IB—-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 14, 1961
County Woodlots Vanish,
Planning Director Says
Lancaster County has hardly any more woodland than
the city of Philadelphia, County soil Conservation District
Directors and Associate Directors were told Monday night.
C. Bilkley Foster, Lancas
ter County Planning Direct
or, told the conservationists
that urban sprawl is put
ting a greater burden on the
farmer than any other seg
ment of the population.
Foster outlined the devel
opments taking place in the
county andproposed to the
farmers present that they
begin an immediate program
to develop a county p’an.
“First you must decide
what kind of a county you
want,” Foster said, and then
the detailed plans can be
worked out. At the present
time, Lancaster is fourth fr
om the bottom in a list of
counties according to the
percentage or remaining
woodland. With only 13 7
per cent of our land area in
trees, Lancaster county has
barely more woodland than
the city of Philadelphia, he
said.
Foster pointed out the
absence of any large pub
lic parks in the county and
the difficulty and prohibitive
expense involved in purchas
ing enough acreage in the
county for a park.
By use of a series of maps
showing the development of
housing areas around the
city and boros, the planning
director showed the group
heavy concentrations of dw
ellings on the two most pro
ductive soil types in the co
unty. He also pointed out
that the urban growth is
taking place in the areas of
the countv with the poorest
water supplies.
With 55 per cent of the
county surface area compos
ed of limestone, Lancaster
County is one of the best
agricultural areas but one
of the poorest for building,
Foster said. He said build
ings and roads have been
known to cave in from cav
erns in the limestone. Sew
age disposal and water sup
ply become a tremenduous
problem in the lirhestone
areas.
In 1958 and ‘59 water
samples from one third of
all wells and springs tested
on request were found to be
unfit for human consump
tion. During those two years
the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Health condemned
483 wells and springs as
contaminated. In addition,
every migrant labor camp
m the county in 1959 was
found to have contaminated
water supplies.
The problem of sewage
disposal is not now a serious
problem for the farmer, but
where houses are pushed
closer and closer together,
the problem becomes more
and more difficult.
As the urban areas (or
mrban areas as Foster de
fines an area which goes di
rectly from rural to urban
without going through the
suburban stage) push furth
er into the farmlands de
mands for utilities will push
the taxes for the farmer
higher and higher.
Foster cited examples m
Fall Fertilization
Spread, Bulk or Bags
Small Grain
5-10-10
0-14-14
0-20-20
Hay Topdressing
0-14-14
0-20-20
0-15-30
Control Weevil This Fall
Dleldrin with fertilizer or
direct application
PHONE EX 2-4963
ORGANIC
PLANT FOOD CO.
GROFFTOWN BD.
Next to the Waterworks
the county where develop
ments first requested streets
then lights, curbs, and po
lice protection. Next came
the request for public wat
er, and in every case the in
stallation of public water
without public sewage dis
posal brought on much great
er contamination of water
supplies.
With the request for ser
vices in rurban areas, town
ship officials are forced to
raise taxes on the farmer
Many farmers have tried to
meet the tax burden by sell
ing off a lot or two for de
velopment, but as soon as
a farmer sells off one lot he
is in a vicious cycle, Foster
said.
As soon as one or two new
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houses are built and new way in tax&s. He said Lancaster county
services are demanded, taxes Foster urged the farmers has a good balance of. Indus
go still higher and the cycle to decide just what kind of try and agriculture, 'but tax
builds. Foster said Berks a county they want and then es are levied on a township
County planners have found push for zoning laws to level. He said too many far
that' unless a house costs help produce the desired re- mers fight zoning laws be
sl,Boo it does .not pay its suits. (Turn to page II)
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