Northampton County has prepared a
Freight-Based Land Use Management Guide to assist municipalities in making land use decisions regarding freight-based development and to alleviate issues that result from these types of land uses. Our populated areas are increasing in density and freight-based development is becoming prevalent within the Lehigh Valley. While the county has experienced some good freight development that is supportive of larger goals and policies, these developments can have negative impacts on the community. Municipalities have land use tools available to them to help decide the best locations for these types of land uses and mitigate the issues associated with these developments.
The major focus of this Guide is to assist municipal governments in two specific areas:
1. To ensure that you are planning for freight-based land uses in areas that are compatible with adjoining land uses and are served by adequate public infrastructure such as public sewer, water, and transportation networks.
2. To ensure that your current ordinances are adequate to address the impacts of freight-based land uses.