Where should Seemsville Road be moved? Officials to meet on the matter.
By Kevin Duffy
Oct 15, 2018 | 7:00 AM
A joint meeting between supervisors from East Allen and Allen townships will be held in the coming weeks to discuss developer David Jaindl's plan to shift Seemsville Road 650 feet to the east across land owned by the Northampton Area School District. (JESSE MUSTO/THE MORNING CALL)
Officials from two neighboring Northampton County municipalities will meet in a public forum to work out details over the relocation of a state road.
A joint meeting between supervisors from East Allen and Allen townships will be held in the coming weeks to discuss developer David Jaindl's plan to shift Seemsville Road 650 feet to the east across land owned by the Northampton Area School District.
Moving the road is tied to his proposal to create six warehouses totaling 2.5 million square feet between Seemsville and Howertown roads in Allen Township.
East Allen supervisors were set to discuss the road realignment during their nonvoting workshop Wednesday but elected instead to hold off until a meeting involving both boards could be scheduled, Township Manager Brent Green said.
Jaindl-Watson seeks to move Seemsville Road as part of warehouse plan
The Jaindl Land Company and Watson Land Company, which are proposing six warehouses in Allen Township, are proposing to move Seemsville Road east where it intersects with Route 329.
Joseph Piperato, East Allen Township solicitor, recommended the board meet with their counterparts within 30 to 45 days and will reach out to both Allen Township and Jaindl to choose the time and place, Green said.
The meeting, however, might not be held until after the start of the New Year due to the holiday season, he said.
Cooperation between the townships is essential because Seemsville Road, owned by PennDOT, divides them. The border line runs down the center of the road.
Jaindl presented a grading plan for the new road to East Allen's planners earlier this month but supervisors on Wednesday elected not to go over it without input from Allen Township's supervisors.
The plan amounts to a land development review, said Green, and must meet storm water requirements.
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Jaindl is proposing abandoning the existing connection between Seemsville Road and Route 329 in favor of moving the road over the school district land, which is solely within East Allen.
That will create a stubbed-off cul-de-sac, resulting in what is being called "Old" Seemsville Road, which will become a township road with approximately four homes dedicated to Allen Township.
"It sounds like it's leaning that way but it hasn't been voted on yet," Allen Township Manager Ilene Eckhart said when reached for comment.
Also to be determined, said Green, is who would maintain the portion of road between the old Seemsville Road and the new road before it crosses into East Allen.
"Either East Allen recognizes it's in our township and we give it to Allen, or vice-versa," he said.
Whichever way it goes, Green said East Allen wants to make sure the reconditioned road complies with their ordinance for stormwater and other land development requirements in case ownership goes back to them in the future.
"We want it to meet our standards because probably it could be our road again," he said.
Jaindl's plan also shows a stormwater basin on land between both the new Seemsville Road and the stubbed-off portion, and its location, said Green, calls for consideration between both boards.
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"It's not in our township 100 percent, and that's why we have to meet with Allen," he said.
Allen supervisors voted in favor of a joint meeting July 10 during which Jaindl made a presentation to move the road eastward, citing safety concerns for motor vehicles.
The school district has also heard presentations by Jaindl on the new road, which will cut across property in their ownership which they hope to develop in the future for a new school and other facilities.
Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer.
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