A warehouse or other industrial use could be in the future for a 112-acre plot of Franklin Township farmland not far from I-78. The thought has residents concerned and the township repeating an early step in the site’s eventual development, whatever direction that may take.
A hearing starting Wednesday by the township land use board will determine if the property is “in need of redevelopment,” a specific designation that would set up a longer planning process by township officials that could make the property more attractive to developers and in theory give the township more say in how the property is built up.
The special meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and 26 at the township school, 57 Asbury Road.
However, no application for a warehouse has officially been submitted.
A 2019 lawsuit against the township said a developer wants to build a 1 million-square-foot facility, citing communications between the company and township officials. A mailer recently sent to residents claims it could be three times that size, though it doesn’t cite a source. The developer identified in the lawsuit, Long Island-based home-furnishings company Safavieh, did not return a call for comment.
The property on Bloomsbury Road, across from Lime Kiln Road and just over a mile from an I-78 interchange has for decades been zoned for industrial use – which can include warehouses – in part because of its proximity to the highway, according to a report to be presented to the land use board on Wednesday.
Township officials have said at meetings over the last year or so that coming up with a redevelopment plan for the site could give them more flexibility and control when any project is finally submitted, as well as offer financial incentives for developers to build there.
This is the second time Franklin’s leaders are starting down that path. A redevelopment designation early last year was nullified by the 2019 lawsuit, filed by adjacent property owners who alleged Safavieh had contacted some officials since the prior year to inquire about the site.
The lawsuit concluded with the township offering to repeat the process, this time with Mayor Jeff DeAngelis and Land Use Board member Jim Onembo agreeing to recuse themselves from the decision. They and the attorneys involved either could not be reached or declined official comment on Monday.
Warehouses are being proposed throughout the region’s highway corridors. In Warren County, a controversial Jaindl Land Co. warehouse plan has driven residents in and around White Township to planning meetings for months. Nearby in Phillipsburg, the former Ingersoll Rand property has become a massive warehouse complex not far off I-78.
Steve Novak may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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