Business & Tech

Plan for Former Valley Excavating Approved

The Hellertown Planning Commission approves a plan presented by John Ingles, who owns Freedom Landscaping.

Hellertown planners unanimously approved a redevelopment proposal March 12 for the former Valley Excavating at 1700 Clauser St.

The proposal to turn the property into the new home of Freedom Landscaping was presented by owner John Ingles, who said most of his business' work is performed in the Saucon Valley area.

According to its website, "Freedom Lawn Care & Landscaping is a premier full service property maintenance and landscaping company located in the Lehigh Valley, serving residential and commercial customers for more than (25) years."

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Ingles said his business is normally shut down from December to March, unless there is snow to be plowed.

"We don’t have any Sunday operations and Saturday operations are very rare," he said.

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Among the types of excavating work that Freedom performs are the construction of retaining walls and driveways.

Examples of Freedom's driveway work can be seen in the Stever Mills development built by Blair Homes on Creek Road in Bethlehem, Ingles said.

In response to a recommendation from engineer Bryan Smith that plantings be used as screening along part of the property's perimeter, Ingles said he was thinking about planting arborvitae along the Kiernan Avenue fence line.

Smith noted that homes are located opposite the business on Kiernan Avenue.

The west side of the property is bordered by the former rail line that one day could become the connector trail between the South Bethlehem Greenway and the Saucon Rail Trail, Smith commented.

Ingles said he is also planning to install new sidewalks along part of the property this spring.


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