Lehigh Township will withhold payment to consultant over zoning-ordinance drafts, orders March 24 meeting

Lehigh Township supervisors voted March 10 to withhold payment to planning consultant Pennoni Associates and ordered the firm to appear at the board's March 24 meeting after multiple drafts of a proposed zoning ordinance returned with inconsistent or missing edits.

Township Engineer Mike Muffley and Planning Commission members said staff had spent more than 80 hours comparing the previous and proposed zoning drafts and repeatedly found edits that had not been incorporated or that reverted between versions. "We need to bring them in and find out what is going on and get a draft that the Planners can work with," Cindy Miller said during the discussion.

Cindy Miller moved that Pennoni not be paid until the firm attends the March 24 meeting to update the board on progress and that a final draft be provided to the Township by May 26, 2026. The motion carried unanimously.

Board members said the repeated drafting cycle had caused duplicative expense in staff time and consultant fees. Supervisor David Hess said it felt like taxpayers were "paying twice," once for consultant work and again for staff review.

The motion directs Pennoni to attend the March 24 meeting; staff and any contract consultants working on the ordinance were also asked to attend. The board also approved, during the same meeting, a separate procedural item: a six-month extension to record a commercial plan (M & U International) while an NPDES permit is pursued.

Township staff said the March 24 meeting should include the consultant's redlined materials and the person who performs the ordinance computerization to avoid repeated, incomplete drafts. The board set a firm target of May 26 for a final draft to be delivered for review or to face continued withholding of payment.