A proposed relocation for a Lehighton car dealership is moving ahead with some tweaks in the plan that still need to be addressed.

During the Carbon County Planning Commission meeting recently, the board voted to recommend conditional final plan approval to Lehighton Ford’s relocation plan on Route 443.

The plans call for constructing a 22,170-square-foot service and showroom for relocation of the dealership. The Millen family, which owns the Lehighton Ford dealership, is purchasing the former Snyder Tire property along Route 443, just up the road from the current dealership site.

Ivan O. Meixell Jr., county planner, reviewed his findings, noting that there were some areas of noncompliance in the plans, and that the applicant was requesting waivers for preliminary final approval and right to final approval.

He added that before final approval is given by Lehighton Borough Council, several water-related items should be reviewed by the water and sewer authority.

Meixell pointed to his prior review of the plans in September, which showed the commission believed there were “several major areas of noncompliance with the requirements of the Lehighton Borough Land Development Ordinance,” and noted that many of those issues have been adequately mitigated by the applicant.

Ian Kauffman of Keystone Consulting Engineers reported that the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that was requested has been provided to the county and borough for inclusion with the plans.

He added that they are currently working on the water and sewer requirements; however, because the property is on the border of Lehighton Borough and Mahoning Township, it will need an intermunicipal agreement.

The planning commission’s recommendation and comments now have been sent to Lehighton, as well as the applicant, for further discussion before a decision is made.

Lehighton Ford has been in the process of upgrading or relocating for several years.

The company had applied for its current site to become a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance zone to allow for the dealership to build a new building on its site; however, only the borough approved the request. To get LERTA status, the school district, county and municipality must vote, with two of the three entities approving it.

In October 2024, Adam Brobst, general manager for Lehighton Ford, confirmed that the company was moving ahead with purchasing property up the road to relocate the business.

In December, Lehighton Borough Council granted a 60-day extension for the project.