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Commission recommends revised bees and chickens ordinance with coop height and flyway requirements
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended the zoning ordinance revisions for keeping bees and chickens to council. Changes include a clarified colony definition, a six‑foot limit on coop and run height, a 100‑foot setback for colonies from public congregation areas, and a flyway barrier sign requirement.
The Planning Commission voted to recommend a revised zoning ordinance governing the keeping of bees and chickens to borough council after approving several clarifying edits.
Solicitor Jake Leland described four primary changes: (1) a clarified definition of a colony as a single queen, hive and equipment; (2) a requirement that chicken coops and runs not exceed six feet in height to align with existing fence height rules (zoning section 205‑314); (3) a 100‑foot separation requirement for colonies from playgrounds, fields, monuments or other areas where the public commonly congregates; and (4) a requirement that any flyway barrier include signage warning that hives are present. Commissioners asked whether the flyway barrier should be explicitly described as solid or semi‑solid so it prevents lateral bee flight; Jake agreed to add wording to require a solid or semi‑solid barrier in backyards.
After a motion and second, the commission recommended the revised ordinance to council with the minor edits discussed.
