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Adams County, Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation

Adams County, Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation. ORGANIZATION OF PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNMENT. STATE. COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 21 TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS IN ADAMS COUNTY. 67 Counties in Pennsylvania. 21 Townships in Adams County. $ Gettysburg. There are 6 School Districts

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Adams County, Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation

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  1. Adams County, Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation

  2. ORGANIZATION OF PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNMENT STATE COUNTY GOVERNMENT 21 TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS IN ADAMS COUNTY

  3. 67 Counties in Pennsylvania

  4. 21 Townships in Adams County $Gettysburg

  5. There are 6 School Districts in Adams County! There are 501 in the State!

  6. Pennsylvania ! Our National Ranking . . . # 4 for Milk Cows, grapes, mushrooms & christmas trees # 5 for Apples # 6 for Peaches & Strawberries USDA 1997

  7. Of course, Pennsylvania is NUMBER 1 for FARMLAND PRESERVATION !

  8. Hanover Shoe Farms #1 Standard bred Breeding Facility in the WORLD! Gettysburg National Military Park ADAMS COUNTY All of our water is generated within the county # 1 in State for Peaches & Apples

  9. Why Adams County, Pennsylvania? • ~ Location, location, location ~ Tourism ~ Rural, scenic beauty ~ Quality of life Gettysburg

  10. Why Hawaii? • ~ Location, location, location ~ Tourism ~ Rural, scenic beauty ~ Quality of life

  11. Pressure???

  12. ADAMS COUNTY POPULATION, 1950 – 2010* 23 % increase 2000-2010 4th fastest growing County in PA –2000 census *SOURCE: ADAMS COUNTY OFFICE OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

  13. The Gettysburg Area Senior High School Built in 1998 – student capacity 1,600

  14. 2020 1960 1980 2000 ADAMS COUNTY LAND USE

  15. What tools DO we HAVE? RIGHT TO FARM LAW AGRICULTURAL SECURITY AREAS CLEAN & GREEN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AG PROTECTION ZONING PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (PDRs) (County, Township & Land Conservancy of Adams County)

  16. Purchase of Development Rights Since 1989 The State of Pennsylvania and all participating Counties have invested over $557 million, Preserving 2,266 farms totaling 265,137 acres. October 2003

  17. How did the Pennsylvania Program get started? ACT 43 of 1981 - The “ASA” Law created the possibility of a PDR program; Regulations to implement the PDR program were created in 1988 with ACT 149

  18. Where does the state money come from? 1987 - Bond Issue of $100 Million This bond referendum passed with a 2 to 1 margin in November, 1987. This bond has now been totally spent. Cigarette Tax Revenue = $20million/year Originally this was based on 2 cents/pack, but is now a dedicated funding source;

  19. Where does the state money come from? Growing Greener Program $20 Million of “Growing Greener” money was allocated toward farmland preservation in 1998 for a 5 year period. Growing Greener was an initiative by the Ridge Administration for environmental preservation issues as well as farmland preservation.

  20. FarmlandPreservation PDR - How can you get started?

  21. Gain local support • Elected Officials • Chamber of Commerce • Citizens • Landowners & Farmers AWG – You’re already on your way!

  22. Ask some tough questions • How much farm land do we need? • Which farmland areas are necessary to keep Hawaii’s agriculture viable? • How do we focus farmland preservation where it will do the most “good”?

  23. Ask some tough questions • Does the amount of farmland in our state matter? • Does farmland loss in our state currently affect farms, supporting agricultural businesses, and others? • How much farmland does our state need to keep its agriculture base?

  24. By answering these questions, you will be able to start to put together a PDR program and ranking system.

  25. Pennsylvania created The LESA Ranking System ( With the help of AFT! ) Land Evaluation Site Assessment Land Evaluation: Soil Analysis Site Assessment: Farmland Potential Clustering Potential Development Potential

  26. First – A farm must meet certain MinimumCriteria to qualify • The state regulations stipulate • certain Minimum Criteria as • well as certain Ranking Criteria; • A farm must meet the State • Minimum Criteria in order • to receive any state funds;

  27. First – A farm must meet certain MinimumCriteria to qualify • A County may add County specific • Minimum Criteria to their program, • but it must be approved by the state; • State involvement: There needs to be • some level of consistency statewide, but • the Counties MUST be allowed to be • flexible!

  28. How does the Adams County LESA system work? Adams County Nursery

  29. State Minimum Criteria • Is the farmland tract in an ASA? • Are 50% of the soils in Soils Classes • I through IV? • Is at least 50% of the tract Tillable Land? • Is there a Soil Conservation Plan • for the tract? • Is the tract at least 50 acres in size?

  30. Adams County Additional Minimum Criteria • The tract cannot be within the 1990 • federal established boundary of the • Gettysburg National Military Park; • If the LE Score is 40 or less, the farm • will not qualify.

  31. LESA FACTORS Land Evaluation: 40% (State = 40%) Farmland Potential: 40% (State = 10%) Development Potential: 10% (State = 10%) Clustering Potential: 10% (State = 10%) (State then allows the remaining 30% to the discretion of the county)

  32. LAND EVALUATION WORKSHEET Soil Type Acreage x Relative Value = Total Arendtsville25.23 x 100 = 2523 Neshaminy10.5 x 86 = 903 Landsdale3.68 x 86 = 316.48 Buchanan14.9 x 69 = 1028.1 Mt. Airy18.5 x 23 = 425.5 TOTALS72.81 (acres)5196.08 LAND EVALUTATION SCORE Relative Value Total / Total Acres = 71.36 5196.08 / 72.81 = 71.36

  33. Does the “Relative Value” approach work when you have diverse soils? Not in Adams County . . . We worked with NRCS to determine what OUR best soils are based on corn production OR orchard production

  34. FARMLAND POTENTIAL • Acreage of proposed land • Percent used for cropland • Stewardship – Soil Conservation Plan (RMS) • Human Resources (Owner/Operator) • Duration (Century Farm) • Historic/Scenic/Environmental

  35. DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL • Amount of road frontage • Extent of non-ag uses in area • Proximity of Sewer or Water • On-site Waste Disposal Potential

  36. CLUSTER POTENTIAL • Proximity to other easements or applications • Consistency with County Comprehensive Planning Map • Effective Ag Zoning • Amount of Ag Use in Area • Proximity to other ASA’s

  37. The Application, Ranking and Purchase Process 1. Applications are accepted (annually, semi-annually, “Application Rounds”, etc.; (Remember, an application must meet all State and County minimum criteria); 2. Evaluations are completed on qualified Applications, and they are ranked based on their LESA score;

  38. The Application, Ranking and Purchase Process 3. Based on available funds, the top ranked applications are appraised ($500 deposit); • The County Board presents the landowner • with an offer to purchase an easement; 5. The offer is contingent upon a Title Search and approval by the Adams County Commissioners;

  39. The Application, Ranking and • Purchase Process 6. Landowner decides on type of payment; - Lump Sum (Yes, unfortunately Capital Gains must be paid on these proceeds) - 5 year installment (the state now allows long term installments, as well) - Like-Kind Exchange

  40. The Application, Ranking and Purchase Process 7. Determine if a survey is needed. Some PA Counties require the landowner to provide the survey when needed. If a legal description closes within 1:200, we do not require a survey; 8. Are any subordination agreements needed? This can get difficult, and needs to be dealt with very carefully;

  41. The Application, Ranking and Purchase Process 9. Prepare documentation for State review and approval; 10. Present the farm to the State Review Board for final approval; Wait for the checks and go to settlement!

  42. What are the Incidental Costs ? • Appraisal • Title Search • Survey Costs • Notification of Adjoining Landowners • Legal Costs • Closing Fees • For Adams County, these costs add up • to between $3,000 and $8,000 per farm

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