Salisbury Township Planning Commission Vice Chair Stephen J. McKitish, Jr. was ready to break out the champagne.

"I have a bottle of champagne in the truck," McKitish joked.

While no champagne was forthcoming, the occasion was the Oct. 14 recommendation by a 6-0 vote of the Salisbury Township Planning Commission for the township board of commissioners to approve the new Salisbury Township Zoning Ordinance.

McKitish made the motion to bring the recommendation for approval of the ordinance to a vote.

The motion was seconded by Planning Commission member Dr. William R. Licht.

"Good job, everybody," Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer told planners after the approximate 30-minute discussion.

That "job" has taken about two years.

It still might not be time to pop the cork.

The planners' vote to recommend approval of the zoning ordinance is contingent upon its review by Salisbury Township Planning Commission Solicitor Atty. John W. Ashley.

"Let John [Ashley] look at that. You could recommend approval to commissioners pending John's review," Tettemer said prior to the vote. Planners agreed.

Planners also voted 6-0 to recommend to the township board of commissioners approval of revisions to the Salisbury Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

At the Oct. 14 meeting, planners also reviewed Sept. 23 correspondence from Urban Research & Development Corp. regarding the final review of the township zoning ordinance. URDC is consultant for the ordinance and SALDO updates.

It was reported Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka sent a copy of the new township zoning ordinance to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Oct. 9.

Pending LVPC review, feedback and approval, as well as Ashley's review, township commissioners will place the zoning ordinance on its agenda for a review and a vote.

A public hearing on the ordinance, which could coincide with one of the regular township commissioner meetings, must be held prior to the ordinance's adoption by commissioners.

Prior to the zoning ordinance vote, Licht asked if the township should adopt an ordinance to regulate mini cell towers, or antennas, which was one of the recommendations in the URDC letter.

Said Ashley, "That's an issue that may or may not come up. Zoning does not regulate public right-of-way. It regulates private property."

Planning commission officials hope commissioners vote to approve the new township zoning ordinance by year's end.

Then it might be time to pop the champagne, at least for New Year's Eve.