Leacock supervisors defer stormwater rules for Esh Foods' temporary parking on preserved farmland

On July 7, 2026, the Leacock Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to defer stormwater requirements for two years for a proposed off-site employee parking lot for Esh Foods, a temporary gravel lot that will be built on an adjoining farm preserved through the Lancaster Farmland Trust.

Jason Stoltzfus of Esh Foods presented the proposal to the board, saying the parking would be constructed on preserved farmland and that the Lancaster Farmland Trust had given permission on the condition that the lot be removed and the field restored to its present condition after a two-year period. Stoltzfus also noted he had received relief from the Zoning Hearing Board permitting off-site parking by a commercial business.

After a discussion of the site and stormwater implications, Supervisor Frank Howe moved to defer any stormwater requirements for the parking area for a two-year period. Supervisor Carl Smucker seconded the motion; the board recorded the motion as carried unanimously.

The board's action is a temporary administrative deferral rather than a permanent amendment to stormwater regulations. The minutes do not specify an enforcement or monitoring schedule for the two-year removal requirement, nor do they state whether additional permit reviews or inspections will be required during the deferral period. Those details were not specified in the meeting record.

The township did not record public comment opposing or supporting the parking plan in the minutes. The Zoning Officer and the Lancaster Farmland Trust were identified as parties connected to the approval conditions; the board advised applicants to work with township staff if additional permits or clarifications are needed.

The board's motion carried unanimously. No further formal action on the parking lot was recorded at the July 7 meeting.