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Planning Commission Recommends Conditional Use for Like a Mustard Seed Farm, Bars On-site Poultry Processing
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended Conditional Use approval for Like a Mustard Seed Farm for educational/co-op activities, limiting enrollment to 30 students and parking to 20 cars per day, and accepted the applicant’s withdrawal of on-site poultry processing.
East Rockhill Township’s Planning Commission voted Sept. 11, 2025 to recommend Conditional Use approval for Like a Mustard Seed Farm’s accessory farm business application, with several operational limits.
The applicants—represented by attorney Nate Fox—proposed using an existing building on a 29.6-acre property in the Agricultural Preservation zoning district for co-op educational classes (for students) and separate adult poultry-processing instruction. At the meeting Mr. Fox stated the poultry-processing proposal has been withdrawn and any processing would be off-site and limited to family consumption.
The commission required the proposal be limited to the uses described in the applicant’s July 21, 2025 addendum and imposed operational conditions: no on-site poultry processing, installation of an ADA-compliant lavatory in the existing barn, a cap of 30 students per day for farm-school enrollment, and a limit of 20 parked cars per day. The motion recommending Conditional Use approval was made by Aaron Teel, seconded by Richard Kelly, and carried unanimously.
Commissioners raised concerns about access and parking: the site is served by a single-lane stone driveway and a small onsite parking area, and the commission asked the applicant to document expected vehicle counts (applicants stated a 17-car maximum for drop-off scenarios). Because additional impervious areas would trigger stormwater review, staff noted that if more parking or surfaced access is required, a stormwater-management permit and associated calculations would be necessary.
On utilities, applicants said the property uses a well for hand washing and flushing only; a water cooler is provided for public consumption. Sewage planning for a proposed Small-Flow Sewage Treatment Facility (SFTF) is in process; the applicant submitted a Sewage Facilities Planning Module and must secure township and PADEP approvals and any subsequent construction permits before installing sewage facilities.
Next steps: The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors, which has scheduled the Conditional Use hearing for Sept. 23, 2025. Required building-code, sewage and permit approvals must be obtained before the farm school or adult classes may operate as proposed.
