Emmaus council adopts updated zoning and SALDO after public hearing; map change leaves one business seeking clarification

Emmaus Borough Council on March 3 adopted a new zoning ordinance and an updated subdivision and land development ordinance following a public hearing and brief comments from a business owner concerned about a map change.

The measures passed in separate roll-call votes. Ordinance 12-52, the zoning ordinance update, and Ordinance 12-53, the SALDO update, were each adopted 6-0. Council members voting yes were John Dufresne, Ben Brown, (Councilwoman) Watt, Anders, Liebenberg and Baumgartner. Council members said the package reflects years of work by a task force, staff and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

Council President opened the hearing and Councilman Ben Brown summarized the scope and history, saying the borough’s previous zoning ordinance dated to 1984 and had been amended “25 plus times.” Brown described the update as “a living and breathing document” and urged residents to view it as subject to further adjustments.

Key changes flagged at the hearing and in council discussion include: - Parking: the parking requirement for apartment units was reduced in some cases from two spaces per unit to 1.5 spaces per unit (implemented so that for certain project sizes the required number of spaces is 1.5 times the units). - Tiny homes: a minimum unit size for tiny homes was raised to 1,000 square feet from the prior 700 square feet. - Floor heights: the ordinance adjusts first-floor…