Coopersburg Seal Borough of Coopersburg
Borough Hall, 5 N Main St, Coopersburg PA 18036 (610) 282-3307 (phone)

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here for FAQs about the Route 309 Widening Project

Our website will provide some answers, but always feel free to contact us at
Borough Hall. 
Carpenter Alley in Spring -- Pam Wallace ©

GENERAL

BOROUGH COUNCIL

BUDGET & TAXES

UTILITIES

OTHER

GENERAL  (back to top ^)

Q. How do I contact Coopersburg's Borough Hall?
A. Here is our information:

Q. How do I contact the Coopersburg Post Office and when are they open?
A: Here is their information:

Q. Do I live in Coopersburg?
A. Simply because you have a Coopersburg mailing address does not necessarily mean you live in the Borough of Coopersburg. The Coopersburg Post Office handles mail for Coopersburg, parts of Upper Saucon Township, Springfield Township, and Lower Milford Township.

Q. Where can I review a copy of the Borough ordinances?
A. A copy of the Coopersburg Code of Ordinances is always available for public viewing at the Borough offices. Copies of proposed or pending ordinances are also available for viewing.

Q. Is there a community guide for new or existing businesses?
A. The Coopersburg Business Revitalization Program has published Working with Coopersburg, a Guide for New or Existing businesses.  Click here for a copy (269 KB).

Q. Who do I contact with questions or problems with this web site?

 

BOROUGH COUNCIL  (back to top ^)

Q. When and where are Borough Council Meetings?
A. The Borough Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month except in June, July, August, and December, when Council meets only on the second Tuesday of the month.  Please check the Calendar for updates and changes.

Meetings are at 7:00 P.M. in Borough Hall at 5 N Main St., Coopersburg, PA, 18036.

The Building is handicapped accessible and there is ample parking behind the Fire Company Social Hall and at the Wachovia Bank.

Q. How do I obtain copies of agendas and minutes of Council meetings?
A. Minutes are always available in the Borough Office. Unapproved and draft copies of the previous meeting's minutes are available at the Council meetings.  Online agendas and approved minutes are available on the Agendas & Minutes page of this website.

Q. How do I get added to the agenda to speak at the next Council meeting?
A. Every Council meeting has a public comment period included in the agenda. This usually follows the regular Roll Call at the beginning of the meeting. If you wish to be included in the listed agenda, please call the Borough offices the Thursday before the Tuesday meeting.

 

BUDGET & TAXES  (back to top ^)

Q. How much is the Borough of Coopersburg's budget?
A. The Borough must adopt its budget by the last day of December for the following year. The Coopersburg Borough budget for 2008 was adopted on 12/11/2007.

    Budget Budget
    2007 2008
General Fund Revenues $2,958,497 $3,320,252
  Expenditures $3,075,080 $2,277,368
  Difference -$116,583 -$57,116
       
Sewer Fund Revenues $768,200 $659,500
  Expenditures $454,400 $700,000
  Difference $313,799 -$40,500
       
Liquid Fuels Fund1 Revenues $79,907 $115,451
  Expenditures $53,511 $61,000
  Difference $26,396 $54,451
       

1 State-provided provisions which provide a permanent allocation of a part of the liquid fuels, fuels and oil company franchise tax proceeds to cities, boroughs, incorporated towns and townships, for their road, street and bridge purposes.
- The Pennsylvania Code, § 449.1, www.PACode.com

Q. Is the Borough of Coopersburg's budget open for public inspection? Where should I go to see it?
A. Yes, the budget is on file in the administrative offices in Borough Hall and is always open for public inspection.

Q. When are real estate (or property) tax bills mailed to property owners?
A. Coopersburg real estate tax bills and County of Lehigh real estate tax bills are mailed to property owners around April 1st of each year. 

Southern Lehigh School District real estate tax bills are mailed to property owners around July 1st of each year.

Q. When are real estate (or property) tax payments due?
A. Coopersburg real estate tax payments and County of Lehigh real estate tax payments are due between June 1 and July 31 of each year. 
- A 2% discount for early payment is applied to net payments paid by May 31. 
- A 10% penalty for late payments is applied to payments made after July. 
- Taxes not paid by December 31 will be turned over for delinquent tax collection.

Southern Lehigh School District's real estate tax payments are due between
September 1 and October 31 of each year. 
- A 2% discount for early payment is applied to net payments paid by August 31. 
- A 10% penalty for late payments is applied to payments made after October.

Q. What is Coopersburg's real estate (or property) tax rate?
A. For 2008, Coopersburg's real estate tax rate is 13 mills. This calculates to $650 on a property assessed at $50,000. 

Millage-based taxes are based on $1 tax for every $1,000 assessed property value.  For example, $50,000 (assessed property value) / 1,000 x 13 mills = $650 tax.

Q. Who determines Coopersburg's real estate tax rate?
A. Borough Council sets the Coopersburg real estate tax rate annually during the process of the adoption of the Borough budget. The rate is set by the end of the year for the following year and are based upon the anticipated revenues at the set tax rate. Lehigh County sets the rate for Lehigh County taxes and the Southern Lehigh School District sets the rates for school taxes.

Q. What is the County of Lehigh's real estate tax (or property) rate?
A. For 2008, the County of Lehigh's real estate tax rate is 10.25 mills. This calculates to $512.50 on a property assessed at $50,000.

Millage-based taxes are based on $1 tax for every $1,000 assessed property value.  For example, $50,000 (assessed property value) / 1,000 x 10.25 mills = $512.50 tax.

Q. How do I contact the County of Lehigh's tax office?
A. The County of Lehigh Fiscal Office may be reached at (610) 782-3112 on weekdays from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Their mailing address is County of Lehigh, Fiscal Office - Room 119, 17 S Seventh St., Allentown, PA 18101-2400.

Q. What is the Southern Lehigh School District's real estate tax (or property) rate?
A. For 2008, the Southern Lehigh School District's real estate tax rate is 43.8 mills.  This calculates to $2,190 on a property assessed at $50,000.

Note: For 2008, you may be eligible for Farmstead/Homestead tax relief under the Pennsylvania Taxpayer Relief Act.

Millage-based taxes are based on $1 tax for every $1,000 assessed property value.  For example, $50,000 (assessed property value) / 1,000 x 43.8 mills = $2,190 tax.

Q. Where can I get a duplicate copy of my Coopersburg real estate (or property) tax and School tax bills?
A. Duplicate tax bills are available from the Tax Collector. Please call 610-282-1266 after 5 P.M. for arrangements.

Q. What is the local earned income tax rate?
A. The local earned income tax rate for Southern Lehigh is 1%.

Q. How do I contact the local earned income tax office?
A. The Southern Lehigh School District Earned Income Tax Office may be reached at (610) 974-9510.

Their mailing address is Southern Lehigh School District, Earned Income Tax Office, 5550 Rt. 378, P.O. Box 130, Center Valley, PA 18034-0130.

 

UTILITIES  (back to top ^)

Q. Why is my water and sewer bill different each quarter?
A. Water and Sewer bills are based upon the consumption of water. Water meters are read by borough employees quarterly and a bill is prepared using billing software based upon the water meter reading. Trash bills are also generated quarterly and are included with the sewer and water bills on a postcard type bill mailed to property owners the first week of the new quarter.

Q. When is trash picked up and what is recycled?
A. Trash (solid waste) and recycling will be picked up by the municipal waste contractor, J.P. Mascaro. Collection and disposal of trash will be Tuesdays and Fridays. Recyclables will be collected on Fridays.

There will be no trash or recycling collected on Borough holidays.  If a holiday falls on a Tuesday, trash will be picked up on the following Friday.  If a holiday falls on a Friday, trash will be picked up on the following Tuesday and the recycling will be picked up on the following Friday. (Check the Calendar for modifications to this policy.)

All parties or persons occupying premises within the Borough of Coopersburg, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, will be required to provide water-tight plastic or metallic cans with outside handles and with tightly fitting covers and of a capacity of not less than ten (10) gallons and not more than thirty-two (32) gallons, or securely tied plastic garbage bags. Large riffraff need not be bagged. All ashes must be placed in a non-flammable metallic container. Newspapers and magazines shall be securely tied in bundles or placed in brown paper bags. Garbage shall be thoroughly drained of all water and placed in plastic bags or placed in an approved container. All refuse containers must be placed on the street or alley curbside by 5:00 A.M.

Acceptable recyclables include:

Collection of bulk items and appliances will occur each Friday. White goods and appliances that are recyclable such as refrigerators, freezers, metal cabinets and shelves shall be picked-up on the Friday of every week. Refrigerators and air conditioners containing Freon must display the certification sticker noting the Freon has been evacuated from the item. White goods no longer require a sticker from the Borough. Residents should call the Borough offices to have white goods removed and the Borough in turn will call the contractor to have the item properly disposed of. Bulk refuse (riffraff) such as furniture, mattresses, storm sashes, screens, rugs, etc., not designated as recyclable by the Borough of Coopersburg, will also be collected on Friday of each week. In addition, construction debris is allowed limited to a total of 70 pounds per household. The public is instructed to cut materials such as carpeting or lumber into five foot lengths.

Please call the Borough offices with any questions.

 

OTHER  (back to top ^)

Q. What local businesses remove Freon from air conditioners and refrigerators?
A. By Federal law, the refrigerant in air conditioners and refrigerators must be removed prior to the unit being sent to the landfill. Most trash contractors, including ours, requires the Freon to be removed by the owner before they will remove it to the landfill. The Freon removal business will attach a certification sticker to the appliance when the Freon is removed.

Below is a list of businesses found in the yellow pages that will service your Freon-containing appliances. The Borough of Coopersburg does not endorse any of the businesses or their services. This list is merely a guide to locating local Freon-removal agents.

Air Professionals (Bethlehem)

610-865-0749

Britt's Auto Repair (Bethlehem)

610-865-5327

Gooze's Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (Bethlehem)

610-691-6104

 

 

Lehigh Supply

610-867-0567

Lyons (Allentown, Commercial units only)

610-530-2600

National MS Society (Allentown, Donate your AC unit)

800-548-4611

 

 

Mahr Enterprises (Northampton)

610-261-1037

Reiss Brothers Hauling

610-346-7535

Yeager's Fuel Inc

610-974-8088

(List updated and verified on 2/15/2008)

Q. What are the zoning and building guidelines?
A. Permits are required in Coopersburg when an owner intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge alter, repair, convert, or replace an electrical gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code.

A permit is NOT required for:

AN ORDINARY REPAIR DOES NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT. THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ORDINARY REPAIRS:

Applications may be obtained at the Borough offices during normal business hours and should include the following information.

General Building Code Guidelines:

ALL CONSTRUCTION MUST CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE CODES ADOPTED BY THE BOROUGH OF COOPERSBURG AND ALL OTHER MUNICIPAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS. THESE ARE GENERAL GUIDELINES AND DO NOT COVER ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BOROUGH’S ZONING, SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES, AND OF THE BUILDING, PLUMBING AND FIRE CODES.

Q. Where is Coopersburg and what are the demographics?
A. Coopersburg is a Borough located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

GEOGRAPHY

Coopersburg is located at 40°30'37"N, 75°23'24"W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Borough has a total area of 2.4 square kilometers or 0.9 square miles, all land.

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,582 people, 983 households, and 671 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,072 per square kilometer or 2,780 per square mile. There were 1,050 housing units at an average density of 435 per square kilometer or 1,130 per square mile. The racial makeup of the Borough was 96.01% White, 0.70 % African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 983 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and older, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $43,603 and the median family income was $51,935. Males had a median income of $36,938 versus $29,545 for females. The per capita income for the Borough was $21,689. About 2.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under the age of 18 and 4.5% of those 65 or over.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.  It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Coopersburg, Pennsylvania".

Click here to review the U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder for Coopersburg.