CRANBERRY TWP — The township supervisors still are discussing when having a few dogs goes from having a few pets to becoming a kennel.

The board had a public hearing Thursday night to discuss the definitions for kennels and methadone facilities as a technical zoning amendment.

Ron Henshaw, director of community development, said these were two separate issues being handled in one ordinance.

Henshaw said the township has found it necessary to update the zoning ordinance to amend the code sections regarding kennels and methadone facilities.

The need for clarification on the definition of a kennel comes after a situation that occurred in Beaver County, where a rescue shelter was created in a residential neighborhood. This change to the ordinance is to limit the possibility of a similar situation arising in Cranberry.

“The bill proposes to amend the definition of kennel as well as amending the table of uses by not allowing kennels in the R-1 zoning district,” Henshaw said. “The bill proposed to limit the number of dogs to six for properties under 20 acres and will allow up to 10 dogs on properties of 20 acres or more without being classified as a kennel.”

Henshaw said owners of residential properties that currently exceed the allowable number of dogs, where the dogs are not kept for compensation, may register a nonconforming use with the township within six months of the amendment being passed without being in violation of the ordinance.

Russell Lucas, township solicitor, said an earlier version of the bill combined the number of dogs and cats a residence could have.

Chairman Bruce Mazzoni said he supported the combination of the number of dogs and cats allowed at a residence.

“I think that the combination serves a better protection to our residents from that type of situation,” Mazzoni said.

During the public comment portion of the hearing, some people opposed combining the number of dogs and cats a person may have.

Mark and Lisa Paulson had a few concerns about the ordinance. They have three dogs and seven cats, which if they were to combine dogs and cats would put them over the limit.

Both of them prefaced the fact that all of their animals are well taken care of and are not causing issues.

Mark Paulson said if the township is having animal problems, it should address the concerns with the specific animals and their owners.

Lisa Paulson said people are the problem, not the animals.

“To sit here and say we are a kennel is not fair,” she said.

Lucas said the ordinance would not require the Paulson’s property to be classified as a kennel. Anyone over maximum number of animals defined in the ordinance once it is passed would be grandfathered in.

“It does not change the classification of the property, but you are still telling me how many pets I can have,” Lisa Paulson said.

Lisa Paulson asked since she has 10 animals and if one dies could she get another one to replace that pet and still be legal.

Township manager Jerry Andree said 10 animals would be legal for them since they would be registered at 10, but if they surpassed 10 that would be an expansion, which would not be permitted.

Mazzoni said they would be limited to the number of animals they have right now.

“Do see how unfair that sounds,” Lisa Paulson said. “You are going to punish me for being an exceptional pet owner.”

Mazzoni said all of the township’s rules impact someone.

“We have to do what is in the best interest of the majority,” Mazzoni said. “Unfortunately, it is not fair for everyone … That is the reality of it. We have to balance those types of things and those are the judgments we have to make day in and day out.”

Mazzoni asked at what point does a person’s kindness for animals stop? Is it once they reach 14 or 20 animals or before that.

After the public hearing was closed, the board opted to leave cats out of the number of pets a residence can have. It decided to have the ordinance limit the number of dogs a person can have to seven if their property is less than 20 acres and 10 dogs for properties more than 20 acres.

This bill also proposes to eliminate the definition of methadone facility and creates the definition and use of a controlled substance dispensation facility, Henshaw said.

“This amendment allows the township to regulate any facilities where controlled substances are dispensed,” he said.

Henshaw said the original ordinance is about 12 years old and things have changed when dealing with substance abuse medications.

This new ordinance would encompass a wide array of products for substance abuse. The ordinance would clarify and differentiate between places that offer counseling for substance abuse matters as being allowed anywhere a professional office is versus the dispensation of the controlled substance that are only allowed in specific districts.

The supervisors authorized the advertisement of the bill for the board’s consideration of adoption at the Dec. 3 meeting.