OCTOBER 18-24, 2012 Your Local News
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Northampton High School Class of ‘48 Reunion, Page 9
Nazareth Halloween Parade Page 10
The Home News homenewspa.com
Fall Clean-up Day in Lower Supervisor Snover balks at DEP Regs on Lehigh Tp. Outfalls Nazareth Tp. this Saturday By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
The fall clean-up day in Lower Nazareth Township will be this Saturday, Oct. 20. It is the last year that the township will accept electronics on clean-up day. A new law prohibits them in landfills. Residents will have to use the Northampton County electronics recycling events, like the one held recently at Northampton Community College, which was free of charge. Township Manager Timm Tenges also noted at a recent supervisiors meeting that in order to be in compliance with Act 101, there will be a spring curbside yard waste collection in May 2013, similar to the fall leaf collection
which was expected to begin this past Friday. Development Shown At the Supervisors meeting on Oct. 10, they were shown plans for a proposed development called Stone Post Meadows along Hecktown Rd. and Country Club Rd. Martin Gilchrist said it is a unique plan of an upscale apartment community with commercial portions. He said it would include 50% one-bedroom units and 50% two-bedroom units, with 10 acres for offices and clubhouse. Proposed for a 5-6 year build-out, Gilchrist listed the projected populations in the residences – 220 retired people, 91 empty nesters, 396 young professionals, 55 Continued on page 10
Three Area Farms Part of 468,092 Pa. Acres Preserved Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Land Preservation Board on Oct. 12 safeguarded 2,138 additional acres on 22 farms against development through the state’s nationally renowned farmland preservation program. The board preserved farms in Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Montgomery, Northampton, Susquehanna, Union and Washington counties. Since the program began in 1988, state, county and local governments have invested nearly $1.2 billion to preserve 468,092 acres on 4,342 farms in 57 counties for future agriculture production. Here in Northampton County, those preserved include: The Robert, Jr. and
Elizabeth Baggit farm, a 127.16-acre crop farm; the Larry and Elizabeth Kemmerer farm, a 98.44-acre crop farm; and the Mariann Ulecka farm, a 19.19-acre crop farm. “Preserving farmland is an important part of securing a stable financial future for Pennsylvania agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “As the cornerstone of our state’s economy, agriculture generates $5.7 billion in annual cash receipts. One in seven jobs is linked to agriculture, so by preserving farmland, we’re sustaining farms and ensuring jobs.” The program enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements, also called development rights, from owners of quality farmland.
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News
Township Engineer Phillip Malitsch on Tuesday, Oct. 9 told the Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors that there are 600 outfalls to be inspected and documented. The many outfalls in the Township drain into the larger streams and creeks. Hanover Engineering could handle about 120 in a year, he said. These include culverts, drainage areas, and catch basins from 2006 to 2012 that need to be inspected, mapped and reported to the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection. Malitsch estimated it would cost the township $2,000 the first year, and $7,000 to $10,000 each year after that. DEP is concerned about the quality of the watersheds and benchmarks are set for each on the amount of pollution that is present. Supervisors Chairman Darryl Snover said these are unfunded mandates that come with developments and finan-
cially impact the township. He hoped for an extension of time, so the board could talk with state legislators. “It’s not a minor expense,” he said. Malitsch said his office will keep their eyes open for grant opportunities that could help the township. Snover said he will talk to a legislator. Supervisor Keith Hantz added that perhaps the township’s road crew could get involved with the task. Act 537 DEP is also connected with another issue, in which Act 537 on sewerage would have to be updated if a property that Lehigh Engineering owns can be used for a business. The township has an Act 537 plan that was created in 1993. It contains three provisions that must be met, Lehigh Engineering’s Larry Turoczy said: (1) Study of need (2) Alternative designs and (3) Financing such as PennVest. He said the new owners of the property could provide threequarters of a million dollars
in taxes to the school district and $75,000 to the township each year. Turning lanes and traffic lights would be paid by Lehigh Engineering, Turoczy said. The supervisors, township engineer and planning commission would be willing to sit down with DEP to determine where they have to go to get water and sewerage to the property in an amended Act 537 plan, Snover noted. The Borough of Walnutport has agreed to go with the sewerage allocation, according to Turoczy. Other Matters • A representative from the Woodstone Country Club golf course showed the board a drawing of a proposed sign that depicts the club, verbage and a picket fence, that would be placed with the township sign and include landscaping around it. Both Supervisors Sandy Hopkins and Cindy Miller Continued on page 2
2012 Governor Wolf Historical Society Christmas House Tour on December 1 By Carol Bear-Heckman
On December 1, the 32nd Governor Wolf Historical Society Christmas House Tour will feature six private homes and the society’s four buildings, each decorated for Christmas by a local florist or garden club. In conjunction with the home tour the society will hold a holiday craft show, hearth cooking, wreath and greens sale and more at the GW Historical Park. Tickets for the tour will go on sale Fri., Nov 16. Tickets Continued on page 7
INDEX:
Northampton.................9
Opinion .........................2
Nazareth . ....................10
Dr. Clearie .....................4
Church .........................11
Sports............................6
Obituaries ...................12
Bath...............................7
Police ...........................13
Senior Citizens...............8
Classifieds ...................14
71st Year, Issue No. 42
USPS 248-700