HARRISBURG – A measure giving municipalities additional tools to determine how a planned development project may impact the region is being introduced. Lehigh County Rep. Michael Schlossberg said mega-real estate developers are turning agricultural and open spaces into road-clogging warehouses and other uses that hurt taxpayers through costly infrastructure nightmares, not to mention their quality of life related to more traffic, higher pollution levels, and land deterioration. His bill would provide for a comprehensive review and approval process, where potential adverse impacts from development are appropriately evaluated and mitigated and where cost-effective and reasonable accountability measures are put in place. Schlossberg said reasonable and responsible development is expected; but that development needs to take into account the impact it has on a specific area. The bill stems from recommendations made by a Joint State Government Commission task force.
