CRANBERRY TWP — The township supervisors are discussing when housing a few canine companions becomes a kennel and when it does not.

They intend to answer this question with a zoning ordinance amendment.

They plan to clarify the definition of a kennel at a public hearing at their next meeting, which has not been determined.

This need for clarification comes after a situation occurred in Beaver County where a rescue shelter was created in a residential neighborhood.

Township manager Jerry Andree said this change to the ordinance is to limit the possibility of a similar situation arising in Cranberry.

“We don’t want kennels in residential areas,” he said.

The new ordinance would apply to areas in the township that are zoned residential, he said.

The supervisors also will hold another public hearing for a zoning amendment to revise the definition of a methadone facility.

Methadone, which is a narcotic, is a medication used to relieve severe pain, but also used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in people who are addicted to opiate drugs such as morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl, according to the website everydayhealth.com.

Andree said other treatment methods for drug addiction are evolving using other medications, like Suboxone, which is a newer combination drug that helps with detox from prescription opioid addiction.

The township has methadone facilities but they are in specified locations. However these new treatment methods are not included in the ordinance.

With this new definition, the township trying to be proactive to make sure these types of facilities are only allowed in specified zones.

Andree said the township wants to address this issue before a facility is placed in a zone where the township can’t do anything about it because there is a hole in the ordinance.