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Agriculture Protection Zoning (APZ)

  1. APZ ordinances designate areas where farming is the primary land use. It limits non-farm uses such as high-density development and restricts subdivision of land into parcels that are too small to farm. This stabilizes the land base by keeping large tracts of land free of development and reduces conflicts between farmers and their non-farming neighbors. [source: Pennsylvania Land Choices, An Educational Guide, Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources in partnership with Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, March 2009]