Supervisors agree to advertise draft kennel ordinance with limits on species and acreage

Supervisors directed staff to advertise a proposed kennel ordinance zoning amendment and forward the draft to both the Tinicum Township and Bucks County planning commissions for review. The draft will be revised to narrow the term "animals" to dogs and cats, insert a definition of "kennel" in the ordinance definitions, and consider increasing the minimum lot size to 10 acres to reduce likely variance requests.

Board members and solicitor discussed suggested details from neighboring-town ordinances: a possible population density cap (a suggestion raised was 5 animals per acre) and a nighttime curfew sample (West Rock Hill's example of keeping dogs indoors between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.). Solicitor Scott Hulbert said the advertised draft is the first step and that planning-commission review and public comment will follow. "I'll make a motion that we send out to advertising and to the planning commissions the dog kennel ordinance with changes that may be made as discussed here tonight," said Supervisor John Cole; the motion was seconded and approved. Resident Barb Quimby asked that supervisors review final language before publication; staff agreed to circulate the revised draft in advance.