One of the major problems with land development in
the Lehigh Valley is that each municipality has its own zoning regulations.
Therefore, when one municipality develops commercial, residential, and
industrial areas, the surrounding municipalities may have to deal with
the negative impacts of the development, such as increased traffic congestion.
This form of land use planning forces municipalities to be reactive
instead of proactive about land use. One municipality creates unwanted
problems for a neighboring area, which in turn has to deal with the
consequences. This dilemma could be solved by creating more centralized
zoning laws that help municipalities work together for their mutual
benefit.
