Friends Group Reacts to Recent Zoning Hearing

Wednesday night's primary purpose, as we understood, was to listen to public input.

We realize it's hard for folks these days in a world that is no longer 9-5 to attend 3 hour meetings on weekdays. So our group of volunteers went into the neighborhoods to gather signatures on a petition, which we felt would gauge the publics stance on this issue offering the input that the board solicited on a large scale.

Our efforts were overwhelming. We gathered over 450 signatures in just a week's time. More telling, we estimate 90% of households approached signed. This first group of signatures came primarily from Weilersville, Legacy Oaks (an over 55 community), The Village of East Texas and the Millbrook Farms development.

This is certainly a representative cross section of township residents. We're disappointed that Mr. Jaindl's lawyers used legal maneuvering to make sure the petitions were not introduced into the public record, therefore using the tactic of stifling public input.

We're equally dissapointed that not one of our elected officials attended this hearing. The first line of the petition reads: "Lower Macungie Township is negatively impacted by over-development and destruction of farmland. The Jaindl Land Company’s proposed 700 acre land development plan represents another such destructive development. It goes on to request the BOC withdraw the MOU and mentions the township spending taxpayer dollars to appeal Judge Varricchio’s decision."

In regards to the legal issues at hand, the ZHB will be examining at the conclusion of proceedings, first we firmly believe this is textbook spot zoning. Spot zoning is changing the zoning laws to suit one landowner (Mr. Jaindl in this case who we believe was well aware of Agriculture Protection zoning when he purchased the land) regardless of effects on pre-existing adjacent property owners whose home-values will plummet.

In terms of methodology another aspect of this procedure that the ZHB will examine, multiple residents in attendance backed by dozens more we spoke with while door knocking were completely unaware of this issue until it was too late. If public notice and public comment were to be a part of this process, then the process was tragically flawed from the start. Judge Varricchio in the county portion of this procedure already has ruled public notice was lacking.

So we continue on. Wednesday's Zoning Hearing was very frustrating to say the least. It’s sad that our BOC mishandled this whole ordeal to the point that it has come to a legal proceeding wasting taxpayer money. No good can ever come from quickly ramming a zoning change of this massive scope through a misguided process.

If public meetings were held in the early stages for guidance, then the public at large was certainly not adequately made aware. The only conclusion is that proper notification was not given.

Last night, 45 members of the community were in attendance willing to give their thoughts and feelings on this issue backed by another 450 signatures on our petition. Nearly 20 spoke, of which only 1 was in support of the commissioners claiming she believed something to the effect that "they are doing the best they can." Which we fundamentally disagree with. Doing the best they could would have included taking every step to ensure public sentiment was represented in this transaction. Many folks were unaware of this issue until after the BOC unilaterally decided the "alternative land usage plan" was a better option then fighting the quarry. There can be no doubt of a fundamental groundswell of objection. Our organization polled hundreds of folks in just one weeks time. Why couldn’t the BOC do this in the formative stages of this debacle?

Lastly, this was just the start of our petition efforts. I’m quite confident we’ll hit 1000 by the next BOC meeting. If the BOC chooses to appeal Judge Varricchio’s decision which they already have voted unanimously to do so, it will be abundantly clear they are spending taxpayer money to support a wildly unpopular deal with a developer. A deal that will certainly have gamechanging traffic, environmental, tax and infrastructure implications forever.

Friends for Protection of Lower Macungie Township is a citizen group dedicated to raising awareness of LMT’s sprawl issue. Our primary issue currently is the re-zoning of 700 acres of land from Agriculture protection (with a 23 year precedent) to commercial, high density residential and warehouses. To contact us or join our mailing list email: friendslmt@gmail.com. We maintain a facebook page at www.facebook.com/friendslmt. To sign our petition please visit: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/friendslmt/

Ron Beitler - Chairman and Spokesperson for Friends for Protection of Lower Macungie Township