N. Annville supervisors address ag security area request, solar array project

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North Annville Township supervisors unanimously voted Monday to ask East Hanover Township to assume authority of three acres of land destined for an agricultural security area. 

In a separate matter, supervisors finalized an agreement for a solar array to be constructed at Lebanon Valley College on land within North Annville Township.

Agricultural Security Area request

The three acres located within North Annville are part of a 70-acre parcel that’s predominantly in the neighboring municipality.

An agricultural security area (ASA) is a designated, locally approved area of at least 250 acres designed to protect farmland from non-agricultural development and promote long-term farming viability. Established through a petition to township supervisors, ASAs offer farmers protection from nuisance lawsuits and, in some cases, restricted government condemnation.

More than one farm is permitted by state law to be part of a given ASA and those parcels do not have to be contiguous.  

The move to ask the other municipality to place the land with the ASA application is motivated by cost savings since North Annville officials would have to pay about $1,000 for a newspaper advertisement to publicly announce the proposal, according to township solicitor Paul Bametzreider.

The move also saves township paperwork since they would have to have the application distributed to their ASA committee and the township’s planning commission for review and comment, Bametzreider said.

North Annville Township secretary Adam Wolfe referenced March 2020 meeting minutes, where it was noted that the ASA law was changed in 2003 to streamline the application process. The change requires a municipality where a majority of the land is located to automatically include the smaller parcel within its ASA application, Wolfe said.

Prior to the approved request to contact East Hanover officials, a resident asked if North Annville would still receive taxes for those three acres or if it would forfeit that revenue to its neighbors. Bametzreider said the tax bill goes to where the residence is located. 

LVC reimbursement agreement

Supervisors also agreed to sign a legal document that addresses construction of a solar array located within the municipality and on the Lebanon Valley College campus.

The agreement, which was crafted between attorneys representing both parties, addresses attorney and engineering fees that are to be paid to the township for the project, according to Bametzreider.

“This is engineering and attorney fees for the plans for the solar array that the college is installing on that particular property,” he said. “The primary moving factor was the engineering review that is going to have to happen due to (installation of) township sanitary sewage lines that cut across that field.”

Other township business

In other business, supervisors voted unanimously to: 

• Hear the police report, which included 46 calls in the township for the month that were mostly accidents related during the recent snow event. There were two DUI crashes, and a report of a suspicious vehicle. One call involved a vehicle pursuit on Route 934 with the vehicle topping speeds of close to 85 mph on Hill Church Road before the driver crashed. Police plan to charge that individual with eluding. There was also a crash involving a police car, which lowers the department’s available vehicles to three.
• Receive the North Annville Fire Company report, including 21 emergency-related calls, and an additional 55 other activities, for a total manpower of just under 393 hours for the month. It was also stated that the new fire truck should be delivered by July.      
• Announce that there are 17 properties that are still not in compliance with the on-lot disposal system pumping regulation. Those properties will be visited as soon as weather permits now that the 30-day period for compliance has expired.
• Amend the Emergency Services Advisory Committee so there are two representatives each from the North Annville Township Fire Company and township residents, and the municipality’s director of Emergency Management Services, for a total of five committee members.
• Ratify for placement into the public record and township meeting minutes the prior announced Snow Emergency and Disaster Emergency declarations that were issued during the recent snowstorm.  
• Accept the road and planning commission reports.
• Read and pay monthly invoices
• Give two property owners until April 1 to be in compliance with the nuisance ordinance violations for zoning infractions. The April deadline was established given the recent inclement weather that may have impacted compliance.
• Approve the minutes of the Jan. 12 meeting and treasurer’s report.

Public comment

During public comment, Faith Bucks, a committee member with America250 Lebanon County, announced that municipalities can have an informational display at the upcoming July 4 celebration of the nation’s birth.

She said the local anniversary committee has decided to give space to local municipalities at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds during the countywide celebration of the anniversary on July 4. 

Events are planned throughout the day at the expo center to highlight the nation’s 250th birthday, ending with the annual fireworks show, which is being moved this year to the fairgrounds from Coleman Memorial Park.

She provided the township an application. Supervisors made no comment during the meeting about the township’s involvement at this event.

In a separate comment, a resident enquired about compression release engine brake, noting they are a nuisance when being used on Route 934, especially in the early morning hours. 

The township planning commission is considering creating an ordinance to address this issue. Bametzreider noted that enacting an ordinance is difficult because they have to be given PennDOT approval.

He also noted potential township liability if an ordinance is enacted and an accident were to occur involving a vehicle that was prohibited from using their engine brake. The resident noted that he’s talked with truck drivers who have said engine brakes are not necessary and are used by what he called lazy drivers.

The township also provided a handout to meeting attendees announcing the upcoming rain barrel workshop being held by the Lebanon County Conservation District at the Lebanon Valley Ag Center in North Cornwall Township. (See flyer below.)

Next meeting

North Annville Township supervisors meet the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Union Water Works Social Hall, 2875 Water Works Way, Annville. The next regularly scheduled meeting is March 9.