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Cracker Barrel Old Country Store logo
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store logo
U. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa – The Upper Macungie Township Board of Supervisors approved waiver and deferral requests for a proposed warehouse Thursday night.
Offered as the MilliporeSigma Distribution Center, the project calls for a 154,000-square-foot warehouse at 7034 Ambassador Drive, directly next door to the company's current operations at 6950 Ambassador Drive.
MilliporeSigma, owned by Merck, provides lab equipment, technology and chemicals to various laboratories.
The proposed building would be similar to the current facility, except it will be modernized and contain enhanced safety features, applicant Thomas Kotula said previously. According to the company's website, Kotula is the original site manager who opened the Allentown facility in 1994.
A traffic study indicates there will be 30 trucks per day, or 60 truck trips. However, not all trucks will be tractor-trailers. The traffic study was performed on seven different intersections and showed that no significant changes to the service level at those intersections will occur because of the proposal, project engineer Chris Williams said in previous testimony.
The proposed loading docks are situated on the building's south side, opposite residential homes directly to the north. Williams indicated noise would not be projected toward residents.
In addition, he stated property outdoor lighting will be in accordance with township standards and have shields that project the light down into the parking lot and not toward the street or the neighboring residents.
Williams added all day-to-day processes would take place inside the building, with only a generator in the event of a power outage located outside.
The applicant sought five waivers. Most were procedural, related to combining preliminary and final plan reviews, the radius for a truck driveway entrance, sidewalk and curbing along Ambassador Drive, curbing within the site, and sanitary sewer requirements along the property's frontage.
Later in the meeting, the board approved a sewage planning module for the same project.
In other news, supervisors granted preliminary development plan approval for a residential housing subdivision proposal called the Glenlivet Drive West extension.
The development, located at 8363 and 8557 Main St. and 1260 Church St., calls for 52 single-family homes, as part of the Lehigh Hills project.
The project will feature also the construction of waterlines, sanitary and storm sewer, access driveways, roadway improvements and stormwater management facilities. Planners granted two partial deferments along with the approval.
The Lehigh Hills housing development was approved by the township in April 2019.
The three-member board of supervisors also approved an intermunicipal liquor license transfer request for the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, located at 7720 Main St. in Fogelsville, from South Whitehall Township. The license will be used to provide customers with pre-packaged beer and wine.
Finally, supervisors appointed Kalman Sostarecz Jr. as assistant township manager and director of community development. He will receive a $90,000 annual salary.
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The warehouse would go next door to MilliporeSigma, expanding operations.
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