Easton Residents Deliver Final Objections Ahead of Dec. 3 Vote on 1M‑Sq‑Ft Wood Ave. Warehouse

Opponents make their closing case as planners prepare to decide

After more than a year of review, the Easton Planning Commission will consider a final decision on Dec. 3 for a proposed 1 million-square-foot warehouse at 1525 Wood Ave. On Wednesday evening, a packed Easton City Hall heard the last of the opposition testimony as a coalition of residents and expert witnesses presented concerns about environmental impacts, traffic and noise.

Experts challenge developer materials and modeling

The opposition had previously submitted a large binder of evidence. Scannell Properties, the developer, responded with expert witnesses at two late-night hearings. At Wednesday's session, attorney Cody Harding called several additional experts to rebut the developer's materials and analyses. Solicitor Joel Sheer reminded witnesses to keep testimony focused on issues raised by the developer's experts at prior meetings.

Daniel Brown, a 3D-modeling specialist, presented visual simulations built from official topographical data, engineering drawings and Google Earth imagery. Brown said the renderings show how the warehouse would substantially alter site contours and neighborhood sightlines, require extensive retaining walls and change views toward the Silk Mill and Bushkill Creek. He contrasted those simulations with the applicant's promotional images, arguing that industry-standard modeling better verifies scale and elevation.

"The renderings demonstrate a meaningful change in scale and sightlines for nearby residents," Brown testified.

Developer counsel Mark Kaplan objected repeatedly to Brown's exhibits, questioning their evidentiary value and asking whether licensed engineers had authenticated the underlying drawings. Kaplan argued the commission should rely on certified plans officially filed by the applicant.

Traffic, security and noise concerns

Traffic engineer Peter Terry of Benchmark Civil Engineering Services reviewed the project's traffic and acoustic assessments. Terry said the applicant relied too much on off-peak traffic data and did not adequately account for on-site vehicle movements that can raise noise and activity. He also noted that large distribution facilities commonly include guard houses for security — an element absent from the submitted site plan — and that a guard house could materially affect internal circulation and congestion patterns.

"From my experience with facilities of this size, guard houses are typical. They change traffic flow and where vehicles queue," Terry said.

Bailey Hilgren, a Ph.D. candidate at New York University studying environmental noise and health, criticized the applicant's noise modeling for simplifying terrain effects and overlooking operational noise sources such as truck alarms and loading-dock activity. She highlighted that the applicant's projected nighttime sound range of 47 to 52 dBA sits at the legal limit, leaving little or no margin for error if actual conditions are worse. Hilgren also pointed out the noise study excluded construction noise and did not examine how surface materials might change sound propagation.

Kaplan challenged Hilgren's qualifications, arguing academic study does not substitute for professional licensure or direct experience conducting acoustical studies.

Former tractor-trailer driver Jeremy Gold provided practical context about how trucks move through distribution centers, including queuing, security checks and drop-off procedures. He explained Pennsylvania's idling rules and noted exceptions for loading and unloading that can increase onsite engine idling and associated noise.

What comes next

All testimony is complete. The Easton Planning Commission is scheduled to decide on the proposed warehouse at its Dec. 3 meeting at 6:30 p.m. in Easton City Hall. Commission Chair Ken Greene thanked residents for their sustained participation, calling the process thorough.

Key facts:

• Project: 1 million-square-foot warehouse at 1525 Wood Ave.
• Developer: Scannell Properties
• Next step: Easton Planning Commission decision on Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m., Easton City Hall

Read the original reporting on lehighvalleylive.com.