East Allen supervisors refuse developer’s bid to get a public hearing on proposed zoning overlay

East Allen Township’s Board of Supervisors voted to deny a developer’s request to hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning text and map amendment that would create an overlay district for a 28-unit manufactured-home community.

The decision followed more than an hour of presentation and public comment. Developer representative Ryan Dirk told supervisors the overlay would let the township set project-specific conditions and that engineering review during the land-development process would address traffic and water-table concerns. "The overlay district is your baby," Dirk said, adding it would allow supervisors to impose conditions and enforce them through the township’s code.

Resident Kathy Wagner urged the board to follow the planning commission’s recommendation and oppose the proposal, calling the request "text amendment tailored to this specific lot" and warning it resembled unlawful spot zoning. Wagner described local water problems — including at least one well that went dry — and said denser development would worsen those impacts and infrastructure stress.

Solicitor Joe reminded the board that under Section 609 of the Municipalities Planning Code a landowner may ask the municipal body to hold a hearing to consider an amendment, but that tonight’s vote would decide only whether the board agrees to proceed to that hearing. The solicitor and staff also noted that final approval would require additional reviews including planning-commission and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission consideration.

Supervisor Chris moved to deny the developer’s request to schedule the Section 609 hearing; Georgianne seconded. The chair clarified the motion did not approve or deny the underlying plan, only whether to advance to a hearing. On roll call the motion passed.

What’s next: by denying the request to hold a public hearing, the board prevented the applicant from advancing the amendment through the township’s Section 609 hearing process. The developer may revise the proposal or reapply; the board and solicitor noted the land-development review and any future hearings would reexamine engineering, traffic, and water-supply issues.

Quotes of record: "If this board votes to approve a custom density expanding text amendment tailored to this specific lot, you're setting destabilizing township wide precedent," resident Kathy Wagner said. Developer Ryan Dirk said the proposed project would be "a heck of a lot more positive than what has happened in the past" if built under the overlay and land-development conditions.

The meeting record indicates the applicant also offered an alternative site plan that would move previously approved units and create additional septic fields if the overlay route is not approved. The board’s action tonight stops only the request to hold a hearing, not the ability of the developer to return with a revised application.