This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Site Plan Requirement Slows Down Towing Business Expansion

A compromise is reached with Lower Nazareth Zoning Hearing Board members after the owners of Fast Lane Towing and Transport make their case regarding the requirement of a site plan.

The owners of Fast Lane Towing and Transport in Bethlehem Township of the Lower Nazareth Zoning Hearing Board to ask for a site plan waiver, which would save Randy and Heidi Rotondo about $7,500.

In 2010, the Rotondos purchased a commercial property on Newburg Road in Lower Nazareth Township in hopes of expanding their business, according to Stanley Margle of , but the Rotondos have been unable to utilize the land due to ordinance red tape.

At issue during Tuesday night's Zoning Hearing Board meeting was whether the Rotondos must hire an engineer to draft a site plan -- the cost of which would be about $7,500, Margle said.

Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 3-acre property in question already consists of a 7,000-square-foot building and an office building that is about 1,000 square feet. Margle explained that the Rotondos do not intend to add buildings to the site or pave the existing parking lot.

“Why would we do a site plan when we are not changing anything?” Margle asked. “What are we going to put in a site plan? There have been no changes to the land, building or traffic."

Find out what's happening in Nazarethwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Randy Rotondo, the only work being done to the property is upkeep, like replacing a leaky roof and adding gravel to the parking lot. Rotondo told the board that scrub grass was growing through the parking lot, and gravel had not been added in several years.

According to a township ordinance, the parking lot cannot cover more than 5,000 square feet -- unless a site plan is provided. Margle said gravel was placed only in the areas where it had originally been and that the square footage is only one-eighth of the entire property.

Lori Seese, the Lower Nazareth Planning and Zoning Administrator, was not convinced. According to her calculations, the gravel lot now covers an additional 2,500 square feet. Margle said that would total about a third of the property, if she is right.

Seese said she needs definite measurements of the property, which a site plan would provide. Past surveys or site plans could not be found for the property.

Seese explained that without a site plan, the next property owner could put down even more gravel and say that the square footage hasn't changed.

To determine where the edge of the formal gravel lot lies, explained Mike Gable, an alternate Zoning Hearing Board member, is to use an augur, which would drill through the layers. Gable added that the township engineer could do the drilling to make a final determination on where the old and new lot lie.

Seese wondered who would pay for the engineer's services, adding that the bill should not have to be covered by the township's taxpayers.

Gable proposed that the site plan waiver be given conditional approval -- as long as the township's supervisors agree that the Rotondos pay for the engineer's work.

“If the supervisors say the applicants have to pay, then we’ll pay," Margle said.

Gable added that the issue could ultimately come down to storm water management -- more gravel means water will not be absorbed as easily into the ground.

The Lower Nazareth Zoning Hearing Board will meet again on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the .

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?