Kenhorst Borough

Kenhorst Borough is the municipal government for the Borough of Kenhorst, a small community in Berks County, Pennsylvania, located immediately southwest of the City of Reading. Borough Hall sits at 339 South Kenhorst Blvd, Kenhorst, PA 19607, and serves as the administrative center for municipal operations, permitting, utility billing and public meetings. The borough was established in 1931 and continues to operate under an elected Borough Council and Mayor, supported by appointed staff and professional consultants who handle engineering, code enforcement and inspection duties.

Residents and property owners can reach Borough Hall at 610-777-7327. The borough's stated focus is maintaining a safe, welcoming and pleasant community for people who live, work or operate a business within its boundaries.

Sewer Service and Quarterly Billing

The borough operates its own sanitary sewer system and bills property owners quarterly. Charges are calculated per property unit using metered water consumption data reported by the Reading Area Water Authority, which supplies drinking water to Kenhorst. Online payment is available with a 3% bank transaction fee applied to electronic payments. Because sewer billing is tied to RAWA meter readings, residents with questions about water usage figures may be directed to both agencies.

Trash and Recycling Collection

Curbside trash collection takes place every Wednesday, with a limit of four bags or cans per property. When a holiday falls on a Wednesday, collection shifts to Thursday for that week. Recycling is collected borough wide on the same Wednesday schedule under mandatory recycling Ordinance #543 and Pennsylvania Act 101.

Accepted recyclable materials include:

• Aluminum, steel and bimetallic cans
• Clear, green and brown glass containers
• PET and HDPE plastics
• Newspaper
• Corrugated cardboard and high grade office paper

Large apartment complexes along with commercial and institutional properties are required to operate their own private recycling programs and submit periodic reports to the borough, a requirement that stems from Act 101 compliance obligations.

Permits, Zoning and Code Enforcement

The borough issues both building and non-building permits. Projects that commonly require a permit include roofs, decks, patios, sheds, fences, driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools deeper than 24 inches, dumpsters and fire pits. Permits are also required for yard sales and for solicitation within the borough.

Building code questions are handled by Codes Officer Glenn Kraft of Kraft Municipal Group in Shillington, reachable at 610-777-1311. Stormwater management permits are required for improvements that create impervious surface, and compliance review is performed by Borough Engineer Pamela Stevens, P.E., of Systems Design Engineering, Inc. in Leesport, PA, at 610-916-8500. Property owners planning additions, paving or other surface work are encouraged to confirm requirements with the borough before beginning construction.

Property maintenance enforcement is handled through an active program supported by a full time inspector. Tracked issues include grass exceeding eight inches in height, improper disposal of materials, snow clearing violations and unauthorized solicitation. Property maintenance concerns may be submitted by email to codes@kenhorstborough.com.

Rental Registration and the Real Estate Registry

Ordinances 577 and 578 address conduct standards for rental occupants and the inspection codes applied to rental housing. Inspections are coordinated through Kraft Code Services, LLC at 610-775-7185.

Separately, Chapter 358 and Ordinance No. 562 establish an annual Real Estate Registry. All residents are required to file a registry form each year by January 31. Completed forms can be mailed, faxed, emailed or placed in the drop box beside the Borough Hall entrance. Ordinance No. 595 added penalties for failure to comply, so property owners are advised to track the January deadline.

Seasonal Public Works Services

Curbside leaf collection runs from November through December, weather permitting. A two man public works crew works systematically across the borough, which generally results in each street being covered about once per week. Because of the rotating route, individual street requests cannot be accommodated.

A snow emergency takes effect when three or more inches of snow are forecast. Designated emergency routes include New Holland Road, South Kenhorst Boulevard, Upland, High Boulevard and Columbia Avenue. Vehicles left parked on these routes during a declared emergency may be ticketed or towed. Property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their property within 12 hours.

Street sweeping is conducted once per year, typically in May, weather permitting. Temporary no parking signs are posted in advance, and vehicles that are not moved may be ticketed or towed.

Parks and Community Center

The borough park is located at 1 Muncy Avenue, at the intersection of Broadway Boulevard and Muncy Avenue. Facilities include a basketball court, a baseball field, a pickleball court and playground equipment. The adjacent Community Center and pavilion are available for rental by borough residents for events such as birthday parties, showers and company gatherings. The borough has noted that the summer playground program is not being offered this year while park improvement projects are completed.

Meetings, Records and Taxes

Borough Council meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at Borough Hall, and residents may address Council during these meetings. The Planning Commission meets on the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm on an as needed basis. Agendas and minutes covering 2023 through 2026 are available for download.

Public records requests are processed under the borough's Right to Know policy, with the policy document and request form posted as downloadable PDFs. Residents and businesses can also submit general concerns or service requests using the borough's downloadable Request for Service form. Denice Carroll serves as the appointed tax collector for Kenhorst Borough; tax information is available by calling Borough Hall.

Emergency Services

Fire protection is provided by the all volunteer Kenhorst Fire Company at 411 South Kenhorst Blvd. The non-emergency line is 610-775-1914, the Social Quarters can be reached at 610-777-9550, and the fire company's banquet hall, available for weddings and private parties, is booked at 610-777-6151. Police services are provided through the City of Reading Police Department.

Emergency medical service is provided by TowerDIRECT EMS, which operates 24 hours a day with Advanced and Basic Life Support capability as well as non-emergent interfacility and wheelchair transport from its Mountain View Road location serving Kenhorst and neighboring municipalities. Notably, the borough purchases TowerDIRECT EMS membership on behalf of all Kenhorst residents.