A34-LancMttr Farming, Saturday, April 29,1989 Lancaster Countians Urged To Speak Out On ■ Development BY LISA RISSER LANCASTER Development versus farm preservation is a hot topic in Lancaster County. For quite some time, countians have debated on municipal levels about what should be done. Now is the time for them to make themselves heard. The Lancaster County Planning Commission released in February a draft policy statement of the comprehensive plan that outlines goals to control growth. Ronald T. Bailey, county planning director, is inviting opinions from residents. “Wc want citizen involvement in each of the four parts of the plan,” he said. ‘The key to (the plan’s) success is effective communica tion. We’re not trying to sell (the draft) as a catalog of ideas. We want to open dialogue to occur on the plan.” The plan, which is being deve loped in four stages, is intended to give Lancaster County’s 60 mun icipalities guidelines and help them to work together, something of which they have done little. The Planning Commission’s main goal of attaining community consensus for controlling growth began on Friday when it met with municipal officials. Today they will meet 'with representatives from organizations. Three guest speakers are fea tured at the meetings, which will be moderated by A 1 Benkendorf, an Oregon-based planning consul tant. The speakers are David Church of Successful Communi ties Program in New Jersey. Suc cessful Communities is a national program aimed at helping growing communities find ways to develop and retain their resources; Mau reen Wheatley, member of the Bucks County Regional Planning Commission; and Diane R. Brake, representative of the Middlesex- Somerset-Mercer Regional Coun cil in New Jersey. In subsequent weeks the Plan ning Commission will hold public meetings around the county. The Wayne Co, Extension Celebration HONESDALE (Wayne) Wayne County Cooperative Exen sion and Penn State’s College of Agriculture are celebrating the 75th anniversary of cooperative extension the week of May 8. On May 8, 1914, the United States Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act, which funded cooperative extension at land-grant universi ties in every state. As a result, Pennsylvania’s first county agent was appointed that same year to serve in Bedford Qpunty. While the Wayne County Pomona Grange began efforts in 1915 to secure a local agent it was not until May 1916 that Ray Wakely was hired to fill the spot in Wayne County. While the Wayne County observance of the 75th anniver sary will include displays in the lobby of the Court House and in the window of Rea and Derick drug store a highlight of the celeb ration will be an open house in the Wayne County Extension office on May 8 from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to the open house which will feature a histori cal video and presentations by staff members of several current educational programs being meetings, which beginat7:3o, will take place: •Tuesday, May 2, Lancaster Recreation Commission •Wednesday, May 3, Manheim Township Municipal Building •Thursday, May 4, East Hemp field Township Municipal Building •Wednesday, May 10, Solanco High School Auditorium •Thursday, May 11, Ephrata High School The Line Up And Bring In Our #1 Pinch Hitter 4 If You Want The Big Job Done Among the actions the draft out lines for agricultural land include: •identifying areas for urban development •enact municipal zoning regula tions that protect agricultural uses from non-farm activities that would interfere with normal farm practices •establish minimum lot sizes in farm-use zones so that farming may continue within the zones •enact flexible zoning regula 1 1 NH Model 489 Haybine® Mower Conditioner It’s A Perfect Game With Picture Perfect Bales Maybe If It Rains NH Hay Tedder The Winning Teams Are Now Ready-LETS MAKE A DEAL! Ready To Mow’em Down? 311 Baler SPECIAL FINANCING THROUGH FORD MOTOR CREDIT 0% For 18 Mo. - 5.9% For 24 Mo. - 7.9% For 36 Mo. - 8.9% For 48 Mo. - 9.9% For 60 Mo. tions to permit a variety of entre preneurial acitivities that provide markets for agricultural products •restrict extension of sanitaiy sewer and water systems into agri cullual areas •enact municipal zoning stan dards that permit the utilization of transfer of development rights to allow for the permanent conserva tion of viable farms •encourage organizations to purchase conservation easements . Hife MjrW{ y, JSK fit »"» '. W fik ><♦ AUtttNAAfAwAt wBmR if ' Ml Ha hen We Mow’era Down We Also Clean’em Up We’ll Have To Shake Up for farmland preservation •facilitate the economic expan sion of agriculture; plan and coor dinate highway improvements to minimize disruptive effects on continued ag practices in areas through which the roads must pass tion attributable to poor ag man agement practices •organize a program that would match farmers with those who want to sell or lease farms v > NH Model 254 Rake Tedder NH Model 316 Baler •minimize groundwater pollu- y> - v* * '*