Easton Zoning Hearing: Experts Testify on 1M-SF Warehouse Impact

This post examines recent proceedings before the Easton Zoning Hearing Board and the city planning commission. The focus is on the proposed 1 million-square-foot Easton Commerce Center on the former Pfizer Pigments site.

It summarizes the zoning deliberations and engineering testimony about floodplain and stormwater design. Environmental and geotechnical findings are also discussed, along with the procedural status as the project awaits further review.

As an architect-engineer with three decades of experience, I’ll highlight technical and regulatory considerations. These are important for large industrial redevelopment projects in floodplains and mixed municipal jurisdictions.

Table of Contents

Project snapshot and why it matters

The Easton Commerce Center is proposed to occupy 106.2 acres near 13th Street and Route 22. Most of the site is in Wilson Borough, with portions in Easton and Palmer Township.

Warehousing is permitted by-right in parts of Palmer Township. The developer, Easton Wood Ave Propco, has requested special exceptions to alter a watercourse and build a roadway and retention basin within the floodplain.

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The site sits on a former chemical manufacturing facility and includes a previously unmapped watercourse. This raises concerns about stormwater management, floodplain compliance, ecological impacts, soil conditions, and long-term site safety.

Key testimony and contested points

At the zoning hearing, attorneys and expert witnesses presented competing technical claims. The applicant’s team described a design to relocate an “unknown tributary” to an above-ground channel.

They argued this would reduce flood risk and improve aquatic habitat. Their landscape architect testified the plan would lower flow velocity and received favorable reviews from the city’s stormwater consultant and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

Opponents questioned the hydrologic flow-rate calculations and soil classifications used to justify the proposed channel and retention system. A geologist for the applicant testified that soil sampling supports safe redevelopment without exposing future users to residual contaminants.

Engineering and environmental issues to watch

Projects of this scale in a floodplain require careful analysis. The following technical elements are commonly scrutinized during hearings and reviews:

Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling: Confirm peak flows, flood elevations, and channel capacities with transparent assumptions and sensitivity analyses.

Soil and subsurface characterization: Use dense sampling and standard classification systems to support foundation, infiltration, and contaminant migration decisions.

Contamination and remediation plans: Demonstrate that redevelopment will not create exposure pathways for workers or future occupants.

Habitat and permit coordination: Coordinate with fish and wildlife agencies when altering watercourses to ensure ecological gains are documented and enforceable.

Regulatory alignment: Address FEMA floodplain rules, state DEP stormwater standards, and local zoning exceptions with clear compliance matrices.

Procedural status and implications for designers

The zoning board adjourned after nearly three hours of testimony without scheduling a continuation date. The city’s planning commission will resume review after previously denying a waiver request from the applicant.

For design teams working on similar brownfield-to-industrial conversions, early and transparent engagement with municipal staff, independent consultants, and regulators is essential. Expect questions on flow regimes, channel design for aquatic habitat, and documentation of remedial actions for contaminated soils.

Final thoughts for project teams

Large warehouse projects on complex sites involve more than just footprint and logistics. They depend on hydrology, geotechnical integrity, environmental safety, and local trust.

Developers should invest in robust modeling and third-party peer review. Community outreach is also important to reduce delays and legal risks.

Here is the source article for this story: Landscape architect, geologist testify in Easton zoning hearing for 1 million-sf warehouse