Land Preservation Review Board advances multiple easement matters, narrows allowable uses under program

The Land Preservation Review Board met April 16, 2026, at 8 Flowers Drive in Mechanicsburg and reviewed several pending conservation-easement transactions and program-policy limits.

In a status update, Jeb Musser of Lancaster Farmland Trust reported receipt of the title report for 9 Stillmeadows Lane (Tax ID 38-05-0437-028C), saying the property carries several mortgages that will require subordination agreements and that access concerns must be resolved before the easement can advance. The board recorded those follow-up needs and did not take final action on the parcel at the meeting.

The board also recorded that approval for easement and Lancaster Farmland Trust payments for two parcels — 42 Sherwood Drive (Tax ID 38-05-0433-013) and 477 Rich Valley Road (Tax ID 38-05-0433-004) — will be placed on the next Board of Supervisors agenda; the minutes note the two parcels will be treated as separate easement parcels. Two Wertzville Road parcels (Tax IDs 38-05-0435-118 and 38-05-0435-013) were reported as joined for the purposes of the easement and incentive payments, with the property owner to pay required subdivision fees; that item will also appear on the next Board of Supervisors agenda.

Chair Frank Evelhoch and LP Program Coordinator Laura Brown reported meeting the new owner of 106 Glendale Drive (Tax ID 38-04-0367-005) and 122 Glendale Drive (Tax ID 38-04-0367-004). Natural Lands, Frank Evelhoch, Laura Brown, the new owner and (if available) the owner's realtor are expected to meet in May; Natural Lands will draft a proposal afterward for addition to the next Board of Supervisors agenda. The minutes state the two Glendale parcels will be joined as one parcel for consideration.

On program policy, board members discussed allowable uses under the township land preservation program and concluded that activities proposed during the discussion — specifically natural burials and large-scale greenhouses — would not align with the township's land-preservation goals and therefore are not permitted under the program as currently conceived.

Other business recorded in the minutes: financial statements and a PLGIT investment update were reviewed; LP Program Coordinator Laura Brown will attend the WeConservePA conference in Lancaster County from April 30–May 1, 2026; a CAPCOG presentation was rescheduled to April 20, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Hampden Township building with Laura Brown and Vince DiFilippo presenting; and Lancaster Farmland Trust contacted Vince DiFilippo regarding potential cooperation with Cumberland County’s agricultural preservation program, which county commissioners discussed in April 2026 with no decision recorded.

The minutes also note Laura Brown finalized the birdhouse marker project at Starr Offenger's property and that the LPRB has reserved a table for the township open house on May 6, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The board entered executive session to discuss real estate from 7:48 p.m. to 8:18 p.m. and adjourned at 8:19 p.m. The board did not disclose details of the executive-session discussion in the public minutes. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2026.

Procedural action: Gerald Boyd moved to approve the March 19, 2026 minutes; Rob Shaw seconded and the motion was recorded as approved unanimously. The minutes list no public comments at the April 16 meeting.

Next steps recorded in the minutes: staff and partner organizations will address title and access issues for 9 Stillmeadows Lane; Natural Lands is to draft a proposal for the joined Glendale parcels after the planned May meeting; and multiple easement/payment items will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for formal action.