Easton Area School District board adopts resolution opposing proposed Easton Commerce Park warehouse
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Summary
The board passed a resolution opposing a proposed million-square-foot warehouse (Easton Commerce Park) near Wood Avenue, citing student transportation impacts and local air-quality concerns; the board directed the administration to forward the resolution to planning and environmental authorities.
The Easton Area School District board of directors on April 29 adopted a resolution opposing the Easton Commerce Park proposal, a planned warehouse complex the resolution described as a potential million-square-foot development at 1525 Wood Avenue.
The resolution states the board does not support the project “as the development plans currently stand,” and cites expected impacts on student transportation — routing for more than two dozen bus routes and additional bus stops on Hackett Avenue, Bushkill and Wood Avenue — and on local air quality. The resolution names Director Jennifer Zandodentis as the board representative authorized to present the board's position at upcoming planning commission hearings and directs administration to send the resolution to the Eastern Planning Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Board members debating the resolution emphasized transportation and health concerns. One member noted recent media coverage that rated the Lehigh Valley poorly for air quality and said the project could worsen existing conditions; another member described the scale of the proposed buildings and urged caution about siting such large facilities near residential areas and school bus routes.
The resolution was moved and seconded from the board floor and passed by voice vote during the meeting. Following adoption, board members discussed next steps for public comment at the planning commission and for sharing technical details from the district's transportation director.
The board did not provide a detailed numeric vote tally in the public record during the meeting; minutes and any submitted comments will be forwarded to the planning commission and relevant state agencies as directed by the resolution.
