T
he Earl Township Board of Supervisors met on December 2, with Chair Rick Kochel absent. Key decisions were made regarding the township's budget and zoning ordinance.

    The board approved a 0.422-mill tax increase for 2025, bringing the total tax rate from 0.978 mills to 1.4 mills. This means that property owners will see an annual increase in their tax bill based on the assessed value of their property. For example, a $100,000 property would incur an additional $62 annually.

    The township's budget for 2025 is projected at $4.11 million in both revenue and expenses. Police services are expected to cost $1.68 million, up from $1.54 million in 2024. The board also approved donations totaling $130,000 to local organizations, including the Eastern Lancaster County Library.

    Regarding zoning, Tom Neff provided an update on proposed amendments to the township's ordinance. These changes aim to create a new medium-density residential district and provide clearer definitions and guidelines. This comes after the county planning commission recommended rezoning surrounding areas to match the proposed development at 607 S. Kinser Ave.

    Supervisors plan to finalize these revisions by December 19, when they will be sent to the Lancaster County Planning Commission for review. Meeting dates for 2025 were also approved, with regular supervisor meetings scheduled on the first Monday and third Thursday of each month, except for September's first meeting, which will take place on September 2.

    The next board meetings are set for December 19 at 7:30 a.m. and January 6 at 7 p.m.