Board approves appraisal for 30-acre Grant family property and clears planning/subdivision items

The Upper Milford Township Board on April 17 moved forward on several land-use actions: it approved hiring Agrarian Associates Inc. to appraise three Grant family parcels for a Natural Resource Conservation Easement (NRCE) at a cost of $1,700, tentatively approved a Component 1 Planning Module for a new two-acre lot at 5330 Macungie Mountain Road, and authorized Credit Release No. 2 for the Fields at Twin Run in the amount of $288,297.23.

Planning Coordinator Brian Miller told the board that the Grant properties at 7850, 7951 and 7991 Salem Bible Church Road have been in the Grant family for nearly 60 years and total approximately 30 acres. The Open Space Committee recommended the property for a Township NRCE after he determined that joint preservation with Lehigh County was not feasible because county scoring and preservation requirements will change in 2025. Miller said Agrarian Associates agreed to complete an appraisal for $1,700; Supervisor John D. Zgura moved to approve the appraisal and Supervisor Angela Ashbrook seconded; the motion carried unanimously.

On subdivision matters, Township Engineer Jeffery Ott certified improvements at the Fields at Twin Run sufficient to permit a reduction of the Irrevocable Letter of Credit by $288,297.23, subject to retaining a remaining escrow minimum per the Subdivision Improvements Agreement; the board approved Credit Release No. 2. Separately, the board approved a Component 1 Planning Module for 5330 Macungie Mountain Road after staff reported acceptable soil testing for primary and alternate septic areas.

The motions passed unanimously. The NRCE appraisal is the next step to determine the easement value; no final preservation transaction was completed at the meeting.