Revisions to West Penn Township’s hot-button zoning ordinance, centered around agricultural land use, may not be completed until early next year.

An update on the proposed draft zoning ordinance was given at Monday’s board of supervisors meeting. Discussed were revisions to the ordinance based on the recommendation from Charles Schmehl, consultant, with Urban Research & Development Corp.

The board has several issues it wants to discuss further before the ordinance is amended and re-advertised.

Township solicitor Paul J. Datte said the whole process may not be completed until early next year.

Last month, resident Brian McQuillen asked the board to keep highway commercial as is, with no change from the original proposal along Mill Drive and Route 443.

McQuillen also asked the board at that time to consider removing agricultural industrial use from the highway commercial district as proposed at the last public hearing.

He added that in the summary of draft ordinance from Schmehl, there are several things that were important to the new ordinance, and that to promote good planning, the following should be addressed in the new ordinance.

McQuillen said there is no definition of commercial crop storage, and that the existing ordinance definition could be used. He also said it should indicate that this does not include chicken manure storage.

He said there is no definition of chicken manure storage, and that definitions and additional restrictions should be added as uses in the industrial district, as it’s an industrial agricultural business; and there should be requirements on storage similar to septic and sludge composting.

McQuillen also said there is no definition of roasting of soy beans or grains, and that definitions should be added, as well as additional restrictions as uses in the industrial district, and that there should be requirements on storage.

The board plans to have another public hearing once the draft is revised, at which time there will be an opportunity for public comment.