It is unclear if Moore Township Solicitor David Backenstoe, when studying for his law degree, had courses on horses, livestock and nuisance plants litigation, but he is getting an education now about these controversial matters.

In a unanimous 3-0 vote at the Moore Township Board of Supervisors meeting May 4, horses were banned from the Moore Township Recreation Center area. A brewing horse controversy developed over a period of time revolving around two issues: damage to the recreation center grounds and trails from horseback riding and horse droppings.

Township Manager Nicholas Steiner, reached after the meeting, noted the township’s rec center is not overrun with equestrians, but damage to the rec center from horseback riding is real. Steiner sees the horse droppings as not the major issue but inflammatory and highlights the issue that compelled supervisors to act.

At a previous meeting, board Chairman Daniel Piorkowski said the rec center and its trails were not designed for horse traffic. Supervisor David Shaffer stalled the action then by requesting Moore Township Police Chief Gary West be consulted to see if a horseback rider could be cited for not removing the horse’s fecal debris.

Backenstoe is also trying to tame a livestock challenge via a livestock ordinance. Being a bucolic, mostly rural township that includes many farmers working fields and owners of livestock, there are no laws governing animals that meander out of their fenced area onto township roads.

When a goat, cow or other farm animal chooses to wander onto a township road, the police are called, and there is really nothing they can do except to attempt to identify whose goat or cow it is and return it. A livestock ordinance could include a warning and/or fine for the livestock owner.

Another problem is a flora issue. There are pockets of bamboo overgrowth in the township.

Bamboo is considered by many municipalities a nuisance plant because of its unrelenting growth. An ordinance requiring bamboo remediation is being developed by Backenstoe.

Bamboo remediation is costly to a homeowner, thereby making an ordinance challenging because some properties are so large the bamboo is not infringing on a neighbor’s property and may not require immediate remediation.

The ordinance was tabled so that Backenstoe can further research the issue.

In other matters, a budgeted police car is out for bids. It is expected the car will be in service later this year.

Township public works Director Craig Hoffman is investigating the reconstruction costs of Trapper Road.

Trapper Road is a small road that has been neglected for years due to its private nature. It is seldom traveled on by the public and is considered by many a private road. Backenstoe is investigating the procedure to possibly take the road off the township’s ordained road file.

Supervisor Richard Gable, in his First Regional Compost Authority report, noted the authority’s hours of operation have been reduced. Previously, the FRCA hours were open from dawn to dusk. These nonspecific, unsupervised hours opened the site for the drop-off of items not allowed.

Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and dawn to dusk Saturdays. The authority is closed Sundays. Visit frcaweb.org for more information.

In recreation committee matters, one of the two rec center tennis courts will be painted for pickleball, a skate park initiative was tabled and rec center field fertilizer treatment is delayed because none of the township employees are a certified fertilizer applicator.

The Community Days committee is planning bands and movie nights at the rec center beginning in June. Visit mooretownship.org or call the township office for more details.

The next supervisors meeting is 6 p.m. June 1 at the rec center pavilion, English Road.