Commissioners place Land Partnerships Plan on public view; staff seeks 30-day comment period and relaunch of grants

Cumberland County commissioners voted to place the updated Land Partnerships Plan on public view and seek public comment, a step county staff said is needed before bringing a final adoption request back to the board in September.

Staff described the plan as an affiliate to the county comprehensive plan that focuses on farmland preservation, parks and trails, natural-resource protection and open-space partnerships. Presenters said the update (last completed in 2013) was guided by a steering committee and outreach that included municipal and nonprofit surveys and a public survey tied to the comprehensive-plan process.

Staff recapped program successes and capacity: the county’s land partnerships grants supported 139 projects to date, including 12 land acquisitions totaling about 500 acres; 92 park and trail projects; 31 planning projects; and four water projects. Staff said the land partnerships grants have made an investment of nearly $16,000,000 in local projects and that Act 13 (the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund) contributed about $3.2 million as part of that total. Staff also said the farmland preservation program has preserved roughly 25,000 acres to date and has historically leveraged significant state and private match for county dollars.

Presenters described current funding levels and near-term proposals: staff reported an average annual investment of about $1,100,000 across farmland preservation and land partnerships (approximately $850,000 to the farmland program from the general fund and about $250,000 from Act 13 historically). Staff noted Act 13 funds are declining (this year’s allocation cited at roughly $175,000) and said the county currently has about $650,000 in the land partnerships bank with another allocation expected by July 1, 2026. Staff proposed relaunching the grant program on Oct. 1 with prioritized funding for high‑priority open-space and trail projects and two application deadlines (December and June).

Multiple outside stakeholders and steering-committee members spoke in favor of the plan during the meeting. Speakers included representatives of the Cumberland Conservation Collaborative, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy and the South Mountain Partnership, along with municipal park and recreation staff and the chair of the County Planning Commission. Testimony emphasized public support shown in surveys, the county’s track record on farmland preservation and the need to align county funding and partner capacity to meet rising demand. Specific local projects mentioned included Camp Takahoe (a 900-acre parcel acquired with ARPA funds and transitioning to Michaux State Forest) and the Mount Holly Marsh Preserve (where staff described identified improvement projects and small grants previously used for signage and maintenance).

A commissioner moved to place the draft plan on public view, the motion was seconded, and the board approved it by voice vote. Staff asked for permission to post the plan and open a 30-day public-comment period, post the appendices and return to the board in September with any edits and an adoption request.

Staff also noted implementation considerations discussed in the plan, including possible public polling to identify funding priorities, exploring a dedicated revenue stream, incentivizing multi-municipal projects (lower match rates and prioritization), and strengthening partner organizational capacity. Staff suggested coordinating polling with the county strategic planning work if commissioners want comparative data about public priorities for preservation versus other county services.

The board approved placing the plan on public view and staff will accept public comments and prepare a final document for a September adoption vote.