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AGRICULTURAL SECURITY AREAS

What Is An Agricultural Security Area?

  1. An Agricultural Security Area is an area of land within a municipality that is approved as an ASA by the local governing body. 

  2. Enrollment is entirely voluntary. 

  3. For a municipality to form an ASA the Proposed ASA must be at least 250 acres.

  4. The 250 acres need not be contiguous or owned by a single landowner.

  5. For land enrolled in an ASA to be eligible for the Easement Purchase Program, the ASA must be at least 500 acres.  

 

What Are The Benefits Of Enrolling In An Agricultural Security Area?

Landowners enrolled in their local ASA receive two types of protection:
  1. Normal farming operations are exempt from local nuisance ordinances that would restrict farming operations.

  2. Land enrolled in an ASA is more difficult to condemn under Eminent Domain.

  3. The easement purchase program scoring system considers the amount of land around an applicant enrolled in an ASA.  Even if you are not interested in selling a conservation easement, enrolling your land may help a neighbor score higher.

 

Are There Any Restrictions On My Land If I Enroll?

No restrictions of any kind are placed on land enrolled in an ASA.  The landowner is free to sell the land, subdivide or develop the land as they wish.  Local zoning, subdivision and other ordinance requirements are still applicable.

 

Are There Eligibility Requirements To Enroll In An Agricultural Security Area?

To enroll your land in an ASA it must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. A parcel of land must be 10 acres in size OR be capable of generating $2,000.00 in gross annual agricultural income.

  2.  Parcels under 10 acres may be eligible if they adjoin other parcels owned by the same person that total that at least 10 acres. 

 

Will This Cost Me Anything?

There are no fees for enrolling in an ASA nor does the landowner receive any payment for enrolling in an ASA.

 

How Do I Enroll In My Local ASA?

  1. If there is an ASA in your municipality you may enroll in that ASA.  Your municipality must approve the enrollment.

  2. If there is no ASA in your municipality, you can form an ASA for your municipality or you may enroll in an ASA in another municipality.  To enroll in an ASA in a municipality other that your own, both your municipality and the municipality where the ASA is located must approve the enrollment.

For more on ASAs…

Click here for ASA Application Form Page 1

Click here for ASA Application Form Page 2

Click here for enrollment instructions

Click here for sample enrollment forms

Click here for an ASA map of Dauphin County

Or contact the Dauphin County Conservation District

Dauphin County Conservation District
1451 Peters Mountain Road
Dauphin  PA  17018
717-921-8100

1451 Peters Mountain Road Dauphin PA 17018 phone: 717-921-8100