He returned to the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners for a second time in as many weeks to complain about an alleged troublesome neighboring property with a barking and possibly dangerous dog.

He said the neighbor’s large dog attacked him and his own smaller dog. He said the property next door is not being maintained properly.

Neighbors’ squabbles are typically dismissed by public officials as a matter best handled by the neighbors themselves or their legal representatives.

This time, though, Ronald Evans’ complaints have spurred the township board and Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano to look into the possibility of tightening township ordinances regarding barking dogs and properties landlords rent to tenants.

Soriano said township officials, including Atty. John W. Ashley, who is the township board of commissioners’ and planning commission solicitor, are looking into the township animal control ordinance, which covers barking and dangerous dogs.

During the workshop following the July 12 commissioners’ meeting, Soriano said, “There are some proposed tweaks to the animal control ordinance ... in addition to tenant-owner to be notified and could be cited.

“The noise section is pretty clear: how a dog owner must comply. We’re not making changes to that.

“There is a section on vicious dogs and we’re going to look at that.”

Soriano said the private property ordinance limit on the height of weeds, with grass to be added, may be reduced from one foot to six inches.

Maintenance of fences may be increased.

Swimming pools may be required to be covered or empty.

The regulation of unregistered vehicles may be tightened, with a cover and inflated tires required.

“I want to enforce these [regulations], but I want to be specific and I wanted the language to be cleaner,” Sandy Nicolo, Salisbury Township assistant zoning officer, code enforcement officer and MS4 coordinator, said.

“We can clean them up [ordinances revisions] and present them and list them on our next agenda,” Soriano said.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners next meets 7 p.m. July 28 in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.

Nicolo said he filed a property maintenance notice May 11 about the property Evans has complained about.

Nicolo said a hearing on the notice is scheduled July 25 before District Judge Michael J. Pochron, District Court 31-01-08, which serves Salisbury and Fountain Hill.

“You cited him. The hearing will go forward. We’ll see what happens,” Ashley said.

“Sandy’s [Nicolo] doing a terrific job on the other problem. We already have a date [for the hearing],” Evans said at the July 12 commissioners’ meeting.

Evans, vice chairman, Salisbury Township zoning hearing board, also complained about the property at the June 23 board of commissioners’ meeting.

Evans, who lives in the 1600 block of Beech Street in Salisbury, said the next-door property is occupied by a family who rents it.

Evans disputed the number of reported barking dog complaints as stated in a July 6 Salisbury Press article.

“The Salisbury Press reported only nine barking dog complaints. I called him [Charles Durner, Salisbury Township Animal Control Officer] more than that.

“We both laughed about that article. Only nine complaints in 2015. That was a joke,” Evans said, adding other complaints about barking dogs were made by his other neighbors.

Evans described the problem as “a year and one-half of barking dogs.”

The statistics for animal control enforcement were in a Salisbury Township Police Department 2015 annual report provided to The Press.

Evans said he complained to township officials about barking dogs in March of this year. He said he most recently complained the afternoon of July 14.

“They do their business in our yard, so we have to clean it up,” Evans said.

“We can’t go out the side door because of the dogs barking and banging up against the fence,” Evans said.

“Is that a vicious dog?” Soriano asked Evans, who replied, “Yes.”

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Allen W. Stiles said, “We notify Mr. Durner because he is our animal control officer.

“However, if someone requests a police officer, we will send one, as we did today [July 12].”

“I’m sorry that’s the way you have to live,” Commissioner Joanne Ackerman said to Evans.

“Our consideration has to be the health and welfare of the neighbors,” Commissioner Vice President Robert Martucci Jr. said.

Evans claimed the neighbors are raising dogs and selling them. He claimed there are eight dogs in the neighbor’s house.

According to township officials, a limit of six dogs can be housed in one residence.

“Mr. Durner showed me the citation. This process is in place,” Soriano said.

“We’ll look into it,” Commissioner President James A. Brown assured Evans.