The Lower Towamensing Township supervisors opted to participate in Bowmanstown’s invitation to discuss the Palmerton Area Comprehensive Plan.

At the meeting Tuesday night, Supervisor Jay Mullikin said he read an article that Lower Towamensing did not respond to Bowmanstown’s letter asking for their involvement. The letter also was sent to Palmerton and Towamensing Township, and both responded to the letter.

“We were part of the original comprehensive plan,” he said. “I think it’s important that we remain part of it. Otherwise, we lose the value of the comprehensive plan.”

A comprehensive plan between multiple, neighboring municipalities is a cooperative agreement that states how developed and undeveloped land will be used, according to the American Planning Association Pennsylvania Chapter. These use encompass commercial and residential areas, as well as park areas, natural resources, transportation, etc.

“It does impact us in the fact that the comprehensive plan allows us to move different zoning areas within the entire comprehensive plan zone,” Mullikin said. “Otherwise we would have to provide zoning for every use in this township alone. There is definitely a benefit.”

Supervisor Mike Takerer said he wasn’t sure if there was going to be an interest in reviewing the plan. Since there is interest, he thinks the township should send a letter to Bowmanstown to let them know the township would like to participate in the discussion.

Township solicitor James Nanovic said that it isn’t required that the comprehensive plan be updated, but some municipalities do update them.

According to Charles Schmehl, president of Urban Research and Development Corp. and mentioned in the article referred to by Mullikin, the current comprehensive plan was drafted by his company 15 years ago in 2009. Schmehl said there is increased state funding this year updates to planning and zoning.

In other business, the township received two bids for materials for the road repairs this summer. The bid from Lehigh Asphalt and Construction Co. was accepted for the 200 tons of 2B and 200 tons of #3 stone. New Enterprise Stone and Lime Co. had the lowest bid for 1,800 tons of 2A modified stone.

Road foreman Robin Cressley said the bids were lower than last year. “I thought the prices were pretty good.”

AMS had the lowest bid for the paving project on Maple Drive. The project involves oil and chipping the road from Fireline Road to Dairy Road with a double coat, Cressley said.

Nanovic asked if the cost was in the range that the township anticipated.

“It’s less than what we thought,” Cressley said. “It came in a $1.92 a square yard. Last year, we paid $2.32 a square yard.”

Connie Brown, the chairwoman of the supervisors, said the township received three bids for the paving project. The lowest bid was $165,000, followed by $187,000 and $193,000.

Cressley said the paving will begin around the end of June.