To recognize that prime agricultural soils are a limited natural resource and to minimize the development of lands characterized by such soils for nonagricultural activities.

To protect agriculture as an economic activity, particularly in areas characterized by prime agricultural soils and active farming operations.

To permit, with limited exceptions, agriculture and agricultural support uses.

To maintain and implement growth boundary policies which have been established as part of the Comprehensive Plan.

Principal uses permitted by right:

Accessory uses permitted by right:

Uses permitted by special exception, pursuant to the provisions specified under § 375-25070 of this chapter:

Uses permitted by conditional use, pursuant to the provisions specified under § 375-25080 of this chapter:

Unless otherwise specified, the following lot area requirements shall apply:

Lot width, building setback and dimensional requirements for a principal use.

Setback and dimensional requirements for an accessory use.

The maximum height provisions shall apply to principal buildings or structures:

The maximum height provisions shall apply to accessory buildings or structures:

It is the intent of the Board of Supervisors to implement the mandate of § 604(3) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) to preserve prime agricultural land through the enactment of these regulations. Therefore, the Agricultural (AG) Zoning District limits the subdivision of lots from farms and the development of principal uses and structures on existing farms as follows:

Section § 375-3040C of this chapter shall be used to determine the permissible number of lots that may be subdivided (including but not limited to farms) as well as the number of new principal uses that may be established within the AG Zoning District. The "lot area" calculation shall be based upon all contiguous land within the AG Zoning District (formerly the Rural Zoning District) held in single and separate ownership, which was held by the landowner or his/her predecessor(s) in title on January 23, 1987. If such land was not classified within the Agricultural Zoning District (formerly the Rural Zoning District) on January 23, 1987, then the "lot area" calculation shall be based upon the contiguous land held in single and separate ownership on the date such land was first rezoned to the AG Zoning District (formerly the Rural Zoning District). For the purposes of this section of this chapter, land held in single and separate ownership shall be considered to be contiguous regardless of whether:

For each 25 acres of contiguous land under single ownership as of January 23, 1987 (referred to henceforth as the "parent tract"), there may be one dwelling unit constructed upon such parent tract, or one lot may be subdivided from the said tract, provided that the new lot and the subsequent configuration of the parent tract shall both comply with all of the area and bulk regulations of this section of this chapter, as well as with all applicable regulations of Chapter 368, Subdivision and Land Development, in effect.

The provisions of Article III of this chapter shall apply to all parcels of land legally existing on the enactment date of this chapter. Regardless of size, no lot subsequently subdivided from its parent tract shall be permitted to accommodate a new dwelling, except as provided for by § 375-3040C of this chapter. Similarly, subsequent owner(s) of any parcel of land legally existing on the effective date of this chapter shall be bound by the acts of previous owners in that such subsequent owner may only subdivide, for purposes of additional single-family dwellings, the number of lots, if any, remaining from the original number permitted by § 375-3040C of this chapter. In the event that a tract of land that was not classified as part of the AG Zoning District as of the enactment date of this chapter and was thereafter so classified, the size and ownership of such tract of land shall be determined as of the effective date of the change in the zoning classification.

Any single-family detached dwelling located in the AG Zoning District, which was in existence on January 23, 1987, or which was in existence on the effective date of any zoning amendment which thereafter changed the zoning classification of the land on which the single-family detached dwelling is located to the AG Zoning District shall not be included in determining the number of single-family detached dwellings permitted in accordance with the provisions of § 375-3040 of this chapter.

Any subdivision of land development plan hereafter filed shall specify which lot or lots shall carry a right of further subdivision or development, as specified under § 375-3040C of this chapter. Such information shall also be included in the deed for any new lots. If this information is not included on a subdivision or land development plan, it shall be presumed that the parent tract shall carry the right of further subdivision or land development under § 375-3040C of this chapter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing limitations on the maximum number of lots permitted to be subdivided contained under § 375-3040 of this chapter, if a lot is subdivided and transferred to East Lampeter Township, a municipal authority incorporated by East Lampeter Township, or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the purpose of widening a right-of-way (such as for an intersection or road improvement), placement of a sewage pumping station, or similar use, the subdivision of such lot shall not be counted against the maximum number of lots permitted to be subdivided from the tract. The property owner shall be entitled to subdivide the number of lots based upon the number of acres contained in the tract prior to the transfer of the lot to such agency.

No subdivision or lot add-on shall be permitted that increases the lot size of a lot used for residential purposes in excess of the maximum permitted lot size. Any lot with a lot area of two or fewer acres shall be presumed to be used for residential purposes. The lot area of such lot shall not be increased to more than two acres.

When a lot add-on transfers land from one farm to another farm, any unused quota of single-family detached dwellings as determined by the provisions specified under § 375-3040 of this chapter shall remain with the parent tract. A lot add-on shall not be considered as a residential subdivision or towards a permitted lot allocation when the parcels of land involve existing farms that are over 10 acres in lot size.

The number of lots that may be created, or the number of single-family dwellings or other principal nonagricultural buildings that may be erected, shall be fixed according to the size of the parent tract. This number shall not be increased by the subdivision of such parent tract. Any subsequent owner of a parent tract, land remaining in the parent tract after subdivision, or land that was formerly part of a parent tract, shall be bound by the actions of his predecessor.