[0:03] I'll climb over you.
[0:05] » Let me climb over you.
[0:07] » [laughter]
[0:10] » Good evening, everyone. I call this
[0:12] Lower Macungie Township Planning
[0:13] Commission meeting to order. Today is
[0:15] September 8th, 2026 and the time is 6:00
[0:19] p.m.
[0:21] Roll call. All planning commission
[0:23] members are present except Adrian Niles.
[0:26] Uh so we do have a quorum.
[0:29] Additionally in attendance, director of
[0:30] community development Ventriglio,
[0:32] Township solicitor Mark Fischer,
[0:35] Township engineer Megan McKean, Township
[0:37] zoning officer Chris Russo, and Township
[0:39] planner Nathan Jones.
[0:42] Just a reminder for every anyone
[0:44] speaking tonight, please speak clearly
[0:46] into the microphone because this meeting
[0:47] is being recorded.
[0:50] Uh there is a new appointment to the
[0:52] Planning Commission. Uh Adrian Niles was
[0:56] um
[0:57] approved by the board last week by the
[1:00] Board of Commissioners.
[1:02] Um he was unable to make it tonight, so
[1:04] we will welcome him in our October
[1:06] meeting.
[1:09] First order of business
[1:12] is the approval of the meeting minutes
[1:13] from August 11th, 2026. Have all the
[1:16] Planning Commission members had an
[1:18] opportunity to review the minutes?
[1:20] » Yes.
[1:20] » Yes.
[1:21] » Yes.
[1:22] » Are there any corrections or comments to
[1:24] note?
[1:28] Okay.
[1:29] Is there a motion to approve the
[1:30] minutes?
[1:31] » Motion approved.
[1:33] » Second.
[1:35] » All those in favor say I.
[1:37] I.
[1:37] » I.
[1:37] » I.
[1:38] » Opposed. Abstained.
[1:40] Motion carries 4 to 0.
[1:46] Next item is 5.1,
[1:49] 6048 Hamilton Boulevard, the dental
[1:52] clinic
[1:53] for the prelim final review.
[1:56] So I'd like to invite the applicants to
[1:58] come to the table in the front.
[2:01] Um
[2:03] We give Nathan an opportunity to say
[2:05] anything that you'd like to say, and
[2:07] then I'm going to turn it over to the
[2:08] applicant. I know we've we saw you about
[2:10] two or three months ago. So, if you want
[2:12] to say
[2:14] what has changed since then, I
[2:15] appreciate it then, and then I'll go to
[2:18] uh Megan to give the engineering
[2:20] comments.
[2:21] Um so, with that, Nathan, do you have
[2:24] anything that you want to add to this?
[2:25] » Uh thank you, sir. Um in short, uh we
[2:29] have been working The staff level has
[2:32] been working with the applicant now for
[2:34] many months, as you noted. Um the most
[2:36] recent round of review saw um
[2:40] that the most recent submission uh
[2:42] included amendments to address staff
[2:45] comments. Uh on the planning side, we
[2:47] now have the street wall, we have
[2:49] pedestrian connectivity, the monument
[2:51] sign. Um the most recent submission
[2:54] included, as the planning commission
[2:56] recommended and requested at their last
[2:59] meeting, um a full set of renderings for
[3:02] what the structure is supposed to look
[3:03] like. So, we do have that available now
[3:05] as well uh as part of your review. Um
[3:08] but beyond that, um and I will not go
[3:10] into too much detail, but there are
[3:12] several items um that are noted in the
[3:15] engineer's letter with respect to storm
[3:17] water, as well as uh water service that
[3:21] will need to be addressed, and I will
[3:23] hand those off to the township engineer,
[3:24] but I have no further comments, but am
[3:26] happy to answer any questions that you
[3:28] may have.
[3:30] » Great. Thank you, Nathan.
[3:33] » Uh thank you, everybody. I'm Jason
[3:34] Schoyer with Keystone Consulting
[3:36] Engineers.
[3:37] Um and this is Eric Horning from Horning
[3:39] Architects.
[3:41] Um we've received the planning uh
[3:43] packet. Uh we've reviewed the planning
[3:46] uh letter, and uh feel we can comply
[3:49] with with everything uh Nathan alluded
[3:51] to the storm water sign off that we're
[3:53] currently uh negotiating with the Jason
[3:55] property owner and they're reviewing it
[3:57] with their attorneys and engineers
[4:00] and we're hopeful to have that in short
[4:02] time.
[4:04] Um the township engineer letter we've
[4:06] reviewed
[4:08] and feel we can comply with their
[4:09] outstanding comments.
[4:11] Um we do note that
[4:14] you know we're
[4:16] resubmitted the PennDOT HOP for the the
[4:18] driveway address their technical
[4:20] comments so that should be forthcoming
[4:22] shortly. The PA sewage planning module's
[4:25] currently at the township awaiting
[4:27] approval to advance to DEP.
[4:31] Um
[4:32] and we do have two waiver requests in
[4:35] the letter
[4:37] uh
[4:38] one for Saldo 22A for 02 for the
[4:41] preliminary final land development and
[4:44] Saldo 22A 705.9
[4:47] for a waiver to curb along Hamilton
[4:50] Boulevard.
[4:51] Uh as Nathan has said we provide the
[4:53] architecturals.
[4:55] Um
[4:55] layout wise of the plan has been is
[4:58] pretty much the same plan as you've seen
[5:00] before. We've
[5:02] adjusted some of the street walls and
[5:03] monument signs to address staff
[5:05] comments.
[5:07] Um
[5:08] and we we did adjust the plan that we
[5:11] are now showing a new sanitary sewer
[5:14] lateral connection to replace the
[5:16] existing one.
[5:18] Um
[5:20] so with that if there's any comments.
[5:23] Thank you. Megan.
[5:28] » I just wanted Oh, can you hear me?
[5:31] Hi.
[5:32] I just wanted to highlight a couple
[5:34] items in our engineer's letter. It
[5:36] sounds like it will be we'll comply for
[5:39] our outstanding comments which includes
[5:41] upgrading that sanitary lateral from the
[5:44] cleanout to the main to be 6 in to be
[5:48] compliant. Um
[5:50] and then I just wanted to reiterate that
[5:53] the sanitary lateral will also need to
[5:55] be included in the HOP.
[5:58] Um
[5:59] and looking through our other comments,
[6:03] we did want to emphasize that permission
[6:07] from the neighboring lot that will be
[6:09] receiving the increased stormwater
[6:11] runoff um is acquired as well as
[6:14] permission for the easement which the
[6:17] potable water connection, the water
[6:18] lateral will
[6:20] uh be running through to reach the lot.
[6:22] That will need to be acquired as well.
[6:24] Um
[6:26] and
[6:28] I believe those were
[6:30] our main
[6:32] comments.
[6:33] Um another highlight of concern is just
[6:37] to add the the crosswalk back in
[6:40] um
[6:40] in between the two ADA ramps or
[6:43] platforms up by the sidewalk.
[6:45] » Yeah, we we can work with your office on
[6:47] that. I know we commented PennDOT had
[6:50] requested that crosswalk be removed due
[6:53] to the stop bar, but we can work that
[6:55] with between your office and and
[6:56] PennDOT.
[6:57] » Okay.
[6:58] I think those were the main points
[7:00] unless you have any further questions.
[7:03] Okay.
[7:04] » No, and I had
[7:05] with that water easement, that is also
[7:07] under review with the adjacent
[7:08] landowner, too.
[7:09] The same property owner.
[7:11] Okay, great.
[7:13] Uh planning commission,
[7:15] comments, questions?
[7:18] » I have no comments.
[7:20] » None for me.
[7:21] » No comment.
[7:22] » Okay.
[7:23] Um I know last time we talked about the
[7:25] renderings and I appreciate the
[7:27] photorealistic rendering you provided.
[7:30] There was some concern about the
[7:31] roofline.
[7:32] Um but on page
[7:34] eight of the project design companion,
[7:39] it gives a pretty good realistic view of
[7:41] what you'd see coming off of Hamilton
[7:42] and and the
[7:44] minimal view of anything of the the rear
[7:47] structure. So, I appreciate that. Thank
[7:48] you.
[7:51] Um
[7:55] I think everything else has been
[7:58] picked up.
[8:01] Did you have a chance, Jason, to review
[8:04] the recommendation?
[8:07] » Uh yes, we have.
[8:09] » Do you have any comments or questions?
[8:12] » Uh we do not.
[8:15] » Do I hear a motion to
[8:18] uh conditionally recommend
[8:21] approval of the 6048 Hamilton Boulevard
[8:24] Dental Clinic?
[8:25] » So moved.
[8:31] » And just to reiterate the
[8:35] recommendation includes items 1 through
[8:39] 9
[8:40] with
[8:42] two uh
[8:43] two waivers, the ones that you
[8:45] referenced, Jason, before.
[8:49] Uh do I hear a second?
[8:51] » Second.
[8:54] » All right. All those in favor, say I.
[8:58] » I.
[8:59] » Opposed? Abstained?
[9:02] Motion carries 4 to nothing. Thank you.
[9:04] » Thank you.
[9:05] » Thank you.
[9:13] » Uh second item is 5.2, staff department
[9:17] report.
[9:20] » Yes, thank you. I can just uh provide a
[9:22] brief update. Everything that's listed
[9:24] on the pending applications under review
[9:26] by staff is
[9:27] um either in process right now with uh
[9:30] staff for review or in front of uh
[9:33] getting ready to be in front of the
[9:34] Board of Commissioners in the case of uh
[9:37] the heart preserve after the board's
[9:39] recommendation. So,
[9:41] we do note that the Costco fuel facility
[9:44] is expecting to make an application to
[9:46] us in the relatively near future.
[9:48] And I would just note that we do expect
[9:51] that there will be in the coming months
[9:54] a number of new land developments where
[9:57] we've received outreach by prospective
[9:59] applicants that we will likely be seeing
[10:02] as as new submissions. So, just uh for
[10:05] the planning commission's edification,
[10:06] we do expect to see more submissions
[10:09] coming in in the near future.
[10:11] I would defer to
[10:13] Chris and Vince if they have anything
[10:15] else that they'd like to add and share
[10:17] with the group tonight.
[10:21] » Thank you, Nathan. Nothing further for
[10:22] me. Chris?
[10:24] » No, nothing further for me.
[10:27] » All right, thank you, gentlemen.
[10:29] Is there any comment from the public?
[10:32] Anything?
[10:34] Okay.
[10:36] If there's no other further business, is
[10:38] there a motion to adjourn the meeting?
[10:41] » So moved.
[10:43] » Second.
[10:43] » Second.
[10:44] » All those in favor, say aye.
[10:46] » Aye.
[10:46] » Aye.
[10:47] » Motion passes four nothing.
[10:49] September 8th, 2026 Lower Merion
[10:51] Township Planning Commission meeting is
[10:52] adjourned at 6:11. Thank you, everyone.
[10:59] » Thank you, Nate. Thank you, Mark.
[11:00] » Thank you.
[11:02] » Good night.
[11:02] » See you, everybody.
[11:05] » Good night, gentlemen.