Hanover Township called a special meeting Monday evening to gather opinions on the proposed FedEx Ground hub in Allen Township.
International shipping giant FedEx proposed a million-square-foot warehouse on land owned by Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allen Township.
Thor, the rain god, smiled on festgoers last Saturday, stopping the rain at the opening bell of Catasauqua's 8th annual Fest-O-Fall celebration. The cool day and the crowds that came out mid-afternoon kept the festival going well past its scheduled closing time.
This year's celebration added a few new twists. Steve and Lisa Finke of Meadow View Beekeeping brought along their beehives and some interesting takes on honey.
"The dark one is from a buckwheat and aster field," Finke said. "The buckwheat imparts a different musty taste."
Catasauqua Borough Council listened to several ideas that will continue the marketing effort for the Iron Works, the borough's property along Front Street, at the Sept. 29 meeting.
Kimberley Brubaker, in her role as graphic artist, presented council a logo for approval. Brubaker showed some ideas of how the logo could be used including superimposing the logo on old artistic photos that had a dramatic impact on the versatility of the design. Councilman Brian Bartholomew asked if a canal boat could be worked into the design.
Willow Brook Farms recently appeared before the North Catasauqua Zoning Hearing Board with a request to allow deviations from the borough's commercial parking standard.
The zoning board approved Willow Brook Farms' request unanimously.
Roy Stewart, borough zoning officer, explained that the borough requires paved surfaces and curbs for commercial parking spaces.
"We have established details on how parking space is prepared and developed, but the standards are geared to more commercial areas in the borough," he said.
The site looks down and out, and only a few people have tread this ground in the past year, but the borough property along Front Street might be the catalyst that Catasauqua is looking for to revitalize the community.
Last year, the borough purchased the brownfield from FL Smidth with plans to add a new municipal complex and develop the remaining acreage with commercial and residential units.
"We need to attract developers to the site so they can see what we have," Councilwoman Christine Weaver told The Press in an interview.
On Labor Day 2013, The Gas House Dance Hall opened its doors to area residents interested in various types of dance instruction, from western swing to belly dancing. The instructional program attracts a diverse customer base interested in a fun way to keep fit.
The dance hall was recently cited by Lehigh Valley Style Magazine as the area's top non-gym instructional workout center.
"There really aren't that many dance halls around that are open to the public," co-owner Hanna Nour told The Press.
Catasauqua Borough Councilman Brian McKittrick recently introduced a measure to change the addresses of certain homes in the borough.
The change has been under consideration for some time and all the homeowners were advised of the change and approved the measure.
"We have a system set up that uses a basic grid and there are a number of houses that do not follow the standard," McKittrick said at the Sept. 2 meeting.
According to McKittrick, there is a small problem with mail delivery, but the larger problem is with emergency services.
For the past few meetings, the Catasauqua Borough Council has debated assessing tapping fees and recreation fees to developers who are rehabilitating old, abandoned structures in the borough.
At a Sept. 2 council meeting, Councilwoman Deb Mellish explained some of the problems with making a determination on how to apply fees.
Tapping fees and recreation fees are simply a tax on developers. The logic to assess these fees, particularly for an older property, is difficult to address.
Deb Mellish, who chaired Catasauqua's Old Home Week celebration committee, held a wrap-up picnic for all the volunteers in Municipal Park recently.
The Old Home Week festivities were held over the July 4 holiday week. The volunteers invited all Catasauqua's residents, past and present, to the planned festivities and impromptu gatherings in the borough during the week.
This Old Home Week celebrated the 100th anniversary of the original celebration in 1914 when Catasauqua celebrated its part in ushering in the Industrial Revolution.
Although the Allen Township Board of Supervisors recently approved a plan that allows FedEx to begin constructing a warehouse facility along Willowbrook Road, the issue is not off the agenda at neighboring Hanover Township council meetings.
At the Sept. 3 Hanover meeting, council members looked at options it might take to maintain the quality of life in the township, given the changes imagined by the increase in traffic that will be generated by the warehouse hub.