Farmland Preservation

2012 Census of Agriculture: Pennsylvania Data

2014
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.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
2123 times

Act 67 and 68 Update for Zoning for Farming

2001
Organizations/Sources: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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.
Last Modified
Sep 30, 2014
Viewed
4867 times

Agricultural Protection Zoning

2011
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.
Last Modified
Apr 27, 2017
Viewed
6155 times

Agricultural Security Area Handbook

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.
Last Modified
Jan 31, 2017
Viewed
7140 times

Agricultural Security Areas: Protecting Farms from Condemnation and Unreasonably Restrictive Ordinances

2017
Within an agricultural security area (ASA), a farm is entitled to special protection from condemnation and laws and ordinances that would unreasonably restrict farming operations. Local governments in Pennsylvania may establish ASAs but only in response to petitions from landowners interested in enrolling their land in an ASA.
Last Modified
Apr 26, 2017
Viewed
5982 times

Agricultural Zoning Guidelines for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

2010
Organizations/Sources: Lancaster County Planning Commission
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.
Last Modified
Sep 30, 2015
Viewed
7184 times

Berks County Agricultural Zoning Incentive Program

Organizations/Sources: Berks County Planning Commission
Provides assistance to municipalities to prepare effective agricultural zoning.
Last Modified
Jan 18, 2011
Viewed
4471 times

Designated Rural Areas: Local Implementation Strategy

Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
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.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1206 times

Downzoning and Rural Land Markets: A review of two recent studies in Maryland and New Jersey

2006
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.
Last Modified
Sep 30, 2015
Viewed
6082 times

Downzoning: Does It Protect Working Landscapes and Maintain Equity for the Landowner?

2003
The report includes the results from statistic analysis and literature search as well as insights from interviews covering four Maryland counties.
Last Modified
Sep 21, 2010
Viewed
3057 times

Farmland Information Center

Organizations/Sources: Farmland Information Center
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.
Last Modified
May 02, 2011
Viewed
4841 times

Farms Under Threat: The State of America's Farmland

2018
Organizations/Sources: American Farmland Trust
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.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
2397 times

Guidebook For PA Municipalities on how to protect valuable agricultural lands

1995
Organizations/Sources: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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.
Last Modified
Aug 16, 2011
Viewed
3979 times

Lancaster County Agritourism Guidelines

2010
Organizations/Sources: Lancaster County Planning Commission
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.
Last Modified
Mar 11, 2019
Viewed
1348 times

Planning For Agriculture, Second Edition

2006
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.
Last Modified
May 23, 2019
Viewed
5214 times

Protecting Pennsylvania’s Farmlands: Ag Security Areas and Conservation Easements

2006
Organizations/Sources: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau
A concise overview of Agricultural Security Areas and how they are created.
Last Modified
May 04, 2010
Viewed
6526 times

Protecting York County's Rural Environment

2009
Organizations/Sources: York County Planning Commission
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.
Last Modified
Nov 05, 2015
Viewed
4532 times

Southwestern Berks County Zoning Ordinance

2005
Organizations/Sources: Berks County Planning Commission
This ordinance, which is applicable to Lower Heidelberg Township in Berks County, contains several agricultural preservation zoning districts.
Last Modified
Jan 18, 2011
Viewed
5310 times