East Hanover supes to consider chicken broiler house zoning at June meeting

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors on Monday said they will be ready to vote on a zoning change request at its June 29 meeting to allow broiler houses in a neighborhood currently zoned for low-density residential.

Broiler houses are facilities designed for raising chickens specifically bred for meat production. At a March 30 public hearing of the planning commission, numerous residents voiced concerns about the petition filed by Chad and Dawn Shuey to rezone an approximate 45-acre parcel at 10350 Jonesville Road as agricultural, according to that meeting’s minutes.

At that hearing, Chad Shuey said he and his wife “may look at putting up chicken houses” if the zoning request is approved.

Township supervisors received a letter from Nye Consulting Services Inc. before Tuesday’s meeting, in which Bert Nye responded to the previously expressed residents’ concerns. In that letter, Nye wrote that “modern broiler houses are engineered to protect air quality inside the house this directly improves the air quality outside the house [sic].”

Nye also addressed concerns with air quality, water contamination, well water impact, traffic, property values, runoff, pests, pollution, odor and wind direction. While supervisors did not discuss the letter’s specifics during Tuesday’s meeting, they acknowledged that they will be ready to vote on the zoning request at their June meeting.

Agricultural zoning issues were further spotlighted when Marvin Smith, chairman of the planning commission, reported that the commission is not yet ready to make recommendations to the board regarding a proposed agricultural conservation zoning district. Residents’ key themes and concerns, according to a summary Smith presented, included opposition to government control and property restrictions, impact on land value and development rights, compatibility with conservation programs, permitted uses and farm-related businesses, fairness and scope of the district, support for farmland preservation, and technical and implementation questions.

In other action, supervisors passed a resolution authorizing a letter of understanding between the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The letter specifies that East Hanover Township will participate and cooperate in DCED’s further research into the viability of a regionalized and consolidated approach to the provision of fire services.

Also at the meeting, supervisors unanimously:

• Approved, contingent on insurance and bond, bids from Russell Standard and Pennsy Supply for oil and stone products.
• Approved a request to release financial security previously posted by Lee Dickerson, 7 Sawmill Lane, following Harmon’s review of the underlying project.
• Ratified the purchase of a new, $803.28 chainsaw for use by the recreation department.
• Approved a life skills and autistic support picnic to be held at a date yet to be determined.

Due to Memorial Day, the supervisors’ next meeting is set for Tuesday, May 26, at 7:30 p.m.

Editor’s note: Due to unexpected travel for a funeral, this story was reported after the meeting took place with the help of another LebTown contributor who attended the meeting and recorded it.