In this Issue: Information for the Fall and Winter seasons; Leaf collection, snow removal, holiday closures, and Recreational programs & events.

On November 4, 2025, South Whitehall Township residents will be asked to vote on a referendum about preserving open space.

The referendum grows out of the work completed during the four-year Comprehensive Plan process. Over the past several years of work on the development of and implementation of the South Whitehall Township Comprehensive Plan (2023), residents consistently shared how important it is to protect the remaining open space in the community.

That feedback helped shape the Township’s Land Use Plan and overall vision for the next decade. One of the top priorities to come out of this effort was the creation of South Whitehall Landscapes, adopted in September 2024. that highlights the resources residents value most, from farmland and natural areas to historic sites, and outlines strategies to protect them.

The ballot question will be whether to approve a 0.1% increase in the Earned Income Tax (EIT), raising the rate from 1.0% to 1.1%.

If approved, the additional funding could be used in three main ways:

• Purchasing land or easements to preserve important open spaces identified in the South Whitehall Landscapes Plan.
• Paying down debt if bonds or other financing are used to acquire land.
• Improving and maintaining open space (up to 25% of funds, as permitted by state law) for habitat management, general upkeep, and limited recreation, consistent with the 2023 Parks & Recreation Plan and the 2024 Landscapes Plan.

By law, all funds must be used for open space purposes, and all spending will be subject to full public disclosure. On Election Day, residents will have the opportunity to vote “YES” or “NO.”

We encourage you to learn more by reviewing the South Whitehall Township Comprehensive Plan (2023), and the South Whitehall Landscapes plan.

Sincerely,

Tom

Open meeting requirements have existed for decades but have been strengthened over time to ensure through the Sunshine Act the right of the public to receive notice and to attend all meetings of agencies at which agency business is discussed or acted upon. 

The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, the Planning Commission, and all other boards and commissions authorized to take official action or render advice on matters of Township business are subject to the Sunshine Act. 

"Official action" refers specifically to recommendations made pursuant to law, the establishment of policy, decisions regarding Township business, and votes taken. 

The Sunshine Act requires that the public receive notice of the place, date and time of a meeting. South Whitehall Township fulfills those statutory requirements via newspaper publication, by posting a copy of the agenda outside the public building, by posting a copy on the Township website, and by making copies of the agenda available at the meeting for those in attendance.

Written minutes shall be kept of all open meetings at the Township, and shall include the following at a minimum:

• The date, time and place of the meeting.
• The names of members present.
• The substance of all official actions and a record by individual member of the roll call votes taken.
• The names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their testimony.

If you attend a meeting of the Board of Commissioners, you will find the Minutes from the prior meeting at the beginning of the agenda and subject to a vote to approve. Once approved, the Minutes are available to the public on the Township website.

A meeting can be closed to the public in certain instances including but not limited to the following:

• Executive sessions. Note, however, that the Township must still vote on a matter at an open meeting.
• Information sessions. In 2013, a Court decision found that gatherings held solely for the purpose of collecting information or educating agency members about an issue do not need to be open to the public, notwithstanding that the information may later assist the members in taking official action on the issue.

Meeting agendas must be posted at least 24 hours in advance although the Act allows additional items to be added to the agenda in the event of emergency, de minimis matters arising within 24 hours prior to the meeting, or if certain matters arise during the meeting.

Residents must be allowed a reasonable opportunity to comment prior to official action at a meeting, and in addition to allowing for public comment on each agenda item, the Board of Commissioners allows residents to speak under Courtesy of the Floor as listed on the agenda both at the beginning of each meeting and also at the end. Rules for orderly and respectful participation are available at https://www.southwhitehall.com/boards-commissions. 

In the spirit of transparency and openness as required by the Sunshine Act, the Township encourages public participation whenever possible. For a list of upcoming meetings and links for attendance, please visit the Calendar on the Township website.

The South Whitehall Township Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) has been working with the Township to implement important Open Space preservation goals voiced by residents and identified in the South Whitehall Landscapes plan.

Several of these actions include:

• Helping to define and characterize Open Space for inclusion in Township policies and codes.
• Identifying priority resource areas to update the Township Official Map.
• Investigating new resource protection ordinances and code updates.
• Reviewing zoning and SALDO updates related to open space requirements.
• Supporting the development and financing of an Open Space Preservation Program.

Developing and financing an Open Space Preservation Program is critical to help the Township proactively work to protect open spaces through the acquisition of properties and easements.

In order to make this a reality, the Township Board of Commissioners are asking the voters of South Whitehall to approve an Open Space Referendum this November. The Referendum asks for approval to increase the Earned Income Tax (EIT) by 0.1%, from 1.0% to 1.1% exclusively for the protection of open space in South Whitehall Township.

The question posed to the voters is:

“Do you favor the imposition of an Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.1% by South Whitehall Township to protect farmland, wildlife habitat, natural areas, drinking water supplies, water quality in streams, wetlands, scenic views, and historic resources by conserving land in the township, to retire debt associated with land conservation, and to maintain, improve, or develop land for conservation and recreation, with all spending subject to full public disclosure?”

“YES” or “NO”

This referendum is a key factor in whether the Township can pursue an Open Space Preservation Program.

As residents of South Whitehall, it is up to you to vote YES for the Open Space Referendum on Tuesday, November 4^th, 2025. Your vote can impact how we preserve the character and important resources of South Whitehall Township!

For more Referendum information Click Here.

For more EAC information Click Here.

Avoid the Second Shovel!

When clearing your driveway, remember to wait until after the snowplow has passed before doing your final shoveling near the street.

This helps you avoid the frustration of needing to shovel the end of your driveway twice after the plow pushes snow back in.

Help Keep Fire Hydrants Clear This Winter – Your Action Could Save Lives!

As winter approaches, it's important to address a critical safety issue that affects both residents and business owners in South Whitehall Township—keeping fire hydrants clear of snow and ice.

Fire hydrants are the primary water source used by our fire departments to fight fires throughout most of the Township. In an emergency, firefighters must be able to locate and access hydrants quickly. Snow and ice buildup, whether from snowstorms or plowing operations, can delay emergency response and endanger lives and property.

The Township maintains 702 public fire hydrants, many of which can become buried or obstructed after a snowfall. These delays can mean valuable time lost during an emergency response.

SWT Recreation's Events & Programs will be on our Website Year-Round!

We are re-designing our webpages; See our Annual Programs & Events and get your questions answered any time of the year! to better answer your questions time of the year!



Seasonal Program and Event information has always been available on our website, but would be taken down once out of season. While it helped streamline the website, it was less convenient for those with questions about out of season events or programs.

Recognizing this, we began working on on re-designing our Recreation section to display Year-Round programs and community events that occur annually in a user-friendly way!

In the meantime, the Recreation section of the website is still the best place to get program and event info like Trick or Treat night, the next big Community Event, or Adult/Youth Program offerings.

Stay up-to-date by following us on Facebook and Instagram and receiving emails from our Recreation Portal!

SWT Recreational Summer Camp Wrap-Up:

THANK YOU

Sponsors & Community Partners!

We are grateful for your generosity!

Recreation ICON Sponsor:

Event Sponsor: Community Day

Recreation ROCKSTAR Sponsors:

Recreation SQUAD Sponsors:

Recreation CREW Sponsor:

Recreational Community Events:

(Click the Images or Links below!)

FREE to Attend

FREE to Decorate a Car and Promote your Business or Organization to hundreds of families!

• Pop-Up Events on Sat., Dec. 13th, 4pm sharp.
• 3 Park Locations: Covered Bridge, Springhouse West, and Vistas Parks.

South Whitehall Township

4444 Walbert Ave.

Allentown, PA 18104