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Upper Allen outlines tight timeline for land‑preservation referendum; residents urge more outreach
Summary
Township staff and consultants presented a tentative timeline for placing a land‑preservation referendum on the November ballot; residents and county preservation experts urged more time, clearer definitions (ASA vs easement), and better public education before finalizing draft language.
Upper Allen Township staff told the board on Wednesday that consultants are preparing materials and surveys for a possible land‑preservation referendum and that the board's preference is to have a referendum on the November general‑election ballot if the county deadline can be met.
Staff said they retained two consultants (Natural Lands and Grow Conservation), are compiling maps, plan a small focus group on June 24, and proposed a sequence of meetings (special meeting June 22 to introduce the referendum, July 1 to introduce ordinance language, advertise July 15 and adopt the ordinance in late July or early August to meet the county’s 13‑Tuesday pre‑election deadline for ballot language).
Speakers with county farmland‑preservation experience (Jim Cochran and Mike Klein Peter) told the board that many Upper Allen parcels are already in Agricultural Security Areas (ASA) or under county conservation easements, cautioned that ASA does not equal perpetual land preservation (it mainly offers tax/investment incentives and is a step toward easement eligibility), and urged more public outreach and time to develop criteria for which parcels would be targeted. Several residents asked for clarity on cost per acre, whether scenic vs farmland preservation would be adopted and how long‑term monitoring and inspection costs would be funded.
Board members said they would develop clear outreach materials, create a web page for the referendum, and continue the timeline review at upcoming meetings. The board emphasized this is an exploratory public‑engagement process and that any final ordinance would be subject to public hearing and a formal vote.
What happens next: Staff and consultants will continue mapping and public outreach, schedule the June 22 special meeting and the focus group on June 24, and provide more detailed information on funding mechanics and prioritization criteria.
