Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LTMA seeks deed signature and asks Lehigh Township to waive recreation fees for Jaindl project
Summary
The Board was asked to allow a deed transfer to the Lehigh Township Municipal Authority (LTMA) so a Jaindl‑backed water/sewer plant can be recorded; LTMA also requested waiver of modest recreation fees tied to the land‑development plan and the Board asked LTMA to provide exact fee calculations before deciding.
The Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors on Sept. 23 heard a solicitor request to finalize a deed transfer to the Lehigh Township Municipal Authority so a land‑development plan for water and sewer (backed by developer Jaindl) can be recorded.
Attorney David Backenstoe said the Board had voted previously to transfer the property to LTMA to allow Jaindl to construct additional facilities, but the deed never recorded because outstanding items remained. Backenstoe asked Chairman Mike Jones to sign the deed now that the land‑development approval is in place so the plan can be recorded.
Separately, LTMA (with Jaindl underwriting the project) asked the Board to waive recreation fees associated with the land‑development plan, arguing that the larger set of agreements and a reported $3 million grant justify reduced local rec fees. Manager Alice Rehrig said the rec‑fee amount is calculated at $2,000 per acre (or fraction thereof) and estimated the fee in this case would be between $2,000 and $6,000, but she did not have the exact figure available at the meeting.
Supervisors said they want LTMA to present the exact fee calculation and the rationale for a waiver before any approval. Questions were also raised about what LTMA received in exchange for land (the minutes record a $50,000 payment and reconfiguration of a ballfield to a junior‑sized field), project phasing and whether connection fees were part of earlier agreements.
The Board took no immediate vote to waive fees and asked LTMA/Jaindl to appear with documentation of the requested waiver and the precise fee amount.
