Bethlehem Township to Hear Requests for Boardinghouse at Friary Property, Walmart Pickup Signs

Jan. 27, 2026

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

Bethlehem Township will hear zoning appeals Wednesday for a boardinghouse on a religious property on Chipman Drive, and for signs at Walmart on Linden Street.

Dunne Manning Investments LP seeks zoning relief to operate a boarding house at 3908-3918 Chipman Rd., site of the St. Francis Retreat House.

From the agenda: “The applicant is seeking a special exception use in order to operate a boardinghouse within the existing building at the subject property. Bethlehem Township Zoning Ordinance Section §275-112
identifies uses that are permitted by special exception in the Agriculture (AG) Zoning District in which the subject property is located. A boardinghouse is a use that is permitted by special exception within the Agriculture Zoning District.”

The applicant seeks to have a maximum of 30 residents at the boardinghouse, while the zoning ordinance allows 20.

Northampton County records list the owner of the property as St. Francis Friary & Retreat House. The property is near the southeastern corner of the intersection of Route 33 and Route 22, and is visible from both roads.

From the Friary’s website: St. Francis Retreat House in Easton, PA is a place we like to call home. Here we can find a new way of seeing God.

Come explore the space, the outdoors, the sacred quiet of our chapels. Come walk and pray.

Be still in the Divine Presence of our creator — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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The Walmart appeal is more mundane. The big box store at 3926 Linden St. wants to add signs for online pickup and delivery parking areas.

Walmart has talked about taking on Amazon in e-commerce, and this zoning relief is perhaps Bethlehem Townshp’s small way of helping the immense retailer move ahead.

The Bethlehem Township Zoning Hearing Board will meet to hear these appeals and other matters at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the municipal building, 4225 Easton Ave.

Agendas are subject to change. Check the township website for updates.

— Disclosure: I own shares in Amazon. However I will not be an objector at the hearing.