Supervisors, Rockefeller Group continue rezoning debate

By Kevin Duffy

East Allen Township supervisors and a New York real estate group reached no conclusions Tuesday on whether a parcel of farmland must be rezoned to accommodate nearly 2 million square feet of industrial development.

Supervisors and representatives for the Rockefeller Group met for 2 hours via Zoom at a curative amendment hearing on Rockefeller’s request to have the parcel rezoned in order to make way for a dual-building logistics center spanning nearly 2 million square feet.

Rockefeller has maintained that it sought a curative amendment challenge because the township’s zoning ordinance is deficient, as it doesn’t provide for a logistics center — buildings ranging from 1 million-2 million square feet and designed to meet current market requirements — at the site along Weaversville Road.

Mark Heeb, a landscape architect and principal of BL Companies, said Rockefeller’s initial request to rezone 155 acres along Weaversville Road from agriculture to light industrial business park has been revised to include 1.69 acres of right of way to be dedicated to the township, and realignment of Radar Drive, paring it down to 151 acres.

He presented an updated concept plan for the two buildings to be located on the site — one of 943,488 square feet on the western side of the parcel, and the other of 873,600 square feet on the eastern side — as well as a 3D rendering depicting an 8-foot-high landscaped berm along the road, as well as a gated entrance for cars, which is designed to restrict truck access.

Trucks will enter the site via Radar Drive, he said, which will require approvals from both East Allen and Allen townships to extend the road to the parcel.

“The idea is to push Radar Drive through,” Heeb said.

That matter would be resolved through the land development phase, should the ordinance amendment go through.

Rockefeller’s plan includes provision for 956 employees, with parking for 478 workers for each building, along with 192 loading docks and 241 trailer stalls along the larger building, and 170 loading docks and 216 trailer stalls for the smaller one.

Tom Comitta, a land planner representing Rockefeller, asserted that the township’s ordinance is defective because of the lack of industrially zoned parcels large enough to accommodate a logistics center.

“There is no way you can put a logistics center [on a site] under 10 acres,” he said.

He said the parcel provides the necessary water, sewer and road access needed without the environmental constraints north of the site, and falls within the path of development.

East Allen, he added, will still be left with 75% of its land zoned for agricultural use if the amendment change went through.

“I don’t believe rezoning it will have a negative impact on the preservation of agriculture,” he said.

The proceedings was continued until 6:30 p.m. April 29.

Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer for The Morning Call.