All right, right.

Okay, everybody, I'm gonna call this meeting of the City of Allentown Planning Commission to order.

Thank you for joining us.

Um approval of the meeting minutes from the June 9th meeting.

We've been prepared and circulated.

Does anybody have any comments, corrections, or additions?

Okay, hearing none, those will stand approved as written.

Uh next we have a couple pardon me.

Sorry.

We had a uh uh public meeting comment card submitted by Bonnie McMahon on item number one, which was the minutes in the I'm sorry, I didn't I was wanted to talk about the data center.

Okay.

So I had the we just wanted to clarify.

Thank you.

We'll call you then.

Yeah.

No, that's okay, thank you.

Um so then we have two administrative matters today, the first being a couple policies and procedures.

Uh one having to do with public comment policy.

Um the planning commission had not previously had any sort of formally adopted um policy, and I think one has been prepared that largely mimics or mirrors the city council and um general uh intent of the city charter.

So um that's been prepared and circulated for us, and I know we had the opportunity to reply individually back to staff.

Um so I assume that the version that's been included in our packet is the final version, and does anybody have any further comments or discussion about it?

Okay, um I suppose we should make uh we should take a motion to go ahead and formally adopting public comment probably to get public comment on the public comment policy um but uh but also I think because it's on the agenda once, um if you could talk about the second policy related to tabling, which a very short explanation of the tabling policy is simply that um to grant the tabling request if they're submitted in advance of 26 hours before the meeting, so we can amend the agenda and then if it's submitted afterwards, then make the applicant come to the meeting and and request it themselves.

Right.

Yeah, we were just talking about that, and I think we we've we've talked about that in the past.

I guess this is just the formal adoption of a policy.

So is there any comment on that one?

All right, so we have two two administrative matters.

Is there anybody in the public interested in questions or comments relative to our public comment policy or our policy regarding the voluntary tabling of a project on behalf of the client or the applicant, I should say?

Okay, we're hearing none.

So then I guess we'll take these individually just for the good of the order.

Uh can I accept a motion to approve the public comment policy?

So moved.

Craig, thank you.

Seconded.

Thank you, Leslie.

Any further discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay.

And then we'll have a motion to adopt the what do we call on this?

The postponement policy.

Postponement policy.

That sounds good.

I'll make the motion.

I'll say second the motion.

Okay, here thank you.

Any further discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

Okay, the ayes have it.

Uh and for the public, uh, under the under the provisions of our new public uh comment policy.

So we'll continue to take public comment on agenda items at the or toward the conclusion of that particular agenda item and before any action is taken.

Um it will be restricted to residents, and you will be restricted to three minutes uh um timing.

And then at the end of the meeting, we will have uh general public comment for any item that uh public wishes to bring before the planning commission.

So moving forward, we'll go on to item number three, which is also administrative, and uh I'll turn it over to staff for an introduction, please.

Sure.

Um this agenda item deals with data center regulations.

Um as this uh commission is aware, the city council voted to adopt what's known as Bill 20, which was the city's first data center regulation.

Um when they adopted that, there wasn't a great deal of public comment that was received both at various public meetings by email, phone calls, um very extensive feedback.

So while city council voted to adopt Bill 20, so that way there were regulations in place, they also agreed that there are some immediate first priority, highest priority changes that they would like to see place in in place.

So any um uh amendments uh may also be proposed at a later date, but um the first uh the first um bill that would move forward is the city councils expressed high priority agenda items or issues associated with this.

So first and foremost, the largest and most significant change is the removal of the allowable or excuse me, special exception use in IG.

So that's been removed from that zoning district, so special exception is still required, but it would be still required within the IM district only as proposed under this bill.

The second big change is uh setback change.

Um there was um for simplicity, I'm gonna call it a sensitive receptor setback, which was how far it needed to be from residential and other sensitive uses.

It was set at 200 feet.

That is now being revised to be set at 500 feet.

Um third, additional public notice through the process.

There was a desire to have additional public notice and transparency throughout the reporting of this.

Uh so we added an additional section for public meeting requirements in an effort to have additional transparency, not just for data centers, but for other high-intense, higher intensity industrial uses.

So this actually goes beyond just data centers and it applies to high industry uses, recycling uses, and and several other uses that would fall under that category, including data centers as an additional category.

This would mean that the applicants now need to do their own public meeting before they make it to the city for any public hearing, and that just helps to improve that communication directly between the developer and the community, and that they maintain a project website so all plans and fires and information can be transparently shared.

Um we have additional regulations for noise and vibration, such as full spectrum sound studies, um documenting baseline ambient noise levels, assessing persistent tonal sounds and other low frequency spans, and specific specific regulations relating to third-party acoustical consultants and violations.

A lot of language was already drafted into this section, so it simply refines it, puts the emphasis on the third party.

Um, as a complement to this will also be um city councils also proposing revisions to the noise ordinance to complement this, but that's not a zoning ordinance, so that will go directly to council.

And um finally, one of the most significant changes to this version or the recently adopted version is to add a decommissioning requirement, which means that um for data centers uh when they were to leave the site, they need to fully um uh mitigate any um restore the site to previous conditions and remove any toxic chemicals or other um uh features that were added, and also adds a security requirement so that way the city has a bond in place and can be renewed periodically to ensure that that decommissioning will in fact occurred as planned.

Concludes my comments, and I'm available for questions.

All right, thank you, Jennifer.

Um I think you know, just sort of a reminder to all of us, I think we all know this that this has you know nothing to do with any pending application right now, and actually doesn't affect any pending application.

This is merely just uh to further strengthen the ordinance that was uh recently passed that would help protect and regulate future applications uh for data center related type submissions.

So any comments or initial feedback from the commission.

I've got one one question, Jennifer, if I could.

Um relative to the setback, um sometimes we see specific language that talks about setbacks when a when a public street is involved.

So my question is it's you know it's 75 feet setback from a right-of-way of a public street, and then it talks about the the more aggressive setback for the the sensitive uh uses.

What if a sensitive use is across the street?

And does that are we explicitly covered?

I think it's explicitly covered.

So let's just give a theoretical example of a 50-foot street.

Um let's say on the other side it was a church.

Um it would need to be with the proposal, it would need to be 500 foot from the lat line of the church.

So it would be measured from the adjacent land use, and it just ensures that everything's set back as far away as possible, or perhaps on a different property if it's a short narrow property.

So the more restrictive setback would prevail.

And that's how a lot of various ordinances throughout other cities are adopted.

So I think it's clear.

I just want to make sure.

Yeah, because sometimes it, you know, sometimes it will, and I guess my experience has been more often sometimes it'll it'll specifically exclude uh the requirement if separated by a public street.

Um I'm thinking in my line of work, you know, landscape buffers and things like that.

Um, but I just wanted to make sure that it didn't automatically default the other way if it's not specified.

I don't think so.

I'm sure there's something in the zoning code that says if there's two um conflicting regulations, the more restrictive would prevail.

I'll I'll look to Mike to see if we've got any general catch-all um requirements in the zoning ordinance, but even without that, I feel that this one is very clear in the intent.

Okay.

In my mind, just punctuation is essential in grammar school and in zoning construction, the way in which I read this this block of text or this whole this whole subsection A, it's meant to express complete thought in the way it's punctuated.

That's that's my read.

So it lists a whole or unless a whole number of criteria all strung together by an OR.

So it would need all the setbacks, or and I believe it would need to check the boxes for for all the setbacks.

If there was a public street abutting the property in there was a sensitive receptor across the street, I don't believe the construction there would negate the 500-foot SEPR or dispersion requirement just by virtue of the public street being there.

Good.

That was my primary question.

I really you know everything else I want to say, you know, I think you know that the staff did a great job, you know, sort of incorporating um all of the um extensive public comment that we received during the Bill 20 uh introduction.

Um I think the EAC's done a great job, you know, also helping to summarize that and bring forward, you know, come some clarity.

Um will it ever be perfect?

Probably not.

This is an emerging technology that will continue to change, and and I imagine some point we'll be talking about another uh potential revision someday, but um it's necessary, I think, to keep moving these things forward and and continue to strengthen.

Um I'll say one other thing before we open up for public comment is that this uh comes before the planning commission just for advisory comments.

This commission has no authority whatsoever to adopt um approve uh or deny um the proposal.

This is part of the process.

Uh City Council introduces it, it gets remanded back to the planning commission for review and comment, and those comments, if any, will go back to city council and be ultimately um taken under advisement um for their uh potential future action on the matter.

So um anybody else want to add anything?

Yeah, I would like to just thank the staff directly.

Um the amount of public comment and keeping it organized and preparing us for reading all the way through it and making sure that we're getting all the details from the community as well, has been an enormous support.

I'm really excited to see the energy in the community as well.

We're passionate about this, we're excited about this, and I think it's an important piece of the dialogue back and forth.

So I want to appreciate the staff, appreciate the EAC, the LBPC, everybody who's worked and um attended a public meeting on this uh topic and comment, and to keep showing up and to keep looking for outlets to stay engaged in the community.

So I just wanted to say thank you to everybody involved in that as well.

Thank you, Kate.

All right, uh, Brian, you got uh Yes, we received three cards uh for public comment.

Uh first is Katherine Hoffman of 1649 West Linden Tree.

Hi, um I'm a homeowner.

I've lived in Allentown since 1987.

We raised our son here.

I live by Allen High School near West Park, and um I just had a chance to read these, and uh I just would like to comment on a couple of the changes.

I really like that you've written um require and mandate, but I don't like if possible, especially if possible, set limits on water and electricity use usage, local heat generated and pollution.

Um I think this is very laissez-fair.

Um it's relying too much on an entity that is a profit-making entity, and I wonder how the city would enforce the changes and requirements that are here and mandated, and the so if possible, just doesn't cut it um as far as residents of the city go.

And I want to tell you that since these heat um these days of high heat have happened.

Our lights flicker on and off, and our air conditioners stop and go.

If Allentown can't provide a healthy grid for us, how are we going to manage the incredible demand demands of data centers?

And that's you know my principal concern.

So I really like the language on public transparency.

Um again, I I think anything that can be required or mandated, that language should be used.

But again, I wonder if the city is going to assign staff to actually enforce these things.

And I also had a question, it's probably really an ignorant question.

The Emmaus Avenue data center, I understand these regulations don't apply to it because it got in under.

So that means all those people that came to all those meetings that are concerned about this huge thing because they're planning to expand even the footage of the warehouse that was there, they're gonna be really frustrated city residents and the people that serve those children in that children's facility.

I forgot what it's called.

Yeah, um, they're gonna be really frustrated, and so are their parents.

So I just I would like to put the question before you who do you serve, who do we serve in Allentown?

Is it our residents, or is it people entities that come in that are providing energy for profit making groups and corporations that don't live here and that are going to sell that energy or use that energy for purposes that don't benefit us much?

Um just want to keep that in mind because this is a phenomenon that's happening all over the country, as you probably know.

People are fighting against data centers everywhere, and people feel like they're being rolled over.

So that's it.

But I like the language of the amendments that you've made.

Thanks.

All right, thank you.

Oh you've got a training timer now, we're using it.

Oh I didn't you know I didn't know if this was the the button over here, or just the gong button.

I don't know.

Do not press that button.

Cops will be here in a few minutes.

Sorry about that.

Nobody's in trouble yet.

Just a few seconds.

Hang on.

We didn't get to John yet, so I always wanted to press it.

I mean, what's the point of sitting in the center if we don't get to press the button?

So I'm not touching it.

All right, who's next, Brian?

Uh Bonnie McMahon of 834 North 26th Street.

Hi, good afternoon.

Um I just had two quick questions.

Uh the Bill 52 ordinance mentions data center use greater than 50,000 square feet.

And I don't know if the nuanced in the nuance of the rest of the zoning ordinances, it covers something smaller, but does this ordinance cover something that somebody would come in and put in a smaller facility?

And my second question was does the um full spread full spectrum sound study also cover infra sound?

Is that covered under this data ordinance?

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

I'll flip it over to staff if they want to address any of this.

Sure.

If I can um address some of the the previous comments at the same time, um, we we're getting a lot of comments regarding electric rates and um the local government can require people to provide information about electrical usage, but electric rates and the grid planning are outside of our regulatory jurisdiction, so we will ask the questions, but this is an area where we have limited authority.

So we're continuing to research and push those boundaries a bit, but um, that's where we are on the electric rates, and the original version that was adopted does require an incredible amount of reporting and disclosures, but um our regulatory authority on this matter is limited.

Again, we'll keep looking into this further to see if we can do more.

Um addition, in terms of the 50,000 square foot facility requirement, um, the 50,000 square foot facility requirement is for the entire ordinance would apply to 50,000 square feet or less, or for any data center use.

Um but uh those with more than 50,000 square feet would have an additional requirement of an eight-acre minimum.

Oh, and infrared sound or infra sound.

I'll have to get back to you about because that's uh some very specific sound words, which we're learning a lot more about sound in this process.

Um, we're proposing sound requirements and updates as well.

Um before a city council tomorrow, and we had to bring in some outside sound consultants as as well on this, but our specific objective was to ensure that we had quantifiable sound requirements for any kind of low tones or hums or any of the continuous operating sounds that you hear associated with anything that has a lot of um mechanical equipment and other noise associated with it.

So it's certainly our intent to get not just the obvious sounds, which is the DBA D DBA, which is what our current noise ordinance is drafted around, in addition to some of the other lower um hums and tones and frequencies.

So that's absolutely our objective.

Um the word infrared or infrastructure have to look into a little bit more to make sure we're we're covering all the technical terms, and I'll run it through our sound consultant who has advised us and helped us um through the creation of this.

Thanks, Jennifer.

Uh, do we have anyone else?

And the final card is from Alejandro Figueroa of 747 Walnut Street in Emmaus.

And he also provided a document that you would like you to all review.

Uh good afternoon, thank you.

I'll try to keep it on the three minutes.

Right.

Uh good afternoon, commissioners.

Alejandro Figueroa, uh Mayor's resident, uh former Allentown resident as well.

As you work to tie in Allentown's data center zoning ordinance today, I urge this commission to look beyond simple setbacks and boundaries.

Physical distance alone does not protect our municipal infrastructure from the massive resource strand these facilities impose.

If we are going to allow data centers in our industrial zones, our zoning codes must mandate that they act as civic partners, not resource extractors.

As outlined in the brief that I've handed out, I urge you to include provisions in this ordinance requiring any data center over 10 megawatts to utilize closed loop zero water draw cooling systems and to mandate the structural routing of waste server heat back to the public as a utility asset.

If we do not write these resource recovery mandates into our permanent zoning code today, developers will continue to drain our water table and overwhelm our power grid.

So with that being said, let's build an ordinance that forces digital infrastructure to serve the citizens of Allentown and their neighbors.

And to touch base on a grandfather clause respectfully, Bill 52 is not about a single applicant, it is about establishing a permanent regulatory framework for Allentown's industrial zones.

The planning commission mandate is to protect municipal infrastructure long term.

Adjusting the zoning text to require closed loop systems and thermal networks doesn't stop development.

It ensures that any developer coming into Allentown or any community builds to modern sustainable infrastructure standards.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Thank you.

Certainly sounds like something that you know, like I said, could be further advancement.

You know, what one of the things that I didn't mention earlier that I would like to just mention for uh for everyone's benefit is just like many of us supported Bill 20 and its passage, you know, recognizing at the time it wasn't perfect and maybe it wasn't complete.

But when these things are introduced, if they're not passed forward and if they're sent back for revisions, it leaves it essentially opens the door for new applications to come in without these guardrails.

So even though some folks and and we have you know additional hearings coming up on actual uh applications, but even though some folks may not think that this is 100% you know perfect, um passing it gets these guardrails, you know, that we have in writing here before us in place and allows us to continue to improve.

If city council decides to not adopt this and send it back for revisions, that period um of protection then sort of expires.

Once it's introduced, then those provisions are pending.

And when they're when they're pending and new applications come in, it does protect us uh as a city.

So um so uh Mr.

Alarandro is uh his comments might have might be something that we want to really take into consideration on further improvements, but also wouldn't necessarily suggest that we hold up moving this bill forward and you know we'll come back to it.

So it's interesting how it all works.

Zoning law is is uh is a delicate balance.

Um with you know fast moving technology and you know emerging development applications.

I think it's important that we stay on top of it as much as we can.

Is there any other comments?

Anybody that didn't fill out a card that wishes to make a comment on this agenda item.

All right.

Um so the commission we're in a position to forward uh I think this you know the staff report summarizes it very well, and I think does a great job uh in terms of a uh transmittal to the uh to the city council, but I'd also entertain any other motion or recommendation we'd like to pass uh or or no action at all.

Um I'd move to forward the recommended bill favorably to city council.

That's second.

All right, motion is made and seconded.

Any further discussions?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Great.

All right, thanks again to staff for bringing that together.

All right, now we're gonna move on to land developments.

Uh next one is item four of the agenda is the West residence at two Allen Street.

Um second time we're seeing it.

I'll turn it over to staff.

Oh, Leslie, you're in a I was gonna say I need to recuse myself from this item.

Okay, thank you, Leslie.

Turn it over to staff for uh update and introduction, please.

Okay.

Um this is two six to 16 Allen Street, um, one to 17 Livery Street.

Uh, 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 from staff.

Um, and then I'm gonna detail some provisions to the previous staff report and then all of the um recommendations that we had.

Um, so this is a major land development which applicant proposes to construct a seven-story mixed-use building with 200 dwelling units.

Slight changes to the mix of dwelling units are proposed with 50 studios, 107 one bedrooms, and 43 two bedrooms.

Um, staff notes that the addresses listed on the plans have been corrected.

A lighting plan that was has been provided, bike racks, bike storage, and tenant storage spaces have been added to the plans, an off-street loading unloading space has been identified in the plans, but full dimensions are not shown.

Staff questions whether there is sufficient space for loading and unloading to occur with the parking space that is only a few feet from the doorway to the loading area, and how this space will service the retail bays that are at the basement finished left finished floor level.

Um access is shown to the elevator in the trash room, and no access is shown to the retail spaces from the parking garage.

Um please note a final determination must be made if a C slope steep slope slope waiver or variance is required.

Um for the TNDO, the renderings show a majority of the facade to be fiber cement panel, uh architectural panels, artists and siding and thin brick.

These change changes of material, color of the brick and canopy pay homage to the existing suspend building.

Um staff is not opposed to the building materials.

Uh the revised renderings show consistent changes in colors and materials that help to break up the facade and massing of the building and create a more vertical orientation.

It appears the building was moved forward slightly towards Riverside Drive, although dimensions were not provided on the plans.

The increased rear setback provides additional space between the proposed building and the small road row homes across Brook Street.

Staff still suggests a step back at the fourth story.

The smaller windows are proposed on the first and second floors along Brooke Street to be more consistent with the road homes.

Consistent with the lately high river master plan, the applicant could consider widening Brick Street to better support the adjacent homes.

Um the renderings do not appear to show the same screening that had been proposed for the parking garage, and staff suggests the commission inquire as to what screening material material will be used, if any, and how that will prevent headlight glare onto adjoining properties and streets.

Um for the overall projects, um, provision 2030.

We just added a comment to um add additional landscaping.

There were no additional comments for the Lehigh Riverfront Master Plan for the Allentown Works Plan, um, for the parks plan, and for the neighborhood uh first for neighbor neighborhood plan.

Um so for the housing plan, staff still suggest the commission inquire if the applicant would be willing to set aside a portion of units for affordable housing, up to 80% AMI.

Um for the safe streets for all traffic comments requesting items to be addressed in the TIS were provided as part of the review of 51 North Front Street, and any additional comments pertaining to the subject project have not yet been reviewed by the staff, but should be discussed with the commission.

And for the bike plan, the revised plans show bike racks that have been added outside for the community of customers, visitors, and tenants, and long-term bike storage has been provided uh indoors.

So the overall recommendations, and this includes all the projects that had initially been heard together.

Um conclusion, staff suggests 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 access to food options, child care, high generating employment uses, and to coordinate with the on town school district on additional school demands.

Consideration should also be given to the design of Warf Street for future connection to the waterfront.

Applicant should explore the potential widening of Brick Street to better support the adjacent homes, and whether any aspect of the assessment building can be retained and reused.

The applicant is also encouraged to incorporate energy saving strategies and bird friendly window designs, including native native plants and landscaping and to consider building above the elevation of the floodplain, and that outdoor containers and amenities be anchored and enclosed.

Additional recommendations include identifying loading and drop-off areas, provide additional information on the loading unloading space, including the dimensions and how it will be utilized by retail and residential tenants, ensuring the garage screening material will suitably prevent headlight glare onto adjoining properties and streets and enhancing the streetscape with benches, trash receptive 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 up in the proposed garages and implement improvements identified in this traffic study.

The applicant should also coordinate with the parks department on park-related needs and collaborate with Lanta to assess transit routes serving the first and sixth wards.

Since the applicant's comment response letter only addresses the technical city comment letter, staff requests that the applicant address the planning commission's March 2026 feedback, including clarifying the overall vision for the Riverside Drive and waterfront development, what placemaking and/or public art features have been incorporated, whether there is a dedicated visitor, public parking in the garage, how the applicant's projects relate to one another, how they connect to the community and other assets, and how they align with the riverfront master plan.

The commission has also requested that the applicant evaluate the potential widening of North Brick Street.

And for the project specific recommendations, staff recommends that the interior parking layout be revised to remove pockets of parking and to add connecting drive aisles or designated areas to turn around.

A cornice in the style that complements the building should be added.

Details of the parking garage screening be provided, additional landscape be added, a step back at the fourth floor, and a pedestrian easement be secured.

Staff 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.

Finally, any recommendation of approval must be conditioned on the applicant receiving its own hearing board approval for any required variances and the applicant appropriately addressing comments in the city comment letter, including but not limited to restriping the roadway in order to provide on-street parking to the satisfaction of the city.

Any approval shall also be conditioned upon the building elevations dated May 6, 2026, as presented at today's planning commission meeting.

And any significant changes to the elevation shall require review and approval by the by the planning commission.

Thank you.

Thank you, Melissa.

Can I please add one additional comment?

Because it it was resolved between the time the staff report was written and today, there was previously a steep slope issue.

It was worked out.

There's no variance or waiver.

So that piece of the recommendation can be removed.

Okay, nope.

Good afternoon.

My name is Carlos Tovar, and the architecture de Project are seeking planning approval for these property.

I'm a representation of my uh my client, urban residential.

Okay.

Uh what we see in the fair image is the actually the property, the location, which is brick, uh Riverside Drive, Fung Allen, and Liberty.

The system conditions we actually, after the feedback that we receive if this building that you look there is almost 13 feet, 150 feet long.

Um, so what we do was on the new renderers that you will see we actually maintain the same lane um and use the the same similar architecture of the same architecture.

The only difference is if um you will look on my render, is the upper floor, the third floor of these.

We make we keep the same opening, but we put punch windows because we want to have cars there.

So that's why it looks different.

But we really talk a lot of the design of the building, and if you can look, they have like a little ball head on top.

So we we generate that through other buildings.

So next.

And then also we have the retail spaces because it's it's uh it's a drop on the side.

Next.

In the next image, um one of the comments that we receive if when I'm inside the parking garage, um, there is an elevator, and then the doors is off.

We haven't turned on the door, but there is a door at the elevator lobby that will bring you from the garage to to the trash.

Also for the loading down area, which is on the bottom corner.

Um, that's one of the comments.

This is 20 by 30 32.

Uh what we have.

Um, but one of the things that we're looking now for um for loading is the restriping of the road, which there is the restriping of the row is gonna help us a lot because we can um we can provide a loading dog area there, and also we can provide additional parking.

So that's that's something that we we definitely will be looking at it too.

And then this is the upper, the the second floor parking garage.

That's what I'm saying.

The I'm using the same architecture of the building, but I was trying to create a narrow windows for glare.

Next, please.

And then the building is similar as we go out on the third floor.

We have uh open door areas and open amenity areas, and they will be looking at the river side.

Um I understand that they are building other projects there, but you know, the views are still really nice, riverside drive is really wide, and we feel having people there, it creates that connection and the activity.

We we we go along with the with the master plan.

Next.

Again, it's a throughout the the apartment.

We have uh a big percentage, 50 units, that they are all studios.

Um it's not affordable uh housing building, but definitely the studios it will have it will be more obtainable for the cost of those units.

And we have a 200 unit.

We also we have a total of 200 parking spaces.

Um then here on the that was a feedback that we received um showing the the green roof on the upper area at the edge of the building, and then put all the mechanical units on the center.

So that was something that we did.

And then the large units again, we have a lot of studios, 30% of the project solar studios, all studios, one bedrooms.

Next, please.

They are all one bedrooms, and then we jump on the on the two-bedroom.

We're proposing a lot of terraces, terraces are it gives you that residential filling, you will see people sitting there and connecting with the residents.

So they are really important, and this is why we provide a lot of terrace on the brick side road.

Next, please.

That's all in larger units, and then we we wanna have a lot of um on the corner unit, we have a lot of natural light, but again, they're very simple, simple materials.

Simple materials too.

Simple materials.

I know I heard something about uh sustainable, sustainable design.

So for sustainable design, actually, the side, because we're redeveloping that site that was already existing.

We already have utilities, which those are the building is not gonna be lead certified, but those things are are pushed by lead.

The you redevelop in areas that have been developed.

So that's a big a big thing on this project.

And also we are close to to uh two stores, we have the fire department nearby, police department, so we have you know all those uh uh neighborhood amenities near the building.

Also the the toilets that we have, they flush less water, the lights are LED, and then actually using the energy code right now, energy code is pretty much bringing you to go to goal project.

So even you know, just just doing what the energy code asks you, those projects become more sustainable in the way.

Um you can see that we have the green roof in the building too.

We provide exterior insulation, they're not required, but we do that too.

So there are some sustainable things of those projects.

And again, it's other other things, it's a walkable project.

So we have a lot of retail, it's a walkable community.

Um again, this is the chain where we have on the facade because we uh we use the the we were inspired by the system building.

This is how we we brought now the brick on the upper levels and play more with the masses and and the and the moving of the building.

Next.

This is uh the the one before that's actually break where some of the comments when the render you will be able to see better.

But on the second floor, we on these two stories on the bottom, we make it to look more uh residential appealing.

Um we have some windows to look more as residential.

Some of the of the comments uh have been the screen.

We actually have it there, it's just confusing the way how we did it, but I will show you on the on the renders as we go in.

Next one.

And that's the design elevation of the building.

We develop the corners.

Again, the building looks like actually the system building, as you know, it just got it just got bigger.

We strew it up.

Next.

This is what I was saying.

If if you look at the renders on the right side, those windows have like a little shape.

So what we're proposing is have some solid panels behind those windows.

The the thing is you see some of my project before, so we use that that the same detail for big parking garage.

So it's the same for the window, so I can understand where the confusion was.

But that's what we're saying.

If you look on the on the right side, this is how I want to make those windows solid.

So to have one glare, especially on the residential area.

Next.

Next, again, this is looking from brick West Allen.

You know, I West Island is a big connection, it's a lot of traffic going through there.

So we feel that that's appropriate for the residential.

This is residential lobby.

And also we don't want to take away of the commercial spaces and have the residential lobby on the commercial side.

So I think this having the lobby there is active at the community there is is the corner, and also we give the corners to the to the retail component.

Um, and here is an eye view.

I mean, you see the glare through through the windows.

Um, and again, we have a lot of terraces.

We, you know, terraferral, difficult to build, but in this project we feel is is appropriate to create a residential feeling throughout too.

Um next, please.

Our landscape or landscape is more um elaborate than the C Wall than the C Wall drawing.

Um that's something that we spoke to the C Well, the C will engineer is gonna incorporate our landscape.

We definitely need to add some landscape to this to this project.

Next again, here is more of the landscape.

This is coming from Riverside Drive from the other.

This is the entrance to the parking and the loading down area.

This is uh a closer view of of brick.

We move the building back.

That was a comment that we received.

So we we actually were able to move the building back five feet.

So from the road to the face of the building is about 12 feet, so that helps to move the building, and then we create these two stories with the with the corners.

So it's appealing to the residential level, and that's what I mentioned before.

We are adding a lot of the terraces.

So it connects more to what's happened next door.

This is the main entrance lobby.

Again, we use the same architecture of the system building and all the corners.

Um this finish my presentation, I'm open to any question.

All right, thank you, Carlos.

Thank you.

Um not sure exactly where to begin, but um I want to say that I, you know, I appreciate the you know, I feel like the you know the color choices and materials, I think feels a little bit more um appropriate to me from the original.

So thank you for that.

Um it's funny all the effort gone into trying to look like the old building instead of just incorporating it, Carlos crying out loud, you know, just that little corner.

I don't understand.

Um, I do see what you're saying.

Um and it does, you know, it does resonate.

I mean, you know, probably to just us, you know, in the future, no one else is really gonna appreciate it, unfortunately, because this thing's gonna be gone.

Um which is a shame.

But um I think you know, for me, I have just a couple notes uh that I wanted to talk about.

And it's kind of it does mimic some of the things that we talked about on the previous uh similar applications, and that's the the public parking and access to the retail.

So um so just so we we understand what's what.

So is any of the structured parking gonna be available to the public?

We we will we will have some open to the public, the additional parking.

So something that we haven't incorporated there if we go to that one, not to the one before the next one, like there.

Um I will I will apply the same thing that I, you know, I received your comment before, I will apply the same thing that we did in other projects where we have uh a rear corridor and we actually rotate the cards.

If you look at it, I have 15 cars and these in and out.

I can make them straight and get the same 15 cars.

So I'm not you're gonna even lose in parking spot.

And that allows me to have an additional space where I can have a corridor to connect to all the retail spaces, so I can even come from the back, or we can come from the front.

So that's something that I haven't not added to this project.

But I think that feedback that I received from you for the from you actually it worked out.

Um I will do it again here.

Okay.

Because you were saying that what, yeah, 200 units or 200 spaces, you could and you have two forty on paper, right?

Correct.

So conceivably 40 of those could be rotating, um public type spaces.

Um and yeah, I I mean it the really I think the even with that, I think the convenience of the on street parking is gonna be critical for this for the retail to be successful.

You know, is I I just you had an awful lot of retail square footage and you know, unless there's you know direct access and knowledge for folks to come in, use the structured parking and and then fake patronize the retail spaces.

I think it's gonna be it's gonna be um tough to keep those places up and running.

Um so I would encourage you know, all that.

So what what level is the retail the retail is on the is it the basement level part?

No, it's it's like a split level.

So so the basement go deeper.

This is why in the basement you kinda see both because you go deeper for the retail and then the basement go even deeper.

So but on the upper level, because I'm like seven feet different, we feel different, I have to go down to the retail.

So there's going to be there's a parking level below the retail, partially on the front, so adjacent to it.

No, not right underneath, but on the front of the retail.

Right.

Right.

So the retail is gonna be higher than that parking garage and then below the second floor.

Which level of parking is most closest to the floor elevation.

The second.

The second one.

Which is the first floor.

The third floor.

How close is it?

I believe it's like eight feet.

No, that's a lot of that's a lot going down.

It's just the the the you know, the we have that no while too.

It's just the way how everything said those properties.

I'm telling you, I I I I'm afraid if we don't make this super convenient for the retail parking, I don't know.

Yeah, I have a a question kind of surrounding that that isn't a parking question.

We talked a lot last time that we saw these plans about placemaking, bicycle access, land to access.

So in an ideal world, I would see a lot more from like the downtown spaces that kind of gets revitalized and more more foot traffic, the connection between those two areas.

So I I think it's kind of a different shade of the same concern that you have, Chris, of like how are people getting here and then how are they staying here?

Like what with all of this retail space with the living space, it's not it's gonna need more people than just the people living in the building.

It's gonna really need to be connected to these other spots in downtown.

So I'm just curious where we're at with that as well.

Yeah, so actually what is gonna happen me being looking at what happened in other cities.

I I think what is gonna happen are really the most successful thing that the area have is the is the book park.

Everything has to be go eventually, everything's gonna go around the bookyball park.

Because everybody on those buildings are gonna walk up there, they're gonna entertain up there, they're gonna meet their neighbors there, winter dogs.

That's that's what people are gonna do.

And then allow shopping is is is gonna happen.

Eventually a parking garage will be necessary.

So people because people start looking at the waterfront area, so they will need to come.

So that's really that's really what what is is gonna happen, you know.

In our building, yes, the the 40 spaces that they will definitely help for the people uh um operating and um and you know, all those things, but if we put uh uh a grocery store there will be very complicated because a lot of people will be coming in cars to take in their grocery homes, you know.

So that's you know, that that's that's a challenge for for that side.

But that eventually I will see a big grocery store there, like a Whole Food or something like that in the area when more units are around.

I I definitely I definitely see that when people will come here, the waterfront is amenity, the park is it's a big amenity.

You know, it's just it it takes a few years, but I see it before, you know, and I think it's just it's gonna take some time, but you know, and it's interesting because I know we talk about more if um energy efficient things and all the things, people are still using the car, you know, like people you're still walking, but you need a car, you know, to buy and bring things home, and you know, so anyway.

Amazon is getting really good, delivering things they can keep up.

So but yeah, that's that's how it came, you know.

I think that you know it's consistent with the master plan, like you see everything's gonna happen, but bookie belt park is the big access to asset to the city.

That's really what's happening.

On Warp Street.

And you know, on on to Chris's comment a little bit too.

And this might be more of an engineering question, but I believe there's some proposed, you know, roadway reconfiguration of the lane configuration as well as a part of this.

It does that include on-street parking as well.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, so hopefully that should help alleviate some of that, at least have some in and out access for for retail spaces.

This is very key, actually, and those uh having uh parking on right on front of the retail.

This is actually really really key.

Even the double road sometimes is not as important because people even wait because you start slowing down the traffic, people it become more pedestrian friendly, so people don't mind to be in one lane while you park and all the things.

So I think that's that's a big one for the retailers.

So just a clarification.

Did you say that some of the parking was gonna be for the retailer?

So the area we don't we don't have a designated, but we have 40 additional parking, they it will be for anybody for the retailers, yeah.

The dynamic a lot if that was you know designated specifically, you know.

Maybe it's just certain times during the day too, perhaps.

I don't know.

We we have been in other transactions, they they actually the retailers come and say, hey, I'm gonna get this lease on you, but I need five parking spots.

So and that's really all those operators they don't want to walk, they wanna be next to the so I will imagine the those 40 spaces will go very quickly, and the the rear entrance is very important too.

They can connect to them.

So yeah.

So would there would there be some sort of regulating um gateway or ticket system or it's just gonna be open?

You will do on the garage.

I will say you will do on the basement level because your residence, but in the public area, you will just leave it open.

Everybody will come back and forth, but then for example, after hours, business closed, typically like a eight o'clock or nine o'clock, a gate will come down, and then now the residents will have access to those spaces.

But the pool, the the the private, the the public will not have unless you're a tenant that you have your badge and you can come in.

But after nine o'clock, you will be close up.

9 p.m.

I'm interested too in your grocery store comment there because I do think there's a lot of like homes and apartments that could be served by the grocery store environment as well.

Um have y'all talked to Elias or C Town Supermarkets at all just to see what that looks like.

I know they deliver groceries and have a little bit different of a you know, a wagmons or a giant kind of business model and how they deliver those services.

We spoke to Alliance uh a while back.

Uh never materialized it uh anything, but um something that will prepare the conversations and also look for uh other potential things.

Fantastic.

Yeah, thank you.

Um so the loading the the indoor loading zone that's down in the corner on West Liberty Street.

What would that loading zone be for?

That will be for tenants, they will go there and then they will go through that or through the elevator and move up and down.

That's how people would move in and out.

Correct.

Okay.

And then deliveries, whether it's groceries or FedEx or Amazon or whatever, what what would they do?

Is that what we're gonna do with the striping?

The re-estriping, correct.

That's that's what uh what's gonna happen.

Yeah.

That's correct.

And then the businesses, whatever supplies, um products or or you know, what how would that happen?

They will still do in the loading.

They would go through the loading.

That will be the most easier for them, so they don't need to be pulling in and out.

Okay.

Um so the headlight screening, just go back to that a minute.

You know, I guess the original had some it was all kind of funky metal open stuff.

And are you raising the height of the sill now so that it's blocking, or what are we doing?

No, no.

And then the third panel will be solid.

So you will go up to the four feet.

So it will be a solid panel.

Solid what?

Solid metal.

So you see the grid is still, but we hang in some match.

It will be on the inside, painted black or silver.

And that's on both Riverside and Brick Street.

And this is why we made the windows now narrower, so we don't have you know that a big case of issue, and we can just do those final.

And I feel they look better.

The building is more um.

I you know, I feel that they could be a mill they have been there for a while, so that's why.

Um the other comment that I have is more technical because I didn't look back to see what was proposed the the first time, maybe it wasn't included, but I kind of zeroed in on the lighting plan.

And um I I think um particularly on along Brick Street, but but but perhaps all the way around.

I think the so I don't think the lighting matches the renderings.

I think the renderings kind of illustrate some more decorative type fixtures where the lighting plan kind of shows just a modern shoebox wall pack kind of light, um, that's producing some pretty high output, you know, for a 10-foot mounting height as it's depicted.

And I think for one, I think just along Brick Street.

I think that needs to be brought down considerably in terms of its power and intensity, may require more lights, you know, um, but of lower power and more pedestrian, I think residential.

This is kind of like commercial wall pack lighting all the way around the building.

That's I'm not sure it's the you're right, and could be bowlers or could be something more.

Yeah, you're right around that.

I know we have some standards in the city, but I think I can work when the civil engineer may sure basically in the street, we don't really need a high level high density.

I agree.

That's a good comment.

Yeah, I just don't want to be blasting those people.

I mean, the spillover, I see the point by point, and the spillover is compliant, but it's well, actually it's not.

Um, but it's pretty high, I think, for for what's going on there.

Um and um, and I think they're just sort of shown, you know, kind of evenly spaced all around the building, and I I would assume that you guys are gonna do something better than that.

Um but I think we want that probably addressed somehow before these things are signed off on.

Um and then I guess the only other thing is you know, you you mentioned and and you know, the renderings do show some some landscaping, whereas the plans just show like vast areas of of concrete between the the building and the and the curb.

Um again, I I I have no doubt that you probably want to do something better than that, but you know, we're looking at plans and and that's to approve them, and it's just showing nothing but concrete.

Yeah, we'll we'll we'll come back.

Um we will yeah, we you will update the landscape.

I mean, I think you got a great opportunity.

I mean, it's such a big area to I mean, actually, it's not even just an opportunity, it's sort of a responsibility to sort of program that from a design standpoint, you know, because that's either gonna help or hurt your you know, the success of your retail or the desire of folks wanting to live there, but um you know it it's it's a lot of area for whatever reason, you know, setbacks or whatever you're required to to be back that far with the buildings.

Um it's a lot of area.

Um and the pedestrian easement that was mentioned in the in the is that because the is that because the what is the pedestrian easement about?

I'm looking at staff maybe I don't remember what the pedestrian easement was for that brick street or correct brick street.

Brick Street has a narrow right-of-way and their sidewalk area will be extending beyond the right-of-way line.

Okay, and that's that's better than dedicating right away, I suppose, or as far as we're concerned, it serves its purpose.

Okay.

For a pedestrian walkway.

Right.

Oh, I think we it it affects the setback if we if they if they dedicate right away, then yeah, okay.

That would otherwise I mean now's the chance to get it if we ever want it, you know.

That's what I'm wondering.

Um, and maybe we talked about this before.

But um I mean I think public works doesn't have an explicit need for the right-of-way.

Okay.

Gotcha.

I think those are my comments, guys.

I I may come back if y'all want to have anything.

Yeah.

Um I'd like to start with um saying that the the original design was with all due respect a good design, but I think you came into a really good design now.

I think your evolutions really really pop and they really show your your attention to detail showing now.

Um I can personally see in the design the suspend building being recreated.

It may not be exactly the same, but it's there.

And I think that's as close as you're gonna get without you know, reusing the building.

So I think that's very successful to start.

Your use of shadow lines with pie lasters and horizontal uh reliefs are really great.

Um your use of different window types are really great too.

So I think this is a very successful design compared to what you had before.

And also it's it also stands out with relation to your other designs too, so it really has a standalone sort of um um dynamic.

All of my topics were uh other net were touched on the steep slope.

Um the the um the headlights.

The only thing that I would take it just one tiny step further is your cornice design.

If you could match your corners design with your second floor cornice on the top, that would be that would be the icing on the cake for me.

Just still just a bit small on the top.

Yeah, we can we can we can't go to one that yeah.

But other than that, um all my other topics were were touched on, and uh I I think it's a good design, a great design rather.

So very much.

Thank you.

No, no, I I completely agree.

Great design.

I don't I really don't have a lot of comments.

I have a couple small ones um just to see where I know um one of the kind of long-standing EAC comments has been about bird friendly designs with uh the glass and for the windows.

Um has there been any consideration on on bird-friendly window glass for for the buildings?

No, honestly no, but that's something that we can we can keep in mind.

Yeah, it'd be one thing uh to consider if if possible, at least for maybe some of the upper stories or some of the larger windows, just because of the location to the river and there's isn't that large, you know, bird population along that area.

Um I I sometimes I'll let this comment go for some of the really interior parts of the city where you probably won't get as big of a bird population, but you know, especially along the the Lehigh River there, I think there'd be a very large you know population that um it it should be considered if possible.

Um the other thing, um there's two other comments that the AC had on uh you know uh doggy pickup stations.

I know it's near the park, so it's not a big thing.

Um is that something that's been considered at all?

What do you mean doggy pickup is yeah, like the little like bags that they could pick up their we can we can we we can do that the I'm sorry about it's not a problem, right?

Like I mean it's up I know what they then I need one for myself.

Okay.

So they yeah, they're very helpful.

And the last one is kind of a similar little thing, is like the little cigarette butt disposal things.

I know they they give out free containers, so I'm not sure if that was something I looked into at all for the outside areas.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, we can add those, yeah.

No problem.

Yeah, nice.

Uh other than that, I mean, great project, great design.

Um looking forward to seeing this one.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, absolutely.

Um just want to echo my fellow commissioners' comments, especially about the design of the building, the placemaking.

I think we've taken a lot of strides on that and taking a lot of feedback.

So thank you again for that.

Um the only other like questions that I have outstanding too are um kind of in that placemaking arena.

So again, are we thinking about bench space?

Are we thinking about biking commuting?

Are we thinking about walking and pedestrian commuting and things like that?

Um we have a lot of trail connections back there.

There's a lot of opportunity for what this space could be.

Um and again, the connection between the downtown and this riverfront area is like a big consideration, I think.

Um I am really curious what those conversations with the cohesion network and riverfront civic association or ASD uh school district have kind of looked like.

If you could fill in anything on those conversations and kind of feedback that you're getting from those uh organizations as well.

Okay, yeah, uh we we've made one then um every few months, so we we love to go there.

They like us too because we you know we present the project, we get all the the input from then uh they really happy.

Um they're really happy.

I mean, that's that's what we hear.

Um there is always the affordable issue that that's the one that they bring up all the time, but um the dynamic, the new buildings, they they embrace all that.

So yeah, so that's the feedback that that we get.

Um, and we actually beside that they have a good food when I go there.

So it's very important to a company.

Yeah, it's very important in Panadas, yeah.

Awesome.

Um and uh the affordability and income alignment.

I know we kind of touched on that at the very beginning.

We're looking at ways that we can engage in the affordability of these units.

Um we do really have a big opportunity to put a lot more housing out there right now.

We don't have a lot to serve our community right now.

Um so anything that we can do in regards to like the public subsidies or tax abatements, financing, have any of that look forward or or how is that kind of looked in your in your planning?

Yeah, not right now, John.

Right now, no, but that's something that the I will imagine we need to look at it because the city has been very aggressive and supporting that.

Gentle.

We're not right.

I can say that.

It's important.

And I think too with the the neighborhood directly behind for them to be able to see this space as a community space and not a separation, has also been a pretty consistent public comment that we've heard as well.

So just taking that into consideration and what that place making looks like and how invitation to the close neighborhoods as well looks like too.

Definitely, and I think it's something that we can get together with you guys and look at the future and and see how we can all help as a community.

This is the things is not just developer alone, it's all of us, right?

Right.

So I think I think we we need to definitely go on in that route and see what we can do.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

I want to go back to the to the one topic architecturally speaking.

Um I feel I feel compelled to disagree slightly about the one comment and and and my colleague here, only to the extent that you know the assessment building has got some really interesting brick adornment at the top of the building.

It's not quite a cornice, but it's got some real a you know, you sort of capture on a very basic level in your design.

But I would almost suggest in lieu of a projected residential cornice that maybe you could embellish what you're trying to do a little bit more, so it still had a little bit more of that industrial feel.

I do like the corners on the residential side facing Brick Street, but um, you know, I I I think there's something it's like we're going one direction or the other.

Either we're going industrial or we're going residential, and I think if we're gonna pay homage to the Sussman building, that maybe we just corbal that out a little bit.

Maybe there's a little dental type treatment in the brick design or something.

But I'd almost rather see that than a corners.

And sometimes I feel like we we force cornics on everybody, you know.

Uh when it's really what we're looking for is detail and embellishment, you know, that we just sort of label corners sometimes.

But um I don't know, Eric, if that's it.

Let me see.

I realize this is veneer brick and it's real brick on the Sessment Building, but perhaps there's elements during the demolition that could be saved.

Somehow we're but but also to your point too.

I can you know, bringing out kind of those details building, and probably the corn is maybe some the dark areas, the the you see the shadow line, right?

But then the the brick areas they they keep the same original.

So yeah, it is it's definitely something that I can we can have the best of both worlds in the extended parapet area.

There was some detailing in there, perhaps maybe that could be reused somewhere.

Yeah.

Uh yeah, I'm not quite as interested in the architectural aspect of like the technical spaces that we're getting provided over here, but I do really like in a lot of the historic buildings close by the photos of what used to be too.

So perhaps in the lobby that's an opportunity to do that place making a little bit and say the new Weiler building look like this, and this is the way that we reference this.

Um I'm thinking too of those bird-friendly windows and how Allentown like has a very prominent uh professor that speaks to that in our community as well.

So when we're talking about opportunities to do placemaking, um, I don't know that they all need to land at the planning commission, but being able to kind of reference these things with a historical context, looking forward into the future.

I think there's a lot of really great opportunities there as well.

So again, thank you for being an awesome partner in in doing this with us too.

Definitely, and also something that I that I'm gonna let you know, guys.

Um I was driving early this morning through Hamilton Street coming from um, I believe we're coming from 15, going through downtown, I waking Hamilton to Seven Street, and start looking at every building, every house, everything's happening there, it's beautiful.

It's everything is taken care of.

Um actually that's one of the thinking that made me think like if you get a building, you don't need to change it.

You gotta keep it the way the Alenton is.

And I think we struggled for years, right, to see the downtown going back, but definitely good job, everybody.

It's really is it's really coming coming together.

You know, it's really coming together.

So I don't think it's coming, is that already?

So anyway, so that's you know, one of the things that you don't realize, and and you start looking other areas and this, and you show wow, you know, so it's yeah.

Um one last thing I want to see uh see if if is is possible.

Um, I don't know what the timeline is on this project, um, but something that we've we've requested in the past is you know, delaying demolition until there's a bona fide, you know, either building permit or land development agreement signed and executed.

I mean, I'd hate to see this building come down and plans change down the road.

Is there a way?

I'm looking at stab and the applicant, you know, is there a way that we can mutually agree or condition any approval on you know delaying demolition of this building until it's absolutely necessary and and the projects definitely going forward as proposed.

I just had a massive fire in a bacon.

I'm sorry, John, I know.

Yeah, really like the beyond we're just talking about two demolition on this and the other one on the on place where there's no one there, just because it's really effective, it's really for safety, which is the neighborhood.

Well, I I don't think it's something that we can require.

I mean, there's no demolition overlay here, right?

So it's fair game.

So okay.

Well, and I am sorry to hear about the okay.

Um anyone else on the commission?

Um, just one more time.

I know we've asked for this a couple of times, like an overall vision of all of these apartment projects and what they might look like in relation to each other.

Um I was again kind of reaching for that a little bit as I was looking at the different properties and this one in particular that we're reviewing today.

Um just gonna lay that out there again, because every time we look at these visions, like they improve exponentially.

So anytime I get to see one of your presentations more, it helps kind of tell that story and draw that picture for us.

So you don't want to let me go to sleep, right?

But actually, we we are already working on it.

So we'll show you a few weeks.

It's done.

Already showing a little bit and yeah, we're we're working on it.

So I know the thing.

So it's it's it's events.

So it's events, yeah.

Yeah, I mean, I I think that's a that's a really good point.

And but it also makes me wonder, you know, if there really was a vision, we'd see it by now.

I mean, and this is not this is not necessarily, you know, an insult, but but I think um these are just individual projects.

I mean, that there's there is nothing other than the fact that they're all on similar streets or in close proximity to each other, but you know, and I think this is what our our our comments last time were sort of reaching for, maybe we weren't specific enough, but you guys are doing some really great stuff, you know, but you're doing great stuff here, you're doing great stuff there, I guess, and and and when we were asking, like what you guys own half of the waterfront, you know, and control what it's gonna look like, how it's gonna behave and react.

And honestly, aside from just being good individual projects, I you know, there is no apparent vision or connection.

Uh I mean, other than good looking stuff, right?

So I think that's I mean, it may be too late, quite honestly.

We've got how many approved projects in the works, and um, you know, we're comparing to a master plan when they're pretty much rewriting it, you know.

And and I think that's the one unfortunate thing is you know, is that you know, some of these things got hurried into the works, you know, with the changing of the zoning and stuff, and you know, and here we are.

Um so I don't know how we can pull it together at the end here.

I mean, I think you know, it's really the responsibility is on you guys at this point because you know things have moved so far that you know at this point is up to you.

We can't we almost really can't help that anymore.

I I I I understand where you come from because you don't see what we're doing, right?

You just see it from the outside.

But I can tell you we look at the master plan of the city, we look many times of the vision, and there is always a reason besides the the we I know when we put these two buildings together, we saw the bypack, um, you know, and we think all the things we we look at things, what the tenants could be, what in the area could be.

Maybe I cannot tell you that I have like a landscape plan, honestly.

I don't have that, but we definitely can see basis of my experiences feeling coming from other cities.

He developed Hobokan, like so.

I did the south side of Bethlehem, Alasia, you know, when Peron developing, I create a lot of those buildings.

So I kinda see it, you know.

Um maybe I haven't show, or maybe I haven't explained what it is.

But this is not just developing in the building buildings.

Um and when the master plan was though, that was nice 2000, I believe it was 2002, 2003, when the waterfront started having you know, if you look back in the day, it was all designed, there were like eight buildings that were all similar, done by these architects in Philadelphia that actually they don't any longer in business.

But but they change the somebody bought that.

Um but you know, I follow all that.

You know, back on the day, I'm like, wow, you know, and now I'm here.

My thesis wasn't that my thesis from the direct tool university was the Alenton Museum.

So, you know, so he always look at yes, I don't I don't I don't have it, but but we we know what it is.

We we know what is appropriate, we know why we need to to build this building.

I think this is why we haven't do like residential homes or three homes.

So that is there is something behind those things.

The the yes, there may be something having a built and other things are happening.

Yeah, I can see that.

But the the visio have been there, you know, like the vision has been there and and we know what what we think and what the future is gonna be.

We can see it.

But yeah, I don't have a personally, I don't have any paper, but definitely uh it's intentional that we want the buildings to be all differently.

That's all very intentional because we're trying to develop like a city block and and a neighborhood.

Those all are very intentional things.

So again, um and we follow the master plan.

We look, and this is why today I'm telling you the the thing that had the biggest potential is the bookyball park.

That's really what is gonna charge this community.

And I feel like once your upcoming project across the street really puts together, I feel like that's a great opportunity to see how these projects will all tie together.

Because to me, that seems like it'll be the linchpin of of this neighborhood is how that's developed and how these individual buildings will tie into you know that upcoming development.

So I'm not to put you on the spot, but I think you know that's that's one that's really gonna be important for us to examine once once we see it.

Yeah, today I wasn't no while.

I was on the fifth floor looking at the jandles no building, and you know, I was telling the guys, the builders, I say, wow, this is great.

Isn't this is not really a competition.

We are all in this together.

See, this is great that they are doing this, we're doing that.

Now you are in your apartment looking at the residential building, looking at the commercial, looking at the bridge, looking at the waterfront.

So you feel it's happening, the Riverside Drive.

Is this a pretty recent road, you know, 2020, more or less.

So it's like wow, it looks so different when you are up there, you know.

Um but definitely, you know, when we started the south side of Bethlehem, that was 20 6, 2006.

20 years later, you know, and now things are happening, and some of the restaurants.

So yeah, so anyway, it just takes time, but there's nothing wrong with that.

It's just time.

Yeah.

Thank you again.

Um, we'll go to the audience.

Is there anyone in the audience that would like to trust the commission?

Come on up, sir.

I'm sorry.

I'm just learning about the project that got Alejandro.

Um I'm just curious on the uh the this is a flood zone, no?

No.

Okay.

With the steep slopes and stuff, and I heard something about a green roof.

Correct?

We do have a green roof.

Oh, okay.

So that's how we start to collect water or is it just aesthetic?

No, to collect water.

Ah, beautiful.

Okay.

All right, thank you very much.

Thank you.

So to your point, this is why the project is uh is sustainable in the way that it used to be an industrial building, so you already have an issue with a storm, but regardless that we're doing a new building, we're doing the green roof to collect the storm.

So, yeah, so it's it's no, it's actually helping to what is there.

Anyone else?

I don't think there's anyone else.

All right.

Um I feel like we've got an extensive um what do we got, Jennifer?

So um one question for clarification.

The elevations that you showed today, are they different than the elevations that were included in the packet?

No.

Okay, so they are the May 6th elevations.

Okay, perfect.

Um so these are my conditions as I understand them.

So we'll go through them and listen carefully because they do include commitments that were made.

Um I'm gonna revise the staff recommendation.

It says condition upon will remove the variance reference, addressing the comments in the city comment letter, including but not limited to restriping the roadway, um in order to provide on street parking, shall be conditioned upon the building elevations dated May 6th as presented at the now July 14th, 2026 planning commission meeting, and any significant changes to the elevation shall require review and approval by the Allentown Planning Commission.

So those were revisions as needed from the last version of the staff report.

That's good.

Okay.

And then from today, the commitments that I heard, um, one may not be necessary, but um the brick street facade shall include balconies and other design features to add building variability and reduce the appearance of the bulk of the building above the garage as shown on the project renderings.

Sorry, could you repeat that because I believe that's we already had the balconies we already have?

Yes, I believe you have them too.

I actually think this condition is probably not necessary as long as this these weren't new renderings that were shown.

So no, that's what we have.

So I will remove that condition then.

Okay.

Um the window material on the garage shall fully prevent headlight glare into adjacent properties and streets.

That's correct.

Designate accessible parking for the retail space within the garage.

It's really gonna be pursuant to the lease.

That's what's gonna be.

It's definitely premature.

Like that will happen, but it's gonna be individual basis depending on who the tenants are and what the needs are.

It's the same concept, I just don't know what the specific commitment is.

Well, let's maybe is there is there an opportunity to rephrase that?

If it's non-resident parking, you you know the plans maybe designate a portion of non-resident parking that would be available for tenants in public.

Yeah.

Is that is that a make sense?

All right, so designate accessible parking for the non-residential spacious spaces within the garage.

And the public or non-residential space.

I just think non-residential for for now.

Um I mean, we could say which may include tenants in public.

Right.

If I may offer one friendly suggestion, is we're using the term accessible parking.

Is the intent to provide ADA parking, or is it just uh to reserve parking spaces for general public use?

I don't think we're talking general public use.

You wish towards myths, so if anyone's reading these 30 years from now, that there's no question.

And now reads designate parking for the non-residential spaces within the garage, which may include tenants and visitors.

Um wall lighting shall be decreased and or shielded on the big street brick street facade to better reduce lighting glare onto adjacent properties.

And also public lighting too.

It's not just the building, but the public too.

Okay.

The city lighting too, because right?

That's that's what we mentioned.

So wall lighting and other fixtures.

Um the landscaping around the base of the building and streetscapes shall be enhanced to create an active well-designed space.

Can I can I ask you to pause for just a second?

About the lighting, when you're doing your analysis, um, I don't recall offhand if we've got street lighting on riverside on both sides of the the road, but we should factor that in because there's gonna probably be some element of that contributing to the illumination on Riverside Drive at least, you know.

So um, so don't feel like you've got to achieve it all on site if there's some coming off of the roadway.

Under the two.

Yeah.

Bound break, sorry, bound break.

We definitely don't want any correct work clear, yeah.

So we now have the wall lighting and overall project lighting shall be decreased and or shielded to better reduce lighting glare onto adjacent properties, particularly on the brick street facade.

Okay.

That's correct.

All right.

So um here, this one you may need to help me out a little bit with because you both had a slightly different take on it.

Enhance the rooftop coordinates and/or other architectural and/or incorporate other architectural design features from the Sessman building to add detail and embellish the top story.

I think that's general enough.

Yeah.

Definitely.

Okay.

And consider bird-friendly design for the design of the windows and incorporate stations for pet pickup and cigarette disposal.

That's good, right?

How about the landscaping?

We're gonna you're gonna um detail a little bit of the overall pavement reduction in the around the building with some with some plant beds or hard stuff.

We'll do that.

We'll do that.

If I can make one suggestion here, and this is just a suggestion for you guys to react to.

If we revise the condition to require landscape architect be used for the design of the streetscape, and that'll just ensure that someone with the most expertise on public space design will be used.

Jump landscape landscape.

Are you okay?

If everyone's okay with that condition, we'll add it.

Works for me.

I object.

Landscape architects.

And then obviously the technical city comment ladder.

Um would also apply.

Um can somebody make a motion to state uh the summary there.

Yep.

I'll move to grant conditional preliminary final plan approval subject to compliance with the city comment letters and the conditions as previously discussed.

I'll second the motion.

All right.

Craig, Eric, thank you.

All those in um any uh further discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, any opposed?

All right, there you have it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Happy glad you all right.

Um the agenda is a sketch plan review.

Uh, folks, I'm gonna step down due to a potential conflict just to err on the side of caution.

I'll turn it over to Chair.

All right, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um next application sketch plan for uh 3995 Tillman Street from Chandle Land Company.

Turn over to staff to give their staff report.

Thank you.

This project is a sketch plan in which applicants propose to demolish the existing restaurant building and construct a two-story 20,000 two hundred square foot medical office building and various site improvements.

The property is located in the MXS zone, and this zone is primarily primarily intended for mixed-use regional scale nodes within the city where residents and visitors may access multiple uses by walking and automobiles.

The zoning classification classification allows for the development of a medical office building as of the date at this report, um, or today.

I checked today too.

LBPC comments have not yet been received.

The building is well designed with facade materials such as brick and stone veneer, horizontal and vertical shadow lines, and a flat roof with eaves that complement the area.

Staff suggests the building be constructed at the easement line or at the front setback of the existing building, and that the a second building entrance be added closest to the sidewalk access from Tillman Street.

Staff also should suggest that required bicycle parking be shown on the plans, additional streetscape and landscaping improvements be added, and that lighting be added to the parking area at the northeast side of the property.

This project is within West Allentown and will bring additional medical facilities to the westernmost part of the city.

Some ways this project can help to achieve the goals of Vision 2030 include reducing any excess impervious surface, adding additional landscaping to absorb stormwater runoff, using native plants and shrubs and landscaping, and including energy saving strategies within the project, such as sustainable building materials and taking measures to maximize energy efficiency.

The AEAC also suggests the use of bird friendly glass and installation of cigarette disposal receptacles.

Alanta advised that there is a nearby existing bus stop, which will remain.

Currently there are no bicycle facilities along Tillman Street.

The project is located less than a half a mile from the Shuxler trail system and approximately 500 feet from the Donald Memorial Memorial Park in South Whitehall Township.

Staff suggest objectible bike wraps racks be added outside for the convenience of customers, visitors, and the employees, and long-term indoor bike storage be added for employees.

Track Sler Memorial Park is identified in the parks plan for various park improvement opportunities, including access to trails from Lanta staffs, signage, lighting, repairs, and enhanced repairing buffers.

The major land development will be subject to the parkland dedication requirements of the saldo prior to final finalization of the plan.

Staff generally generally supports the proposed development and suggests the building be moved closer to the street, that a second entrance be added, that the project be upgraded with additional street streetscape and buffer landscape features, that additional lighting be added, and biceal parking be shown on the plans.

The applicant is also encouraged to incorporate energy savings strategies to reduce any excess impervious surface, add additional landscaping to absorb runoff, include native plants and shrubs, and use bird-friendly class.

As of the current date, no LBPC comments have been received.

These comments should be incorporated into the final plan.

If zoning relief is required, staff recommends the project first obtain approval from the zoning hearing board prior to any conditional approval of the project, and filing any recommendations of approval should be conditioned on the applicant, probably addressing city comments.

And this is a sketch plan, so okay.

Thanks.

Thank you, Melissa.

All right.

All yours.

Good afternoon, John McRaberts from the PITCOF Company.

All favorable things, a couple of nuances that we might want to go over in a little more detail so that we can have a clearer path forward as we anticipate going in front of the zoning hearing board and want to make sure that it the planning commission understands our approach to the site design.

The site layout was actually designed uh in 2020, early 2025, prior to the new ordinance being in place.

So we designed it under an older ordinance, and now we're trying to fit ourselves into the new ordinance.

And it it other than uh the distance from the building uh to the right-of-way line, we're we're generally very compliant.

Um, it uh matches up to the the new ordinance very well.

Um with that being the first topic, um Brian, are you doing the the sheets?

Can I guess this one works just as well?

Or if you do you have the plans that we submitted?

It would be sheet three of seven of the submitted plans.

I went off over that that that's perfect right there.

So what we did when we um started the design, especially our review of the new zoning ordinance, was to see if we could put the building directly on the front setback.

The front setback is at least five feet, but no more than 20 feet.

Unfortunately, there is a 60-foot-wide drainage easement that runs along Tillman Street.

Outside of Tillman Street, there's about 60 acres of upstream runoff that runs through this site, and it's only an 18-inch pipe, so presumably there's some surface flow in a in a major storm, so that's obviously not where we want to put the building.

Then we looked at locating the building just outside of that easement or lining it up with the existing Ruby Tuesdays restaurant that'll be taken down.

That doesn't work out ideally because that puts the building directly in line when you enter the entrance off of Tillman Street.

If you're entering straight in from Tillman Street, you make a right, and within 25 feet, you're confronted with a decision to turn right or left so they don't drive directly into the building.

So what we did was we lined up the access aisle with the Allentown shops to the west of us, lined up that access uh directly, and the building front facades are now lined up directly.

So that was the thought process of how we got to where the existing building where the proposed building is located.

The existing building is approximately 70 feet off of uh the right-of-way.

The proposed building is 110.

We felt like the difference between 70 and 110 wasn't gonna make a major difference as far as the feel of the site is as far as having the uh be the proximity to Tillman Street, not to mention that Tillman Street's 45 miles an hour, and it's it's uh one singular isolated building probably is going to feel out of place that close to the to the highway.

So we do anticipate going to the zoning hearing board for relief on that matter uh with with the building as shown.

Uh so starting with the staff comment letter, uh, page two of nine, the first paragraph suggested the putting the building at the easement or the front setback of the existing building.

Again, that was something that we considered, but we had ruled that out in favor of the current location so that it's consistent with the we considered the Allentown shops in our site as one site, they share one access point, and that's consistent with the commercial center definition in the new zoning ordinance.

Uh, there are a couple other suggestions.

Bicycle parking, absolutely will comply with the bicep bike parking.

We have locations right at the front door where we can put a bike rack and and and factor that in.

Um, and our site design does include um the sidewalk from Tillman Street.

There's a ramp down into the parking lot.

We had a five-foot wide striped, and it's it's striped in the spaces between parking spaces so the cars know where to park.

But one of the comments in the staff letter is that we stripe that all the way to the building.

So we can have that stripe directly from the sidewalk ramp at Tillman Street to the front of the building.

And when we do have pedestrians or someone on a bicycle, they will have a clear path through the parking lot, they'll be able to get to the front door.

So it's not a uh we didn't leave them unaccommodated as far as pedestrians.

There is a um there is a bus stop on our side on the north side of Tillman Street, it's directly in front of the Allentown shops on the south side of Tillman Street.

It's on right in front of the uh the bank, directly across from our proposed building.

Um at the bottom of page two of nine, there's a comment about a second entrance.

A second entrance, this is going to be a one-tenant um medical office building.

So it's very difficult to incorporate a second entrance uh with the size of this building.

This is definitely on the smaller side of medical offices that we see.

Usually they're around 40 to 60,000.

This is 20,000 square feet, two stories.

Um for security purposes, all of the patrons and patients have to come into one entrance.

It's very difficult to incorporate a second entrance.

So that may require some relief or very slight modification to the building length.

Uh at the bottom of page three of nine, there are recommendations for additional streetscape enhancements.

Absolutely, we'll comply with that.

And are we a little bit ahead of ourselves because we have what we thought was uh full preliminary plan submission ready, uh, but we wanted to submit it as a sketch plan and get as much feedback from both the staff and the planning commission as as we could.

Um, so that we included a landscaping plan.

What we did was copy exactly what was at the Allentown shops, and that meets very closely the current ordinance requirements.

So there may be some some minor changes to that landscaping design to address the engineering and planning comments.

And along the uh northern and eastern properties, property lines, we border residential districts.

Those districts in the new ordinance require buffers with fencing.

That matches identically to what we've already got.

There's a uh fence along both property lines, existing uh mature trees.

All of that stays in place exactly as it is.

We're not changing any of the limits of paving on the exterior limits, all of the existing curbing remains in place, the existing fencing and trees all remain in place.

They are supplemented uh along Tillman Street to add that uh enhanced streetscape.

Going to the top of page five.

There are a couple of uh general suggestions, all of which are uh we don't have any major objection to these.

Reducing excess impervious surface.

I think we already comply with that.

The proposed design has slightly less impervious cover than the existing restaurant layout, so we are reducing impervious cover, relying on the existing stormwater facilities to uh control the proposed development.

Additional landscaping to absorb stormwater runoff, like I said, we're we're maintaining all of the existing landscaping and then proposing some additional supplemental landscaping.

Umergy saving strategies.

Um we heard discussions of bird safe glass, cigarette receptacles, those are things that when we get further into the building design, the architect will have to weigh in.

So that that's a little bit ahead of us that we can't discuss that in detail today.

I think that covers the main topics in the staff letter.

We also have comments from the other city departments.

Uh although it was a sketch plan, they were gracious enough to give us as many comments as they could so we can incorporate those into the next submission.

Um page two of five under the engineering comments.

Uh, there's a comment about sanitary sewage capacity.

We did confirm in writing from DEP that no sewage facilities planning is required.

Um the proposed facility will have a lower flow than than the existing restaurant, so no planning's required.

Uh we will obtain approval from LCA for the water and sewer connections.

There's slightly different connection points for the proposed building, obviously.

Uh LVPC review will be required that was submitted to L VPC, and uh unfortunately we had two projects that were submitted at the same time, and there was a mix-up with the checks, so the review comments haven't been received in time for this meeting.

Uh certainly we'll pay the fee in lieu of parkland dedication, no issue with that.

Engineering also commented on the enhanced streetscape, and again, we're gonna extend the very similar plantings to what's on the Allentown shops.

And then there's a handful of what I would characterize as drafting comments and notes.

Certainly will accommodate all of those.

I have no objection to any of those.

And there are a few post-approval items.

Uh the comments from the shade tree commission certainly will comply with all of those.

I'm glad Chris sat in the background while I tell you that we'll take the green ash trees off the plan.

We'll replace those with a more appropriate species.

And we have we have zoning comments.

Uh, just to confirm, we we did view this as a commercial center.

Uh both the Allentown shops and our our building.

Um, and and that was the building type that we chose, and in that building office is one of the approved uses, and we would be a medical professional office under that category.

Uh we did we do have, as you can see, uh renderings of the of the building.

I did bring with me the architectural design is progressing, so I have an update to those.

We didn't submit them electronically just so there was no confusion over what was submitted, so I can flip through those pages just for your information.

And uh there's a a comment on signage.

We haven't uh put together a signage package yet.

We have a tenant all signed up and ready to go, but until the plan gets approved, the tenant will uh handle the signage at the appropriate time.

So overall we have uh no major comments.

I think our next stop is the zoning hearing board for the building location, and then we would proceed to make a uh revised full plan submission, and at that time we would be looking for some action.

All right.

Do you have specific comments?

I'm glad to answer comments, or if you'd like me to flip through color renderings.

All right, well, first of all, thank you for the the great presentation.

I think you answered a lot of initial comments off the bat, so much appreciated with that.

Um this is a sketch plan.

There's no binding action on anyone, just some informal comments.

So I'll turn over to my colleagues first if you have anything you'd like to add.

Yeah, I'm I'm more curious.

You said it's gonna be one tenant in the building.

Um can you speak to um like what practices are gonna be going in there, or I guess the amount of uh traffic of people entering those practices?

Like is it uh a few cars here and there, or is it gonna be something where people are coming in and out of it?

As far as the car traffic, we've done an analysis according to general medical office, um, and and that gives us a projection of how much traffic we would have.

That's consistent with uh restaurant traffic generation.

Okay.

Uh we do have to submit that through we've discussed it with Pendat informally and informally.

There's there's no um change to the traffic signals required, but we do have to put that in writing.

They can't take us at our word.

We have to put that in writing, go through what they call the scoping application.

So we'll submit a scoping application to show that the car traffic from the medical office is consistent with the restaurant, and that the existing signalized intersection at the access point for both sites is gonna continue to function with no changes.

Okay.

Just looking behind me to see if we want to give a little color to the uh we can say that I'm Rocco Correctio network for generally healthy.

I mean that's excellent question.

It is a medical office building.

Uh we've got a lot of them as an engineer prior for you.

I don't allow it.

We have the health network.

And for this, uh for this building would be space on the point.

Okay.

It will be orderly traffic in and out.

And as John said it would be similar or less with the restaurant, a lot of times everybody's gone to dinner at the same time.

Right.

So I feel there should actually be a better traffic scenario.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um all my comments have been addressed with the exception of any uh any site lighting changing, parking lighting, site lighting, is any of that changing at all?

Is there any new design or anything?

We were very careful when the Ruby Tuesday restaurant was approved in 2004.

Uh at that time, the designer was very careful to take into consideration the residential neighbors to the north and the east.

There was it was a uh major point of discussion.

A lot of the landscape buffer that exists now was voluntary at the time that the Ruby Tuesdays was built.

So we wanted to treat it with as much weight as they did then, possibly even more.

So throughout the site, we maintained the existing light pole locations.

They are a standard square shoebox fixture.

We plan to replace those fixtures with ones that will match the adjacent shopping center.

But the light pole locations, the intensity will be uh the the same to the adjacent um residences as what they experience now.

We didn't want to do any new polls.

So that does dovetail with one of the comments in here in the staff letter.

The the northeast corner of the building doesn't have a light pole in it.

And because that's a sensitive location with the residents, we didn't want to put another pole mounted fixture.

We will have additional building mounted lights so that it's not a security concern.

It's not gonna be pitch black back there.

We'll have a little we'll have lighting, but that'll be building mounted.

It just wasn't a site-mounted light shown on the plan.

All right, sounds good.

Um the only other thing, and it's just a recommendation or suggestion for as you move as your architects move forward is to consider some sustainability design within it if possible at all.

Just as a conversation, if nothing else, but be helpful.

To move the building forward, yes.

Yeah, that we looked at that carefully.

I mean, it's well, not to move the building forward is it as far as the building systems themselves within the system, you know, with sustainability, maybe green roof, something along those lines within the architecture itself.

Yeah, we'll take a look at it.

Yeah, just as a conversation, the design would be helpful.

Yeah, yeah.

Just the upgrade from the room to choose with built in now.

Right.

We're gonna get a lot of that, but we will definitely take a look at that.

That'd be great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Eric.

I feel like all the bases are covered.

Just want to say appreciate the um level of detail and again talking to those neighbors um respect to the other like neighboring shopping center and kind of mirroring design features that are already there and things like that.

So thank you for that.

Thanks.

All right, thank you, Kate.

Um just a couple little ones.

Um we did receive um public comment from the villa's residents.

I'm not sure if you were forwarded a copy of that information.

Um I don't know if the city staff would be willing to share that too with the applicant, but um, just to a couple comments, most of them I think you addressed in your your response anyway, but um just for consideration when you resubmit the plans for for land development.

Um, one I'm glad to hear that you're you're enhancing that uh pedestrian crosswalk area.

Um I don't know if it's feasible to consider potentially having um landscaped islands um in the parking lot area between the that parking area for the crosswalk, um just to give it a little bit more pedestrian protection in that area or not.

So the we have three three islands in the parking lot, and they were located specifically so we could keep the existing leg pole locations and not move the lights around.

So we picked those three locations very strategically.

Uh and then the it's a it's a striped island for the pedestrians to go through.

So I was envisioning just taking that striping from the Tillman Street sidewalk all the way up to the sidewalk in front of the building, so you have a straight shot.

It just wouldn't uh have a raised curb or a raised sidewalk, it would just be similar to the paving materials.

Okay.

Um, you know, maybe just for consideration, just uh say, you know, it's it's four parking spaces there.

If there's any way you could add a little something there just for a little bit more pedestrian protection, you know.

Can't say can't hurt to ask.

Okay.

Um and the last comment is just more of a general one.

Um I since it is just so close to South Whitehall, um, would be curious to get the community development department's uh comments on on the plan as well to see um just see if there's any neighboring, you know, tie-in that they want for consideration.

So if it's possible to afford a copy of the plan to to Dave Manhart and his team, just so they could get some eyes on it and they have anything they'd like to say.

Yeah, we have no problem sending a courtesy copy to Southway at all.

Perfect.

Um that's that's all I have.

Um any any other last minute comments from the commission here.

Sir any public comment?

Anyone who wishes to talk on this application or sketch plan.

All right, yes, sir.

Come forward to the podium, state your name and address.

The public comment.

Behind you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Tom Whelan, 3957 West Washington Street, which is sort of directly uh behind that building.

Thank you, Commissioner Beavers, for mentioning the letter that we already submitted.

I'm a member of the board of the HOA.

Uh I just have one comment and one question.

The comment is in relation to the separation between the HOA properties and the proposed MOB.

Uh that fence is in significant disrepair.

And you said you were going to maintain existing I'd ask that you examine that.

And then the question follows from Commissioner uh Hartzel.

Um, if it's known at this time, would this include acute care urgent care so that it would extend hours into the evening and the weekend?

Um it's not planned at this point.

Not planned at this time.

Thank you.

Yeah, we'll definitely take a look at the fence.

We've already repaired it.

Um I'd love to see their comments.

We've actually been in touch with them exactly if we're taking them up with the trees.

So as John said, our main goal, there was a lot in 2003.

Um lot of concessions made.

We really beefed up that buffer.

We're actually looking at the trees to see how we can fortify himself.

Some of them are valued.

So that's what's really important for us to keep that.

And it's really like we didn't just make this up and we put the building just to closure ordinance and put it back from the street.

It really works the best there.

It's a line.

And especially with doing a medical office, but you can let your parking field in front of you.

Um, and you want people all coming in from one entrance.

So I don't know if the Planning Commission had your opinion on that.

And also with the second entrance, uh, we need like saying we have all the exits necessary.

There aren't a lot of people coming from different directions.

We're all going to be going through that front door.

And there is important um for the medical office building itself.

People come in, we go in the key and you sign in and register and then further.

So we didn't know if there's probably remote for you or like my head.

I I was a bit curious at it at the beginning, and once the design explanation of lining up the vehicular path all the way through, made a made made the most sense to me.

So I'm um I'm fine with the building staying where it's at.

Yeah, I I agree in my standpoint.

The only thing would just be pedestrian safety.

It's just getting, since it's a bit of a larger distance, um, if there's anything you can do just to help out that, um, that that'd be the only thing that to help with that increased distance from the location.

Gotcha.

Sure.

I did have one more uh item that we just wanted to point out.

I don't think we need any direction at this point.

We've got a lot of items to work through with staff and and the engineering department.

Um we're on the cusp of being a minor or major land development.

So there are two criteria for that.

The first criteria is related to building size, the second criteria is related to the limit of disturbance, and we're just under the 20,000 square feet.

So we may qualify.

We have like I said, we'll work with staff on that and determine, but if we do qualify for the minor land development, I don't think we would be back in front of the planning commission again.

I think we would get our zoning relief, and I think the minors handled directly by staff.

Yeah, I I take a look at your plans.

You are right on the edge there.

So we'll follow whatever the code says, and if those limits of disturbance end up being laying where they are, you know, we'll we'll make the judgment call.

I will say that projects get before the planning commission a little bit faster than they do for a regular review cycle.

So take that into consideration as well.

I may want to be a major.

Thank you all.

All right, thank you all.

All right, Chris, back up to close us out.

All right, well done, Craig.

Thank you.

Uh so consistent with our new um with our new policy, I'll open it up for public comment.

Don't all line up at once.

All right, very good.

Seeing none, we will move on.

Is there any other business new or otherwise?

Jennifer.

If I could provide one update.

Um for anyone who didn't know, um Jesse Sidiwa, who's been the chief planner for the last 12 years, um, he has officially left the city as of July 1.

So we have a card circulating around here, so if I could pass it to all of you and we will uh share it with him.

Um so we're uh we're sad to see him go with a lot of institutional knowledge loss.

He has um actually been um away from the city for quite some time now, and that's why you haven't seen him.

So we're um sad to say goodbye to him, but also um in that space that's open up.

Um Melissa Velez is now our new chief planner.

So we're excited about the staffing change, and um we'll be uh continue to do our um hiring.

Excellent.

Congratulations, Melissa.

Yeah, we are sad to see Jesse go.

He was uh quite an interesting guy.

And uh I mean, just all around and super helpful.

I mean, I I really admired and respected how much he helped us in old Allentown and the Shade Tree Commission and all sorts of endeavors.

Um he really represented the the department well, so he'll he'll be missed.

I'll certainly miss his amazing staff reports.

I'm jealous of how well he can make those.

All right, anything else?

All right, very good.

Well, I guess we still have uh is there is there any news on any sort of request for appointments or anything through the mayor's office?

Do you know?

Um they had put one forward, and then I I think there is a um I'm I'm not sure, so no.

Okay.

I don't have an update.

Just curious.

Okay.

Um and just a reminder for Thursday, you know, pack your snacks and beverages.

Um, just one thing for y'all to consider, and I don't know that we'll come to this on Thursday, but just whether or not you want to put an end time to that meeting or for any meeting for that matter, because uh we just had a meeting a couple of months ago that lasted I think six plus hours.

So if um in general, if you want to think about what is your maximum uh meeting time, because after a few hours, those technical details do become a little bit harder to comprehend.

Yeah.

Well, that's that's a great point.

Um yeah, I'd be happy to decide that now.

Um do we start?

We're starting at 5 30.

In general, like what is your maximum?

I think duration, yeah.

I mean, like, you know, what have we done here before?

I think our longest year has been what five, five and a half.

Yeah, any longer than four or five is just yeah, it yeah.

It's only so much uh uh comment and in technical detail you can go through in one sitting.

I agree, I agree.

Um who's got a bedtime?

I'd say nine o'clock.

I would love to stick to my bed types.

Um if we do end up having a deadline or like ending a meeting, under what circumstances would be open to a second if there was more demand.

That would be my only question there.

Yeah.

Do we need to do a second?

Yeah, you guys can go.

It's it's three minutes for public comment now, correct?

Yes.

I mean hopefully we should be able to get a room full of people.

I mean optimistic, I think.

How long was that one that I came to and I didn't stay?

I left after making a quick uh council meeting.

I I believe the last couple of meetings were in the four-hour, three to four hour.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, I'll I'll ask uh another person who who dealt with a marathon planning commission meeting.

Uh, did did you get through all your public comment at yours?

We did not.

We set a time limit of uh 10 10 p.m.

And any public comment that wanted to continue will be at the next meeting because projects of this scale usually are multiple meetings.

So then we just start again with public comment.

And no repeats.

And what?

No repetitive people.

Yeah.

The next next meeting does not set reset it.

So I got you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Um that's how we handle it.

I would probably say a 10 o'clock, you know, end time for for Thursday, just because I don't think yeah, that works for me.

That's reasonable.

Okay.

10 o'clock it is.

And so that would be four and a half hours.

Do you want that to be your new guiding policy when we create agendas for um meetings?

Like we now we know whenever we see a lot of really large industrial or residential projects or some industrial projects that there will be a lot of um discussion and turnout.

Yeah, we could put that literally on the agenda to make it public or we're aware that there's a hard stop.

Yeah.

Great.

Just long enough that you don't have to go back to the office.

That's great.

I will share that at um my previous position, they made a a special rule that said you had to stop at eleven o'clock and then the first meeting was miserable because we waited all night only to get cut off and have to go back the next day.

And then everybody suddenly got more efficient.

That's a good that's a good outcome.

I like that.

Yeah.

All right.

Anything else?

All right.

Motion.

Motion or anything from it?

Um I don't think so.

Right.

Oh, for the time limit?

Do we need a motion?

No, I don't.

Legal.

Do you care if we adopt an official end time um for the city's policy for four and a half hours for every city?

I think a motion.

Okay.

I saw move.

I'll second.

Oh, hell yeah.

Any comment?

Um think seems fine, but uh you're gonna put a limit on the amount of people for public comment?

I it'll be kind of our general policy, so it'll be three minutes maximum, no repeats on it, but you know, as long as you're not repetitive and the same individuals coming up, then just to save you time.

I believe that we got also only residents and how it's possible tax types.

Yeah.

Right.

Maybe only uh sorry about uh public comment.

It's just so you can keep it within the time frame that you want.

And it's a touch space on only All and Town residents with that school.

Technically.

I mean, I'm a man as resident of like that.

So yeah.

Do you pay any taxes in Allentown?

Do you work for this anywhere in the city?

Working working out?

I work in New York City, I have business.

Yep.

Yep, you you're good.

Thank you very much.

We're gonna be checking everybody.

Me over there doing immigration status, everything.

I want I want full reports on everybody.

That's what it is.

Motion is second.

Oh, motions made and seconded.

All right, any further discussion?

This is four and a half hour duration, right?

Yes, okay all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay.

Uh I guess we'll stand adjourned, folks.