Commissioners approve 114-acre easement on Hershberger farm, pushing preservation program past 20,000 acres

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners voted May 1 to approve the purchase of a 114-acre agricultural conservation easement on the Hershberger property, Planning Director Quintin Clapper told the board.

"This would be a purchase of 114 acre easement on the Hershberger property," Clapper said during his presentation, noting the property sits just north of James Buchanan High School and adjacent to other preserved farms.

Clapper said that if finalized the Hershberger easement would become the county’s 164th preserved farm and would put Franklin County’s preserved acreage above the 20,000-acre threshold. He also told commissioners there are 61 farms on the program wait list and about 1,300 acres currently in process for preservation.

The board approved the easement by voice vote. The Planning Department will proceed with closing and recording the easement under the county’s agricultural preservation program.

The purchase was described in the meeting as a standard agricultural easement acquisition through the county’s program; the transcript did not specify the purchase price or funding source. The planning office said a celebration to mark the county passing 20,000 preserved acres is planned for the fall in coordination with the Fall Farm Fund Fest.

Provenance: Quintin Clapper’s presentation and the board’s voice vote are recorded in the meeting transcript.