Development Projects Could Affect Parkland Taxes

The Parkland School Board reported during an all-day 2013-14 school budget seminar Friday that development in Upper Macungie, South Whitehall and North Whitehall townships will help keep school-related property taxes down.

North Whitehall, however, will see a reduction in growth because new filtration system regulations require storm water runoff to be retained on a lot and will require large lot sizes, the board said.

South Whitehall:

• Only two building permits have been issued for new homes, two less than this time last year.

• Approximately two-thirds of the residential land in the township has been developed.

• Don't expect to see multi-family or townhome development anytime soon.

• There are 286 approved lots for residential development with 73 single-family detached dwellings, 199 townhomes at Blue Barn Meadows and 14 twins at Ressler Acres.

• Sketch plans were submitted for on the north side of Walbert Avenue between Winchester Heights and Shoemaker Jeep on the Rutz farm.

• Commercial building permits made up 48 percent of the 2012 total. Commercial projects in 2012 included Dorney Park, Luther Crest Apartments conversions, the addition at Giant Food Stores, an addition at Zator Law Offices and tenant fitouts at Hamilton Court, Tilghman Square and office parks.

• This year's commercial outlook has 143,000 square feet of new building poised to start construction. Anticipated projects are Dorney Square office building, Tilghman Square improvements, a Rothrock dealership auto body shop, the Cetronia Ambulance Corp. Joint Operations Facility, Broadway-Cooper Car Wash and the St. Luke's West End Medical Center in the former Pennsylvania Expo Center.

North Whitehall

• Timber Ridge development is the only area that may be developed. However, it has only 10 townhomes that remain to be built.

• There are no new plans for a Walmart in North Whitehall.

• Plans have been submitted for a strip mall (Marians Plaza) near Route 873 and Route 309.

• There are new filtration system regulations that require storm water runoff to be retained on a lot. That regulation requires larger lot sizes and, as a result, a reduction in growth in North Whitehall.