Upper Saucon Twp. planners greenlight home development for Center Valley

A plan for single-family homes along a busy stretch of Center Valley was greenlighted by the Upper Saucon Township Planning Commission despite concerns by nearby residents about traffic.

Planners on Tuesday recommended conditional use approval for Estates at Saucon Valley, 102 homes on 116 acres between Flint Hill Road and Taylor Drive.

Planners said owner and builder Peron Development could waive or defer sidewalks and curbing along the perimeter of the community and waive widening both roads.

The township Board of Supervisors will consider the proposal Aug. 10, Community Development Director Trisha Lang said.

The property falls in a zone where the developer’s conservation design proposal, in which half the land is set aside as open space, is permitted by right.

The project has been scaled back from what planners were shown last August, which called for 130 homes and three access points from Flint Hill Road.

It now calls for a single entrance between two curves on that road, said Rob deBeer, director of development for Peron.

Those curves and their associated blind spots along Flint Hill Road were a subject of concern among the half-dozen residents who spoke during the meeting at Southern Lehigh Middle School.

Mary Ann Mattiola, a resident of Flint Hill Road, said one of the curves should be straightened to improve visibility.

She also disagreed with traffic engineering consultant Jim Milot’s assertion that the community will fail to generate a significant amount of traffic.

“That totally surprises me — I’m sorry, I don’t agree with that comment,” she said.

Others voiced concerns over speeders who regularly violate the 35 mph limit and worried that it will only get worse.

Planner George Bloeser agreed, and said he would like to see signs near Flint Hill Road and Taylor Drive warning of the danger.

“I’m not sure we’d want to classify it as dangerous,” Lang said.

DeBeer said the lots would be less than 1 acre, served by water and sewer, and the community will feature a trail system connected to the township’s trails.

Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.