Hereford Township is the local municipal government for a rural Berks County township near Macungie, overseeing ordinances, budgets, roads and land development. Township business is handled by a three member Board of Supervisors, supported by a Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board and other appointed committees.
Stories from our news desk that cover Hereford Township.
Hereford supervisors vote tonight on a 1.75-mill 2027 tax rate, unchanged from 2026, plus advertising the budget, a shared roller and a $25/hr road hire.
Meeting coverage · Nov 2, 2026
Hereford Township supervisors moved Sept. 15 to end their PennDOT snow-plowing deal after a $40,000-plus loss over three winters. No vote is recorded.
Meeting coverage · Oct 13, 2026
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Hereford Township is a Pennsylvania Second Class Township in the eastern corner of Berks County, with its municipal office located at 3131 Seisholtzville Road, Macungie, PA 18062. The township covers roughly 15.9 square miles of rural and semi-rural land and encompasses the villages of Hereford, Seisholtzville, Huffs Church, Harlem and Chapel. As of the 2000 census, the population stood at 2,997. Students living in the township attend schools in the Upper Perkiomen School District.
Settlement in the area dates to 1732, and the township was formally organized in 1753. The name traces back to Herefordshire in England, the home region of the English ironmasters who lived and worked in the area during its earliest industrial period. That history is still visible in the township's village names and in the agricultural and woodland character that defines much of the landscape today.
Hereford Township is governed by a three member Board of Supervisors, each elected to staggered six-year terms. The Board meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm, and these meetings are where ordinances, budgets, road matters, land development recommendations and general township business are addressed.
Several appointed bodies support the Board:
Professional services are contracted out. Technicon Enterprises, Inc. II of Morgantown, PA serves as township engineer and handles zoning, building and sewage enforcement functions. Orlando Law Offices, P.C. of Reading serves as township solicitor, and Hartman/Shurr serves as solicitor to the Zoning Hearing Board.
The township office is the point of contact for a wide range of permits. Building and zoning permits cover residential and commercial construction, decks, porches, patios, awnings, pools and hot tubs, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, alternative energy installations, storage sheds, accessory buildings, signs, fences, ponds and demolition. A useful threshold to know: sheds up to 150 square feet fall under the shed permit, while anything larger requires a full building permit.
Applications may be submitted by mail or email. Payment is accepted by cash or check only, and the usual processing time before notice is issued runs two to three weeks, so applicants should plan project timelines accordingly.
Other permits and approvals handled by the office include:
Subdivision and land development packets are reviewed by the Planning Commission, which then forwards recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
The Zoning Hearing Board hears appeals of decisions made by the Zoning Officer and considers requests for relief from literal enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance in cases of demonstrated hardship. Because the Board meets only when an application or appeal has been filed, property owners considering a variance or appeal should contact the township office early to understand filing requirements and scheduling.
Sewage Enforcement Officer services are provided through Technicon Enterprises, Inc. II under the township's sewage facilities and holding tank ordinances. Fees associated with these services are set by Resolution 2024-06. Property owners planning new on-lot systems, repairs or holding tank arrangements should begin with the township office.
Yearly dog licenses are issued directly at the township office. Lifetime licenses are not offered, so owners renew annually; 2025 licensing is currently open. The office also processes Right to Know requests through the township Right-to-Know Officer, using the downloadable Hereford Township RTK Request Form. As with permits, payment for licenses and services is cash or check only.
Township and county taxes are collected by Tax Collector Jackie Watkins, who can be reached at 484-941-3743 or by email at jwatkinshfdtwptc@gmail.com. The municipal millage rate for 2022 was 1.75 mills.
Police coverage is provided by the Pennsylvania State Police. The non-emergency number for the covering barracks is 610-387-4011. Emergency services in the township are delivered by the Bally Community Ambulance Association, the Hereford Volunteer Fire Company and the Seisholtzville Community Fire Company. Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Leets develops the township's emergency plans and procedures and coordinates response efforts among these organizations.
Hereford Township maintains three public parks, all open from sunrise to sunset:
The roofed pavilion at Community Park can be reserved for parties, reunions and other gatherings. Reservations are made by calling the township office at (610) 845-2929 and submitting the park rental form. The Recreation Committee and Environmental Advisory Council both contribute to park planning and stewardship.
The township office can be reached at 610-845-2929. Residents, contractors and prospective property buyers are encouraged to confirm permit requirements before beginning work, particularly given the two to three week processing window and the possibility that a separate PennDOT permit may be needed for driveway work along state roadways.
County: Lehigh County
Phone: 610-845-2929
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