Aug. 18, 2025
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Bethlehem Township’s Board of Commissioners will see a “sketch plan” for 68 homes at their meeting tonight. A sketch plan is preliminary, and no final votes will be made tonight.
The proposal for the so-called `Gold Property’ is for “68 residential lots at 3836 Township Line Road,” according to the meeting agenda. The owner of the property is New Jersey-based Bethlehem Gold, a limited liability corporation.
Based on a presentation last week before the City of Bethlehem’s Planning Commission, about 50 of those homes would be in Bethlehem Township and the rest in the city. Here’s a link to a story about that meeting. The plan shown that night indicated only one entrance, sending all traffic to Township Line Road.
The land is open space now, near the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area and Housenick Park (full name: Janet Johnston Housenick and William D. Housenick Memorial Park). There is a tributary to the Monocacy Creek in that area, raising concerns about the potential for runoff and pollution.
The development would also wipe out some of the green space off Route 22. The property is west of Township Line Road and on the south side of Route 22.
At the city Planning Commission meeting, three residents raised concerns about the impact of the proposed development on wildlife, and potential traffic problems. Township Line Road leads to an industrial park, and delivery trucks and other commercial vehicles often use the road.
Township Line, Santee Mill, Altonah and other roads are already narrow in spots, and drivers seeking to reach Linden Street from the Gold Property would have trouble making a left to head north.
Note, Archibald Johnston was a Bethlehem Steel Corp. executive and a mayor of Bethlehem. He helped lead the combination of South Bethlehem into the city. Before he was mayor, Bethlehem and South Bethlehem were separate towns. He also bought the land that is now Housenick Park.
The Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. tonight (Monday, Aug. 18) at the township municipal building, 4225 Easton Ave.
Here is the agenda, which is subject to change. The meeting will also be shown on Zoom, here’s a link to the township website.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 