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Subdivision plans for a five-lot shopping complex proposed by Wal-Mart were tabled Wednesday by North Whitehall Township supervisors after attorneys for the opponents raised legal issues.
Attorneys and an engineer hired by North Whitehall for Sustainable Development argued that prior plans, which serve as the basis for Wal-Mart's commercial subdivision along Route 309 in Schnecksville, were developed illegally and that a lot line was deleted without proper legal action.
Supervisors tabled the plans after a lengthy discussion and public comment session, saying the matter would have to be looked into further by township solicitor Lisa Young.
Engineer Edward Koehler, who was hired by the opponents group, said Western Lehigh Valley Corp., the former owner of the land along Route 309, conveyed land to the state for the new location of Old Packhouse Road without completing a subdivision plan. However, the lots have new individual tax ID numbers. Koehler said that without approved recorded plans, the conveyance of land was an illegal subdivision. Koehler said Wal-Mart was an equitable owner of the property in August 2005 when negotiations took place to convey the land to PennDOT.
As part of the original Western Lehigh Valley Corp. plans -- which sought to bring a vast commercial development to the site along Route 309 -- the township vacated Grist Mill Road and deeded it to the company. Western Lehigh owned the land on both sides of the unused road. However, the company never submitted a lot line adjustment plan to the township following the vacation of the road to combine the two former parcels into one.
Full Story : http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b6a_5nwhitehall.6398324may08,0,4570399.story