 various sized apartments while providing more open space on the west end of the property adjacent to Society Hill and concentrating the living units on the eastern side closer to Hellertown.
He pointed out Lehigh Valley Woodmont complexes in west Bethlehem located behind Lowe's Home Improvement and the second in Palmer Township have been successful ventures, providing high quality rentals to younger "millenials" and "baby boomers" interested in downsizing.
Varneckas said the plans include one and two bedroom apartments designed on one and two floors in addition to 50 percent of the units containing integrated and stand-alone garages.
Council members raised concerns over parking, traffic on area roads especially Friedensville Road, and water and sewer connections to neighboring Bethlehem's system.
Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon said, "I don't see anything new with this proposal tonight and I'm against it." She was referring to Woodmont representatives appearing before council late last summer to first introduce their development plans.
DeLeon objected not only to a substantial increase in area traffic as a result of the development, but also to a higher zoning density change, and the use of Bethlehem water and sewer allocations by Woodmont that were previously designated for area homeowners.
Councilman Tom Maxfield said if Lower Saucon was ever in need of more residential water hookups from Bethlehem, all the township need do is ask for them. "I don't see the sewer issues being a problem," he stated.
Councilman Dave Willard advised Trager, "Go and make changes to you plans and we'll consider it further."
Council President Ron Horiszny and councilmen Maxfield and Willard voted to have Woodmont work with township planners, zoners, and engineers to take the project to the next level.
"It's not a bad plan", remarked Maxfield who encouraged Trager and Varneckas to begin consultations with Lower Saucon representatives.
DeLeon offered the only no vote on the project.
However, Maxfield said with regard to the increased traffic on Friedensville Road, "This could become problematic--it can be hairy at times."
When council inquired about a fiscal impact study to be done on the Woodmont proposal Varneckas commented, "This study will be a fiscal positive for the municipality.
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