Reading City Council Approves New Vacant Property and Beekeeping Regulations

Reading City Council approved new regulations governing vacant properties and backyard beekeeping. The ordinances introduce a new chapter in the city code covering vacant, non-code-compliant properties, requiring qualifying properties to be registered every six months. A sliding fee schedule ranging from $200 to $5,000 was also approved for these properties.

The measures aim to regulate properties that have been vacant for extended periods, such as one year or more. The council also approved zoning regulations allowing honeybee apiaries as a by-right accessory use in all zoning districts, provided they meet city and Pennsylvania Bee Law requirements.