Farmland Preservation

Pennsylvania data for the 2012 Census of Agriculture conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Study finds that agriculture in Pennsylvania is a $7.4 billion industry.

The amendments to the MPC, by section, are included in this document. The references included in Zoning for Farming that may be affected by the amendments and the pages in which they are found are also included.

Agricultural Protection Zoning preserves the availability of agricultural lands for farming and thus the agricultural base of the community by constraining non-agricultural development and land uses in designated areas.

A thorough description of the process used to apply for an agricultural security area designation and the benefits of such a designation. It also includes a frequently asked question section.

<p>Within Pennsylvania&rsquo;s many agricultural security areas, landowners receive special protection from condemnation as well as from ordinances that would unreasonably restrict farming operations. WeConservePA guide. 6 pages.</p>

Almost every township in Lancaster County has adopted some form of agricultural zoning to protect agricultural resources and minimize impacts from non-agricultural uses. These guidelines assist townships in implementing their planning vision, support the continued viability of agriculture and provide recommendations for permitting farm businesses, extended family housing opportunities, and a transferable development rights program. The model agricultural zoning district included in this document incorporates the organizing structure and zoning district numbering system utilized by many municipalities.

Provides assistance to municipalities to prepare effective agricultural zoning.

The Designated Rural Area (DRA) concept was introduced in the rural strategy of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan’s growth management element as a method of local implementation. The key to implementing the rural strategy is its refinement from the countywide scale down to the township or multi-municipal level. Therefore, the purpose of this DRA implementation strategy is to create a locally reproducible methodology that identifies and maps DRAs through a local comprehensive plan update and/or separate strategic planning update process.

A review of two studies that reached diametrically opposed conclusions on the impact of downzoning on land values. The review finds the methodologies used by both studies to be hopelessly flawed.

The report includes the results from statistic analysis and literature search as well as insights from interviews covering four Maryland counties.

The Farmland Information Center, a partnership between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and American Farmland Trust, is a clearinghouse for information about farmland protection and stewardship. The information on this web page includes resources on the use of transfer of development rights for use in agriculture and rural conservation work.

A comprehensive spatial analysis of the location, quantity, type, and quality of agricultural land lost to development in the continental United States between 1992 and 2012. It is the first assessment from American Farmland Trust’s multi-year initiative examining threats to U.S. farmland and ranchland and evaluating policies and programs to stem the loss.

This is described as “A Guidebook For Pennsylvania Municipalities on how to protect valuable agricultural lands.” It discusses the use of APZ in Pennsylvania, elements to consider in APZ, and types of APZ.

Guidelines created by the Lancaster County Agritourism Task Force to encourage agritourism as an economic force in the county while maintaining the sustainability of the county's family farms.

This report discusses the importance of agriculture, municipal ability to regulate agriculture; a variety of tools to protect agriculture including agricultural zoning; tax assessment issues, and environmental regulations that monitor and control agriculture.

A concise overview of Agricultural Security Areas and how they are created.

This report discusses the various zoning and preservation practices being used by municipalities in York County. It includes Agricultural Protection Zoning (APZ), Agricultural Security Areas, Conservation Easement Programs, and Clean & Green. It also provides an overview of legal challenges related to APZ.

This ordinance, which is applicable to Lower Heidelberg Township in Berks County, contains several agricultural preservation zoning districts.