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Supervisors ask manager to clarify beekeeping enforcement after resident notice
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Summary
A supervisor raised concern about a resident who received a notice of violation under the township’s beekeeping ordinance despite keeping bees for 20 years; staff said they will check whether state Department of Agriculture registration or local rules triggered enforcement and report back.
During supervisor communications, a board member raised questions about enforcement of the township’s beekeeping ordinance after a resident who had bees for about 20 years received a notice of violation.
The supervisor said the notice required the resident to either take a beekeeping class and register with the state and township within 30 days or remove the bees. He said he was unclear whether the township’s ordinance should have grandfathered existing hives and asked staff to clarify whether the state Department of Agriculture requires a permit that the township cannot override.
A staff member noted the ordinance includes setbacks and also refers to compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture regulations; the manager said he would check whether a state permit is required or whether the township’s requirements were added locally and would report back to the board.
Why it matters: enforcement of local ordinances affects long-standing residents and raises questions about grandfathering, local-versus-state requirements and practical enforcement timelines.
What’s next: The manager will investigate whether the state requires registration and whether township rules should have grandfathered existing hives, then report findings to the board.
Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are included in the article’s speaker list.
