Bethlehem mayor opposes proposal for student housing in residential neighborhood near Lehigh University

Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez wants board members to reject an appeal at the upcoming Bethlehem zoning meeting that would pave the way for more student housing on a sloped street near Lehigh University.Lehigh Property Management, which is not associated with the university, wants to build two four-unit homes, each with five bedrooms and three floors above garages, on a hilltop street zoned high-density in south Bethlehem. The project would require the demolition of four homes: 496, 508, 514 and 520 First Terrace Drive.In a letter to the Zoning Hearing Board last week, Donchez said such a project is too dense for a steeply sloped neighborhood and will cause parking issues there. Requests made in the proposal, such as a one-way street pattern and street widening, would change the character of the neighborhood, he said.“The plan as presented is not compatible with the surrounding neighborhood development which consists of single family detached homes,” he said in the June 19 letter. “The project more than doubles the density of these four parcels when combined.”The developer goes before the Zoning Hearing Board at 6 p.m. Wednesday for variances related to impervious coverage, location of the garage doors, permission for cars to back out to the building and minimum lot size.At a Planning Commission meeting this month, residents voiced concerns that bringing students to the area would add to an already overloaded parking situation. The board voted 2-1 to advance the proposal to the zoning board with no action for or against. Vice Chairman Matthew Malozi cast the lone no vote because he did not believe the project would fit with the community.Austin Siboni, managing member of Lehigh Properties, did not attend the meeting.Freelance writer Kevin Duffy contributed to this story. Morning Call reporter Ashley Stalnecker can be reached at 610-820-6647 or astalnecker@mcall.com.
Source: Morningcall