West Cocalico Twp. approves regulations for new dog kennels

West Cocalico Township supervisors Tuesday unanimously approved one of the strictest dog kennel laws in northern Lancaster County, limiting breeding operations to properties of no less than 10 acres.

In addition to ratcheting up the acreage requirement — previously 2 acres — the new law prohibits kennels within 300 feet of a residence or school. The ordinance previously did not include a setback requirement.

The move follows the township’s rejection of an application by Aaron Martin, of 220 N. Line Road, to put a kennel on his 9.7-acre property, which borders the Garden at Stevens nursing home and Cocalico School District soccer fields.

He asked to build a roughly 16-by-30-foot kennel to house 16 adult dogs, with a maximum breeding capacity of 60 dogs per year.

Martin did not appeal the rejection of his plan, but he and others have noted that the new kennel restrictions appear to be directly aimed at his proposal.

Martin has since resubmitted his kennel application to the township zoning hearing board, which will hear his case Aug. 8.

The new ordinance does not apply to any applications submitted prior to Sunday, when the law takes effect.

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Board and resident reaction

Supervisors Chairman J.J. Stoner said the point of the new ordinance is to keep kennels on farms and away from houses.

“In West Cocalico Township, the only place you can have a kennel is supposed to be on the agricultural land,” Stoner said. “In this particular case, we thought it was prudent to improve our language here because we’re getting too close to the residential districts.”

Prior to supervisors voting, residents spoke on both sides of the issue.

Bonnie Iwanowski and Wendy Sweigart, residents of Stevens, expressed their support for the ordinance.

“I’m here to make sure that you’re going to pass that ordinance about the dog kennels because I live next door to one,” Iwanowski said. “Three hundred feet is good. It’s better than what I have now.”

Sweigart told the board she knows of other potential breeders on Swamp Ridge Road and expressed concern about the kennels’ legitimacy and their treatment of the dogs. Stoner assured Sweigart the board would look into her concerns and share any findings at their Aug. 1 meeting.

Richard Sauder, a Reinholds resident, encouraged the supervisors when making their decision to consider families who live on smaller properties and benefit from extra income through operating a kennel. “That’s what I’m here for, to just encourage you not to be too strict,” he said.

Nathan Zimmerman, another Reinholds resident, questioned the decision to increase the minimum lot area requirement from 2 to 10 acres.

Supervisor Leon Eby defended the decision, saying the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture considers 10 acres to constitute a farm, which is the point of the ordinance.

Leon Martin, a Denver resident, raised a question regarding the township’s definition of a kennel compared to the Department of Agriculture definition.

According to the Department of Agriculture, a kennel is “any establishment in or through which at least 26 dogs are kept or transferred in a calendar year, or a boarding kennel as defined in this act.” Furthermore, a commercial kennel is “a kennel that breeds or whelps dogs and: (a) sells or transfers any dog to a dealer or pet shop-kennel, or (b) sells or transfers more than 60 dogs per calendar year.”

The township’s updated kennel law does not specify the number of dogs. Township Manager Carolyn Hildebrand said she would ask township solicitor Josele Cleary to determine whether the township should make a minor amendment to the ordinance.

The kennel ordinances of neighboring municipalities are not as severe. In East Cocalico Township, the current kennel regulations allow dog-breeding operations of up to 50 dogs on 5 acres of land with a setback requirement of 150 feet from the nearest property line, and larger kennels on 10 acres of land, with a maximum of 100 dogs and setback requirements of 300 feet.

To the east in Brecknock Township, there is no acreage requirement for a kennel; however, all kennels must be a minimum of 100 feet from property lines and 200 feet from neighboring residences. Similarly, Elizabeth Township to the west has no acreage requirement, but all kennels must be at least 200 feet from property lines.