Many thanks to Joe Greene and the Lower Nazareth Citizens Forum for putting together and forwarding to me this summary of what is happening in the township. I'm hoping the links survive the copy and paste, if not visit the link below to read all about the township.
This is an excerpt from the home page of http://lowernazareth.org/ if you haven't been to the site in awhile, it may be time for another visit. If you don't have the time to attend the Supervisors meetings, try to at least read the minutes as they are posted on the site, and write or email your Supervisors with your views.
LNTCF Admin
High points of the Board of Supervisor meeting of Aug. 22, 2007 - Resident Joseph Fresco proposed to the Board the creation of a Crime Watch/Block Watch program. His proposal was supported by the Twp. Mgr., a copy of the proposal is available: Other Documents Also added here are documents outlining the anti-idling laws that have been implemented around the country to combat pollution (diesel fumes and noise) from idling tractor trailers, maybe we could implement here? Why should you care? Diesel engines endanger public health here’s a primer on diesel pollution and its effect on your health. Here’s a little more regarding the impact large concentrations of diesel tractor trailers can have on you and your children.
In search of MONEY our Board of Supervisors and Township Mgr. have allowed us to virtually become a warehousing district. More warehouses are going in, see recent News articles for the most recent additions. What do we hear at the Supervisors Meetings? - “There’s not much we can do.&#xu201D; - No, not now, but the Zoning Ordinances COULD have been changed upon the receipt of the first plan for a warehouse, but that would limit revenue wouldn’t it?
Another item regarding revenue, the Board of Supervisors passed an Ordinance requiring ALL owners of property in Lower Nazareth Twp. “.....who rents or leases any parcel of real estate, in whole or in part to any other person(s)...&#xu201D; to provide a list to the township secretary of all occupants in the preceding six (6) month period or face fines up to $300 per DAY. You can read the complete ordinance (2 pages) here: Landlord Ordinance
During the courtesy of the floor period of the meeting, township resident Tim Rister addressed the Board requesting an explanation or comments as to why he received No Response from the township to a certified letter he sent regarding purported dangerous activities taking place in the township. After a lengthy description of what he had included in the certified letter, the Board thanked him for his comments. That’s right - No answers, No explanations yet alone an apology, not even any comments from the Board. Mr. Rister need not feel alone, see the second line from the end in the Express Times article dated 08/31/2007 regarding Wawa.
6 comments:
pqtxqkep"Kortze said the Wawa plan includes a small strip mall with room for about four stores."
Nothing entices that home town feel and charm like the addition of a strip mall, next to other, vacant, strip malls.
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On the "no comment tip". I think we should fine each leader, board member, and anyone else involved $300 per day until they answer or better yet, even respond to questions raised in a city meeting.
Government needs to be transparent, this is a crock.
Stilfx, look at the bright side, it's not yet another truck terminal, which REALLY brings out that home town feel.
To all, welcome to the personal hell that is what all of us residents of LNT have to endure. Frankly, I am surprised they didn't pull out the egg timer to keep this resident from speaking to long, which is their common practice if you plan on speaking AGAINST them.
I really don't know how any of them can actually show their faces in public. I have watched on many occasions where the supervisors, towhship manager, solicitor and engineer have openly ridiculed citizens of this township in their "open" forum.
Joe Greene is doing good stuff in Lower Nazareth just by keeping an eye on things.
If Joe Green is doing such a good job of keeping a eye on things in Lower Nazareth, he should have enough b###s to run for Supervisor. Any half baked liberal can sit on the sidelines, write half truths on websites and spread doom and gloom from left wing intelectually dishonest scientists. Since Joe is such an expert on governmental affairs and the inner workings of township, perhaps he can start speaking up at township meetings and dazzling the audience with his brilliance. Perhaps he can start by explaining how the supervisors are making MONEY from all of the warehouses rather than taking cheap shots from his lowernazareth.org website. What's your real agenda Joe?
fulibs, don't believe you've posted here before, so I do want to note that your post is out of line and not appropriate for this site.
There is no reason to attack an individual for expressing views or sharing information. Feel free to attack the points he makes, but not him. Attacking the individual does nothing to support your position and instead weakens it.
Joe provides a great service to people by sharing information from meetings that most others don't attend.
Local government impacts our lives more directly and more quickly than any other form, yet few people attend these meetings. Using the internet to share the information and discussions at these meetings with others is of considerable value.
The only valid question you ask is how does the township make money, and that is from development of the land, which in this case is the warehouses/distribution centers and possibly some developer paid road improvements.
I hope you continue to read and make posts, but please do so consistent with the standards of this site.
Thanks!
A couple comments and observations for fulibs (clever moniker) –
Would your definition of “libs” be anyone that doesn’t agree with you? I have been called a lot of things, half-baked, jerk, a__hole etc…and many fit but I must confess you are the very first person in my entire life that even hinted I was a “liberal.” Truth be known my beliefs most heavily lean to the Libertarian party platform.
I claim no brilliance, the website http://www.lowernazareth.org was started to fill a void and attempt to stimulate citizen participation and involvement in government. Visit the site and compare it to the official Lower Nazareth Township (LNT) site http://www.lowernazareth.com and let us know which conveys the most benefit to citizens. Pay special attention to the calendar of meetings and events, but don’t use the “Contact Us” section as it hasn’t been updated since Monday, April 10, 2006 2:56:01 PM. (just for the record it is now September of 2007)
You were quick to claim half truths – why didn’t you take the time to enlighten the rest of us who are obviously in the dark, what benefit to residents or the township does having one of the largest concentrations of warehouses in the area bring? I mentioned money (tax base, bigger budget) because I could think of no other benefit at all. Certainly all of the semi-tractor trailers blocking traffic and tearing up our marginal roads isn’t one. I also understand due to the idiosyncrasies of state law the township can not be arbitrary or change zoning laws affecting an application in progress, however after the first warehouse was submitted, a review and modification to existing ordinances could have avoided the quagmire we (LNT) find ourselves in. For example Bethlehem Township in the description of the intent of its Light Industrial District (LI) Zoning states: “To avoid unusually large warehouse/distribution centers that generate very high amounts of tractor-trailer traffic and consume large areas of land, while generating relatively few jobs.” I won’t document the entire ordinance on this Blog but anyone interested drop me a note.
In order to “dazzle the audience with my brilliance” would require some interaction from the Board. Time after time, I have witnessed citizens speak up, the Board courteously listens, then moves on as if nothing was said. There is no interaction or discussion and frequently no response to direct questions. (citizens ARE always thanked for their comments) There have been two conditional use hearings regarding the IDI warehouses that will border Palmer Twp. I attended the first. There were lots of questions from the floor for the applicant, the board on the other hand had none – why? I was unable to attend the second meeting so I will make no comments. Speaking of which the third hearing is coming up come see LNT local government in action:
The IDI Warehouse Conditional Use Hearing will be continued at the September 26, 2007 regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors Meeting, location has been CHANGED from the township offices to: the Nazareth Area Middle School Auditorium. The regularly scheduled Board meeting will commence at 6:00pm. the conditional use portion will NOT start prior to 7:00pm. You can expect this to take up to three hours.
And in closing, when performed properly the position of Supervisor, Lower Nazareth Township (or any other Twp. for that matter) is a thankless job requiring an enormous commitment of time and energy with virtually no remuneration.
Be careful what you ask for.
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