Speakers oppose Green Pond development plan

Great Egret (file photo)

Bethlehem Township officials got an earful from those opposed to a development plan affecting Green Pond Marsh but whether they'll listen is another matter.

A standing-room-only crowd attended Monday evening's meeting for the initial review of the development project. More than 100 people attended, and all 22 people who spoke raised objections to the plan.

The Audubon Society lists Green Pond Marsh as an "Important Bird Area." Over the years the site has attracted 162 different species of bird, including eight that are listed as "endangered" or "threatened" in Pennsylvania. The Great Egret, shown here, is among those on the endangered list.

The developer, Traditions of America, presented its sketch plan to the Bethlehem Township Planning Commission for review. The developer wants to build a 256-home gated community for the 55-plus age bracket.

Under the plan, about 100,000 square feet of property, including the marsh, would be protected for conservation. The developer considers this generous, because only 27,000 square feet of the property is designated as a "wetland."

John Glagola, an architect and planner at a Manhattan real estate investment firm and the organizer of Save Green Pond, said he had an engineer evaluate the property. The engineer will testify at a future meeting that the wetlands area is far greater than 27,000 square feet.

Other speakers pointed out that development would drastically alter the current environment. For instance, existing mud flats would be "redesigned" and native grasses planted. The speakers said specially lined mud flats can't replace those that exist naturally and that many species of migratory waterfowl feast on invertebrates, not grasses.

Among those criticizing the proposed housing project were Barbara Malt and Scott Burnet, both of the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, and ornithologist Rick Wiltraut.

One concern that township officials raised at the meeting was that the roads envisioned by the developer would be too narrow. The township engineer said the developer would need the township's approval for those roads.

The township has zoned the property for commercial development. The 68-acre property currently is owned by Green Pond Country Club.

The township planners sent the developer's proposal to the Board of Commissioners but it's not clear whether the commissioners will consider the development plan next Monday. They meet on the first and third Mondays of each month.

Complete reports on Monday's meeting are available from the Express-Times and Lehigh Valley Ramblings, run by blogger Bernie O'Hare. Lehigh Valley Ramblings had an earlier posting on the problems the development would create.