President – Michael S. Blank
Vice President & Secretary– Dennis F. Steadman
Treasurer – Daniel C. Bankoske
Member – Sean Carney
Member – Vacant
Supervisor Liaison – James McCartney
Farmland Preservation Inc.
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Farmland Preservation Inc.
Meeting Schedule
For the remainder of 2021 all committees will be scheduling on a two month basis and all meeting dates and times may vary. 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.
Meeting Minutes
History
Created in 1985 by Township Resolution No. 555, Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation, Inc. owns and oversees 10 parcels of farmland comprising approximately 340 acres, all of which is located within Lower Makefield Township, and all of which was deeded to the Corporation 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 the Corporation. The Corporation leases the conveyed farmland to local farms.
Pursuant to Township Resolution 555, the Corporation is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of up to five (5) Township residents who volunteer their time. Although the Township’s Board of Supervisors appoints the Corporation’s Board of Directors, the actions of the Corporation are independent of the Board of Supervisors. Township residents are encouraged to attend meetings of the Corporation’s Board of Directors, which are open to the public.
The Farms
The parcels of land owned by the Corporation are currently leased to four farms, most of which use the land to raise and sell products locally, including corn, vegetables, and Christmas trees or pasturage. The farms are:
Colavita Christmas Tree Farm
1761 Dolington Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Breezyvale Farms
1878 Yardley Newtown Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Sterling Farm
2186 Twining Road
Newtown, PA 18940
Charlann Farms
586 Stony Hill Road
Yardley, PA 19067
Farmland Management
Each of the farmland parcels includes what is identified on the sub-division plans as a “buffer” which is a 25-foot-wide border within the property owned by the Corporation abutting residential lots. The farms, have agreed to trim back this buffer area at least four times per year.
Since the property has been deeded to the Corporation, the Township does not own the land, and residents do not have the right to go onto or use the property. Instead, this land is intended to be a source of aesthetic enjoyment for all residents of the Township while being preserved as an economic resource for our local farms. They have the exclusive right to manage the preserved farmland in accordance with the terms of their leases.
Contact Us
For further information about Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation Inc., please write to Lower Makefield Farmland Preservation, Inc., 1100 Edgewood Road, Yardley, PA 19067. The Corporation’s Board of Directors currently meets at the Township building every fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
