Environmental Advisory Council Considers Open Space Possibilities

Open space issues topped the agenda of the April 12. 

Richard Brooks, a representative from Ashley Development Corp., approached the council about the purchase of lots 1 and 6 in the Cloverview Estates development at the intersection of Drifting Drive and Wassergass Road in Lower Saucon. Brooks spoke on behalf of his client, Cloverview Development LLC, which owns the land. A residential development was planned for the land. Brooks said the land is soon going to be listed for sale to another developer.

Cloverview is interested in selling the land to the township because lot 1 contains wetlands and lot 6 contains a detention pond, Brooks said. EAC chairperson Sandra Yerger reminded the council that the township has already purchased lots 3, 4, 5 and 9 for open space conservation. Lots 3, 4 and 5 are located within the headwaters of Saucon Creek, she said. Besides the fact that the land is marshy, the township was interested in protecting the quality of the water. Lot 9 was purchased because it borders another open space area.

EAC council member Tom McCormick said he and the other members of the open space subcommittee walked the grounds of Cloverview. They rated the lots in question and don’t recommend that they be purchased by the township. Lot 1 does not have as much woodland as lots 3, 4 and 5, he said.

Ted Beardsley, also an EAC council member, said that if the owner would be interested in selling the property below its appraised value, then the township might have an interest in buying it.

“I don’t think the appraised value will be as high as you think it will,” Brooks said.

The EAC also considered Ashley Development’s request for the township to purchase 32 acres of the remaining Long Ridge subdivision. Lower Saucon Township Planner Karen Mallo explained that the property is zoned for single-family houses. The property owners would actually only own lots of 100 feet x 100 feet. The remaining land around the properties would be maintained by a landscaping company paid for by a homeowners association. The development was planned for homeowners that wouldn’t want to be bothered with mowing grass and other yard work, she said.

Tom Maxfield, an EAC council member, thought the township might want to consider this purchase. He said there isn’t anywhere in the township with pavilions or that would allow for camping by a scout troop, for instance.

Maxfield addressed Beardsley and said, “If you could, ask the parks (board) to look at it with a wider view.”

The council didn’t make a decision on whether or not to recommend the purchase of the property to the township.

The open space subcommittee did give high ratings for open space easements on three properties along Wassergass Road. McCormick said the properties (2383, 2385 and 2387 Wassergass Road) are beside each other but have three different owners. The owners are interested in some development on the land, but also want some of it to be preserved as open space.

Maxfield said he would like to see the open space easements linked, so they are continuous. Beardsley agreed that this would be the best use of the open space.

“I’ll contact the owners and tell them the EAC is interested in recommending appraisals,” Beardsley said. He added that someone from the council would sit down with them to help them decide on their building plans.

McCormick told the council that the land is very pretty. The Marson property has a pond and lots of open fields, while the Smith-Buroff property and Carber property are both very wooded.

“All look developable,” McCormick said. “Smith-Buroff looks good for a small cul-de-sac with four or five houses. No bad news there.”