7256 River Rd, Conestoga, PA 17516

Rural Conservation District

The purposes of this Article, among others, are as follows:To protect prime agricultural land and encourage the continuity, development and viability of agricultural operations as provided for in Section 603g and h of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended, and the Conestoga Township Comprehensive Plan, considering soil type, topography, and present use; To conserve open land, including those areas containing unique and sensitive natural features such as woodlands, steep slopes, streams, floodplains and wetlands, by setting them aside from development; To provide for the reasonable development of minerals; To allow greater design flexibility and efficiency in the provision of services and infrastructure, including the opportunity to reduce road lengths, utility runs, and the amount of paving required for development; To reduce erosion and sedimentation; To provide for a diversity of lot sizes, building densities, and housing choices to accommodate a variety of age and income groups and residential preferences, so that the Township's fair share population may be accommodated; To allow controlled commercial and industrial land uses; To create neighborhoods with direct visual and physical access to open land and with a strong neighborhood identity; To encourage active or passive recreational uses; To provide multiple options for landowners in order to minimize the adverse effects of development on sensitive environmental resources, and limit disturbance to natural or cultural features such as woodlands, hedgerows and tree lines, critical wildlife habitats, and historic buildings; To provide standards reflecting the varying circumstances and interests of individual landowners and the individual characteristics of their properties; and To conserve scenic views and the Townships rural character,; and to minimize perceived development density by limiting views of new development from existing roads.