Officials demand laws to control runoff

Lower Macungie has a large number of problem areas, from developers dumping storm-water runoff onto neighboring properties, and new laws need to be created to prevent the situation from getting worse

Many people who are involved believe that developers should be required to prove storm water from their projects will get to streams, rather than being ''pocketed'' on other people's land. They also should be required to build larger detention ponds to hold more water, and at least one ''regional pond'' is needed to reduce flooding by holding back storm-water runoff.

Flooded homes around Spring Creek Road were among the hardest hit in the Lehigh Valley when heavy rain from remnants of Hurricane Ivan caused the Little Lehigh Creek to overflow last month. Those residents blame development for that flooding.

The township's approval process for a new development isn't working in regard to storm-water controls so it is suggested that future plans will show exactly how developers intend to direct runoff into near by streams.

Also suggested was that the planning process should be slowed, and zoning officers should be required to visit sites of proposed developments and evaluate how the storm water should be controlled, rather than depending on an engineer and cited paper work.

Source: The Morning Call