President – Michael Blank
Vice President – Dennis F. Steadman
Treasurer – Daniel C. Bankoske
Secretary – George Heinze
Member – Sean M. Carney
Liaison – John Lewis
Farmland Preservation Inc. Board
- Ad Hoc Property Committee
- Planning Commission
- Zoning Hearing Board
- Sewer Authority
- Disability Advisory Board
- Environmental Advisory Council
- Golf Committee
- Electricity Reliability Committee
- Economic Development Commission
- Historical Commission
- Parks & Rec Board
- Citizens Traffic Commission
- Emergency Management
- Historical Architectural Review Board
- Farmland Preservation Inc. Board
- Electronic Media Advisory Committee
- Board & Commissions Meeting Schedule 2019
- Trenton Mercer Airport Review Panel
- Financial Advisory Committee
- Special Events Committee
- Board of Auditors
- Veterans Committee
- Electronic Reliability Committee
Farmland Preservation Inc. Board
Meeting Schedule
The Farmland Preservation holds Zoom meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm. These times may vary, and additional meetings may be added. Please refer to the Remote Committee Schedule on the home page.
Mission Statement
The Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation’s mission is to preserve, in perpetuity, farmland and natural lands in Lower Makefield Township, Pennsylvania, and to maintain the long-term sustainability of farming while preserving undeveloped land for future generations.
History
Created in 1985 by Township Resolution No. 555, Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation, Inc. (“Farmland Preservation”) owns and oversees 10 parcels of farmland comprising approximately 340 acres, all of which are located within Lower Makefield Township (“LMT”), and all of which were deeded to Farmland Preservation by residential developers seeking to reduce the size of their building lots. Township Resolution No. 555 has allowed developers to sell building lots smaller than required by the Township zoning ordinance if they convey a fixed percentage of their development land to Farmland Preservation to remain in agricultural production. As the landowner, Farmland Preservation then leases the conveyed parcels to local farmers.
Farmland Preservation is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of up to five Township residents. The Township’s Board of Supervisors appoints the Directors to the Farmland Preservation Board; however, the actions of Farmland Preservation are independent of the Board of Supervisors. Township residents are encouraged to attend meetings of the Farmland Preservation Board of Directors, which are open to the public.
The Farms
The parcels of land owned by Farmland Preservation are currently leased to four farms. The current farming tenants are:
Breezyvale Farms
1878 Yardley Newtown Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Charlann Farms
586 Stony Hill Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Colavita Christmas Tree Farm
1761 Dolington Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Sterling Farm
2186 Twining Road
Newtown, PA 18940
Farmland Management
The land owned by Farmland Preservation is intended to be a source of aesthetic enjoyment for all residents of LMT. LMT does not own the land, and it is not open to the public, but rather dedicated to being used exclusively and safely by the leasing farmers for agricultural production. Farmland Preservation always wants to respect their bordering residential neighbors’ property and equally requests and expects that residents treat Farmland Preservation property as they would any good neighbor. For example, neighbors are not to go on to the property without prior permission, not deposit yard waste, tree limbs, etc. on Farmland Perseveration property and are to respect the fence and boundary line. Each of the Farmland Preservation parcels includes a buffer area of approximately 25 feet between the residential boundary line and farming activity. The leasing farmers have the exclusive right to manage the preserved farmland in accordance with the terms of their leases. The management of the farmland includes maintaining the buffer areas.
Contact Us
For further information about Farmland Preservation, please write to Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation, Inc., 1100 Edgewood Road, Yardley, PA 19067, email: admin@lmt.org.
