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Open Space committee asks board to reactivate Agricultural Security Area covering 1,363 acres in East Vincent
Summary
Open Space Committee chair Chris McNeal and vice chair Bill Fields asked supervisors to consider reactivating the township's Agricultural Security Area, describing materials (parcel lists, draft ordinance, application forms) and noting the ASA offers eligibility for state/county matching funds and past local success.
Open Space Committee leaders urged the board to pursue reactivating the township’s Agricultural Security Area (ASA), saying the program would help preserve farmland and preserve rural character.
"I'm Chris McNeal and Bill Fields is here. We're the chair and the vice chair of the open space committee," McNeal said as he introduced a package of materials that included maps, an owner list and a draft ordinance. The presenters said East Vincent still has 1,363.09 acres in the ASA and that across Pennsylvania roughly 40,000 landowners participate in ASA programs.
Why it matters: Membership in an ASA does not change private ownership but makes landowners eligible to apply for county or state agricultural easement funding that can match township open-space funds. Committee members noted that prior participation helped local owners access roughly $4 million in preservation funding tied to an earlier open-space bond program.
Key board concerns and clarifications: Supervisors asked whether ASA status would guarantee particular farming activities (it would not) and whether the township's local ordinances — including those limiting certain farm practices or solar/utility installations — could create tensions with ASA protections. Committee members and supervisors agreed to ask the township solicitor and county staff for a written interpretation of how ASA eligibility interacts with local ordinances before drafting final language.
Outreach and next steps: The committee proposed initial outreach letters to current farmers who are eligible but not enrolled, and offered to pilot a one-time group application process if landowners express interest. The committee also supplied two map versions and updated county parcel ownership lists to staff. The board took the presentation under advisement and asked staff to return with legal clarifications and additional examples from nearby municipalities.
What was not decided: The board did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting; members described the discussion as informational and asked for further legal review and resident outreach materials before any formal move.
