Lehigh Valley, Pa., officials discuss land, rights issues at regional session
Arlene Martinez. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Washington: Jun 30,
2005. pg. 1
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Jun. 30--Is the Nazareth area a farming community, or has growth and development
already transformed the once-rural region into a suburban landscape? How far are
municipalities willing to go to preserve open space and prime agricultural land? And,
most importantly, who will pay for that to happen?
The COG is composed of the boroughs of Stockertown, Tatamy, Nazareth, Chapman
and Bath, and the townships of Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth, Moore, East Allen and
Bushkill. For the plan to work, all 10 must vote to accept it.
"I think that it's unfair, grossly unfair," said Betty Kenmerer, of Moore Township, who
questioned how many farmers had been surveyed about the plan. A farmer herself,
Kenmerer said it was not very profitable.
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Jun. 30--Is the Nazareth area a farming community, or has growth and development
already transformed the once-rural region into a suburban landscape? How far are
municipalities willing to go to preserve open space and prime agricultural land? And,
most importantly, who will pay for that to happen?
Those questions were under debate Wednesday as residents and officials of the 10member Nazareth Area Council of Governments were presented with the fourth draft of
a regional land use plan.
The plan, prepared for the COG by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, is a
blueprint for how to guide development, preserve open space and retain natural features
in the area through 2030.
The COG is composed of the boroughs of Stockertown, Tatamy, Nazareth, Chapman
and Bath, and the townships of Upper Nazareth, Lower Nazareth, Moore, East Allen and
Bushkill. For the plan to work, all 10 must vote to accept it.
Many of the approximately 35 attendees spoke during the presentation, nearly all with a
forceful opinion. Dominating the conversation was the issue of how to balance
preserving areas considered prime for agriculture with the rights of those landowners.
The plan sets aside 16,650 acres for agricultural preservation, which means a landowner
may develop no more than 10 percent of their property.
There are various ways of accomplishing this, Planning Commission officials explained.
One way would be to change the zoning to prohibit more development than that, a move
Nazareth Area School Board President Donald Keller denounced as "un-American."
Municipalities may also buy the development rights from the farmer at a fair market
price. Williams and Moore townships have passed a referendum to increase the earned
income tax by 0.25 percent to do just that.
Such a path is surely one others would follow, said Bath Councilman Ira Faro.
Others argued there was no way municipalities would be able to pay the likely
staggering price tag associated with properly compensating every affected landowner.
"I think that it's unfair, grossly unfair," said Betty Kenmerer, of Moore Township, who
questioned how many farmers had been surveyed about the plan. A farmer herself,
Kenmerer said it was not very profitable.
The COG area lost on average 300 acres per year to development from 1972 to 2002,
according to the Planning Commission. Signs indicate it's not slowing.
"Once this is gone it's gone forever. It's not just dollars and cents. We have to do justice
to our farmers and also maintain the beauty of what's here," said Terri Sayago, who has
lived in Upper Nazareth since 1973.
The fact is, the projected population -- from 40,795 in 2000 to 59,250 in 2030 -- is
inevitable, said Geoff Reese, Planning Commission executive director. But a plan like
this would be perhaps "a more economical use of the land," he said. "It'll be the same
number of people but they'd locate in different places. It's a redistribution."
Olaf Taremae, chief planner for the commission, said the fundamental question, which
will ultimately be up to each municipality, is: "What kind of community [do] we want?
How will we bring that about?" Unless that's decided, he said, "the plan is going to be
nothing but a piece of paper."
Municipalities were instructed to forward their comments, ideas and criticisms about the
draft to the commission.
Credit: The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.