Salisbury Township has a new zoning ordinance.

The township board of commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to adopt the ordinance, which has been some two years in the making.

"Officially now we have a new ordinance," Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano said following the vote.

Commissioner Robert Martucci, Jr. made the motion to put the ordinance up for a vote, seconded by Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton.

The zoning ordinance follows years of work by the township planning commission, consultants, attorneys and residents on the ordinance, and additional years of work on the previously-adopted Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, commonly referred to by its acronym, SALDO, which was also updated, and the township comprehensive plan, also revamped.

The new ordinance stipulates beekeeping cannot take place 30 feet or less from a lot line of any dwelling or a street and, if the beekeeping activity takes place 30 to 60 feet from the lot line, a six-foot-high fence is required.

Concerns by some township residents about the apparently more stringent zoning law regarding the keeping of honeybee hives can be addressed by previous use, or grandfathering of pre-existing beekeeping hobbyists, by beekeepers applying for special exceptions or variances or by an amendment to the ordinance.

Indications from Salisbury Township Solicitor Atty. John W. Ashley, as well as Soriano and some commissioners at the March 26 township meeting, when the new ordinance was adopted, are the zoning ordinance may be amended to address township beekeepers' concerns.

"Our solicitor [Ashley] and myself have reviewed the matter," Soriano told commissioners and several residents in attendance on the beekeepers' behalf.

"Although there may be a need to review that section [regarding beekeeping], I don't think there's a need to delay it at this time because 99 percent of that [the new zoning ordinance] does not deal with bees," Soriano said.

Prior to the vote on adopting the zoning ordinance, Brinton asked, "I just want to make sure that this [the ordinance's beekeeping section] applies to new beekeepers and that anyone who had a beehive will be grandfathered."

Replied Ashley, "Correct."

"And we could amend it [the beekeeping section]?" Brinton asked.

"Correct," Ashley replied.

Commissioner Joanne Ackerman said she had the same concerns as Brinton.

During the public comment portion prior to the vote, Jan Keim, a township resident, said, "A restrictive ordinance on beekeeping could have an impact on the farming community."

Beekeeping is typically classified as an agricultural endeavor.

"I never saw anybody take a bee for a walk," Keim quipped to laughter in the township municipal building meeting room.

The new township zoning ordinance places beekeeping under the pets section.

"I'm incredulous that it's [the beekeeping section] under pets," Keim said emphatically.

"Why not here and now place it under agriculture?" Keim asked.

"If we move beekeeping under agriculture would that be a major change?" Brinton asked.

"Yes," Ashley answered .

Ashley said the entire process of adopting the ordinance, including new public hearings by the township planning commission and commissioners would have to be held because such a change would be considered "substantial."

Ashley noted the new zoning ordinance was available for public review for months on the township website and at the township office.

"We did not advertise everything that was changed," Ashley said.

Jill Stanley, also a township resident, said of the beekeeping section, "If it's under pets, why don't you have a fence around pitbulls?"

At the March 18 public hearing for the zoning ordinance, beekeepers questioned the requirement for a six-foot fence for beehives placed 30 to 60 feet from a property line.

Responded Soriano, "What I would propose that after this is done, you can have an appropriate ordinance.

"To hold off everything else because of bees ... " Soriano said, his voice trailing off.

"You can move next month specifically for an ordinance on bees," Soriano told commissioners prior to their vote.

"The zoning ordinance can be amended at any time," Soriano said.

"We can talk about this for an hour and just talk about bees," Commissioner President James A. Brown said, adding, "We can put it [beekeeping zoning regulations] on the workshop for the next meeting."

Ackerman recommended a professional beekeeper be present for the workshop discussions.

Steve Finke, president, Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association, and vice president, Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association, attended the March 18 hearing.

Long-time township residents, Dr. Richard J. Cusick and his wife Norma, a former township commissioner, also attended the March 18 hearing, saying the ordinance's setback rules for beekeeping would make it prohibitive for them to continue to pursue their hobby.

"It's a matter of taking the time and reconsidering it," Soriano said of the beekeeping section of the ordinance.

"It makes sense and I agree with that," Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka said.

Sopka has cited efforts to encourage beekeeping, including an introduction to beekeeping class held at Lehigh Carbon Community College and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's "Bee In- formed Partnership."