Lower Macungie Board of Commissioners Meeting

The Lower Macungie Board of Commissioners will address the widening of Route 100 and the Sauerkraut Lane extension at this meeting, and possibly approve plans for them.

The Friends for the Protection of Lower Macungie Township, a group that has challenged the plans for the development of the Spring Creek Properties Subdivision, has posed five questions it feels the BOC should answer before approving the plan:

1. The plan does not explain how the widening of  Rt. 100 to 4 lanes and the construction of the Saurkraut Lane extension will be financed. This cost will not be covered by the developer. Who will pay for this? Will the taxpayers be on the hook?

 2. The railroad crossing for the Sauerkraut Lane Extension has not been approved by Norfolk Southern. This is essential to be able to construct the Sauerkraut Lane Extension. Without the extension, Spring Creek Road will be the only major road access to and from this giant development. This will lead to major traffic issues.

 3. The community should be given an accounting of how the land development allowed by this subdivision will possibly generate enough tax revenue to cover the public liability it will create. What will the community’s return on investment be, if any? Some examples: will tax revenues from this development cover the cost of an additional fire station, EMS, Fire and Police services that may be needed to serve this development. Who will pay for the construction, future improvements of, and ongoing maintenance of existing and required new road and stormwater infrastructure? What about additional strain on existing streets, for example, who pays to upgrade Mertztown Road which will be used by most of the new 700-900 homes to be built.

 4. What is the potential impact on the East Penn School District when the 700-900 new 'urban density' homes are built?

5. What is the total amount of township resources that have been spent so far reviewing and preparing this subdivision plan and approval resolution? Why have these resources been spent considering that the entire plan can be nullified if the commonwealth court rules in favor of the zoning appeal by township residents?