Okay, we're gonna call this meeting of the City of Allentown Planning Commission to order.

Thank you all for attending.

The first item on the agenda is the approval of the minutes of the April 14th meeting.

Anyone have any comments, corrections, or additions to the minutes?

No.

All right, those are stand approved as written.

And we'll head right into our first land development item two on the agenda 51 North Front Street RS residences.

And before we get started, I need to recuse myself from this item on the agenda.

Okay, thanks, Leslie.

Umsa, you're going to give us uh intro, please.

Okay.

Uh so this project was first heard by the planning commission on March 10th, 2026 and tabled to allow the applicant to make revisions based on comments from the commission and staff.

Um, and then I'm just gonna go over briefly the revisions.

Um, so this is a major land development in which applicant proposes to construct a seven-story mixed-use building with 210 dwelling units.

There were slight changes to the mix of the dwelling units that were proposed.

Um so now they're proposing 43 studios, 115 one bedrooms, 47 two bedrooms, and five three bedrooms, which is just pretty much a few swaps of um mostly the studios and one bedrooms.

Um, 271 interior parking spaces are proposed, which was reduced from 286, but it still exceeds the required amount.

The floor plans were updated to provide an improved parking layout and improved traffic flow with only two nodes of parking having one access point.

Additional information was provided as requested, including a lighting plan, off-street loading and loading space, and bike racks and storage.

The facade of the south elevation was revised, including a more active and interesting facade on the first two stories with windows along the first floor.

The project site falls within the TNDO, and uh we have the following comments.

The revised um renderings show a flat roof with a cornice.

Staff finds the roof to be appropriate.

The revised renderings show a majority of the facade to be stone veneer, artist and siding, architectural panels, and thin brick.

Staff is not opposed to the building materials.

The renderings no longer show the decorative metal paneling that has a facade material that had been proposed to screen the parking garage.

Staff suggests the commission inquire as to what material is replaced in the paneling, if any, and how that will affect screening to prevent headlight glare onto adjoining properties and riverside drive and front street.

The first floor of the south elevation has been updated to include windows that look like an active frontage.

Some variability was added to the building facade with changes in the building height, projections and recesses were not added, but the changes in color at the balconies do give that appearance.

So overall for all the riverside projects.

Um, there were just a couple changes with um vision 2030.

We just added um that we were we would request that they add additional landscaping.

Um for the Lehigh River Master plan, there were no additional comments.

For Allentown works, there were no additional comments for the housing plan.

Staff suggests that the commission inquire if the applicant will be willing to set aside a portion of the units for affordable housing up to 80% AMI.

Um for safe streets for all plan at the time of this report.

And those should be discussed with the commission.

Uh for the citywide bike plan, the revised plans show bike racks have been added outside for the convenience customers, visitors, and tenants, and long-term indoor bike storage has been provided.

For the park plans, there are no additional comments for the first excuse me.

First and six port plan, there is no additional comments.

So for recommendations, we had the overall recommendations for all the riverside drive plans and then um project specific plan um recommendations.

So for the overall, I'm just gonna read the entire section there.

In conclusion, staff suggests that the commission inquire about the applicant's coordination with the cohesion network and the riverfront civic association, as well as the affordability of the proposed apartments.

Staff further recommends that the applicant engage with community groups as retail spaces are programmed and consider neighborhood needs, including access to food options, child care, high generating employment uses, and to coordinate with the Allentown School District on additional school demands.

Consideration should be given to the design of Worth Street for a future connection to the waterfront.

The applicant is also encouraged to incorporate energy saving strategies, bird-friendly window designs, add additional landscaping, include native plants and landscaping, to consider building above the elevation of the floodplain and that outdoor containers and amenities be anchored and enclosed, and to include enhancing the streetscape with benches, trash receptacles, and pedestrian scale lighting.

Staff recommends that the applicant work with the city to explore on-street parking along Riverside Drive, evaluate the possibility of allowing public parking in the proposed garages, and implement improvements identified in the traffic study.

The applicant should also coordinate with the parks department on park-related needs and coordinate with Lanta prior to final approval of the plans.

And then for um project specific recommendations, staff suggests the commission inquire as to what material material is placing.

The decorative screening panels, if any, and how that will affect screening to prevent headlight clear onto adjacent proper properties and riverside drive and front street.

Additionally, staff recommends the applicant provide a trail connection to the existing trail, the rear of the American On-Wheels property to collaborate with them to extend the mixed-use trail along their frontage to the corner of Hamilton Street, and to work with PPL for any and all proposed improvements to PPL own property and any required easements be acquired.

Since the applicant's comment response letter only addresses the technical city comment letter, staff requests that the applicant adjust the planning commission's March 2026 feedback, including clarifying the overall vision for Riverside Drive and waterfront development.

What placemaking and/or public art features have been incorporated, how the applicants' project projects relate to one another, how they connect to the community and other assets, and how they align with the Lehigh Riverfront Master Master Plan.

The commission also requested that the applicant elevate the potential widening of Wharf Street.

Oh evaluate, sorry, the additional the potential widening of uh Warf Street and identify visitor short-term parking within the parking debt.

Um staff generally generally supports the proposed development, but is interested in understanding which elements of the overall recommendations, traffic study recommendations, and project specific recommendations can be incorporated into the project prior to approval.

Any recommendation or approval must be conditioned on the applicant appropriate addressing comments in the city comment letter, including but not limited to providing an appropriate trail connection and restriping the roadway in order to provide on-street parking to the satisfaction of the city.

Any approval shall be conditioned upon the building elevations dated April 9th, 2026, as presented at the May 12, 2026 Planning Commission meeting.

Any significant changes to the elevations shall require review and approval by the Allentown Planning Commission.

Thank you.