Welcome to the website created by citizens concerned about the proposal for three warehouses in Lowhill Township. In discussions with residents of the areas which would be impacted by these warehouses, various points of concern have surfaced. An abbreviated list includes:
- The character of our communities as we know them is at significant risk. Presently a rather quiet, rural area with limited development, certainly will not be improved and instead will be harmed by the addition of warehouses and the ancillary development which is likely to come thereafter. The health, safety, and welfare of our community is at serious risk. The topography of Lowhill Township and distance from the interstate highway access make the location of warehouses in the township extremely concerning. Sections 130, 131, 1210 and 1211 of our township ordinances require that action shall meet the following purpose:
130 DECLARATION OF PURPOSE
The provisions of this zoning ordinance are designed for the following purposes:
131 To promote and protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, while encouraging sound and coordinated development that provides for proper density of population, ample and safe transportation systems, amenities, sanitation provisions and harmony with the natural surroundings.
1210 INTERPRETATIONS
1211 In applying and interpreting the provisions of this Ordinance, they shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals, comfort, convenience, and general welfare.
For numerous reasons, including those below, the warehouse proposals do not comply with these ordinances. Proposals which do not meet ordinances should not be approved.
- Our area does not have the infrastructure to support this sort of development. The traffic impact will be significant. The developers have submitted documentation which indicates that approximately 1300 additional vehicles per day will be added to our roads as a result of the warehouses and even those numbers are likely to be understated as the tenants of the warehouses are still unknown given that the warehouses are being built as “spec” for future lease. The frequency of trucks moving in and out of the site can be greatly impacted by the type of goods being temporarily held there.
- Route 100 already presents a challenging commute for its users. The pinch point near the Upper Macungie Dog Park where the northbound lanes merge is already dangerous and will get much worse with the introduction of additional trucks into the merging area. The light at the base of the hill immediately thereafter (Applewood area) will mean that any truck which needs to climb Route 100 North after a stop at a red light will move very slowly up the incline of Route 100 which will delay and back up traffic. Similarly, numerous residents have experienced times when snow or ice caused that portion of Route 100 to be quite slippery with tractor-trailer trucks having significant difficulty moving up the hill, causing extremely dangerous traffic impacts.
Furthermore, individuals desiring to cross traffic to enter the dentist offices and other commercial enterprises along Route 100 will be at risk. The proposed warehouse next to the truck dealer will create all sorts of traffic nightmares immediately at the site. Similarly, the pinch point where two Route 100 southbound lanes merge into one just before Windy Road is already very dangerous and backups at the light at Kernsville Road/Claussville Road/Route100 will exacerbate that already dangerous area. Additionally, the two proposed warehouses along Kernsville Road will generate trucks with significant traffic impact at the light at Kernsville Road and Route 100 (turning, accelerating, decelerating). Furthermore, it is quite likely that trucks will traverse Kernsville Road to Route 309 and that intersection cannot tolerate trucks turning right toward Allentown/Route 476/Route 78 East. Likewise, trucks are very likely to use Claussville Road to get to Route 78 West/ the truck stops/Sheetz at Golden Key. Claussville Road and the other roads in that direction are not designed for truck traffic and trucks using it will be extremely dangerous for those living along and traveling that route. These are just some of the traffic impact concerns and others will also occur.
- There appears to be a conflict of interest in this matter in that one of the supervisors (and his wife) own one of the tracts where a warehouse is proposed. The owners of all three tracts are linked together as they have been meeting in order to get municipal water extended to their sites and to attempt to get PennDOT approvals. In the opinion of many, this supervisor should not be voting on any of the three linked warehouses because of the financial interest in getting these projects approved.
- The zoning ordinances of Lowhill Township are outdated and lack clear definition. For these reasons, the approval of warehouses is a matter which is ripe for a legal battle, as many residents do not favor them, yet the developers are seeking substantive financial gain. In the opinion of many, the zoning ordinances will need to be clarified through legal action.
- The Lehigh Valley is already oversaturated with warehouses and other communities are similarly upset over the prospect of additional warehouses into our communities. Better comprehensive planning across our region should occur before additional warehouses are approved.
- Environmental and Health Concerns: There is mounting evidence that diesel exhaust poses major health hazards and, in fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans. Experts state that diesel trucks visiting warehouses emit both nitrogen compounds (a primary precursor to smog formation and a significant factor in the development of respiratory problems like asthma, bronchitis, and lung irritation) and diesel particulate matter (a subset of fine particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 micrometers and a contributor to cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and premature death). In addition to the diesel exhaust in and around the warehouse sites, the heavy loads will add strain on diesel engines when climbing Route 100 from a dead stop after the red light at Applewood, thereby adding more exhaust into the air breathed by occupants of cars stuck immediately behind these trucks.
These are just some of the concerns being raised by those impacted by the proposed warehouses. You are welcome to add to the list! Likewise, please know that to fight the warehouse proposals, money will be needed to hire professionals with the necessary expertise. A Go Fund Me account is set up for you to contribute to funding the necessary fight.
