Posted May 21, 2014
Supervisors of a Pennsylvania Township recently
rejected a proposed amendment that would have allowed agricultural tourism on
residential properties, according to an article by the Ligonier Echo, available
here.
During the meeting, the Ligonier Township board voted
2-1 against authorizing an attorney, Mark Hamilton, to submit the amendment to
the zoning ordinance to the planning commission. The proposal “set requirements and
definitions for ‘agritourism,’ as a conditional use in four districts,
including three that are zoned residential.”
Farm owners in favor of the amendment wanted “to host
weddings and other events, which are not permitted on the residentially zoned
property under the current ordinance.”
The issue has been contentious with the farm owners and neighbors.
As
a result of the vote, Hamilton has resigned as special counsel for the Ligonier
Township. Hamilton’s resignation
letter criticized the board majority for “an intolerance for perspectives not
consistent with yours.” Hamilton also
said of the two supervisors with dissenting votes, “Unfortunately, both of you
refused to engage your electorate, and, by so doing, failed to fulfill your
duty of leadership.”
For more information on agritourism, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
