5650 Waltersdorff Rd, Spring Grove, PA 17362

Agricultural Protection District

The intent of the AP District is to: Designate existing farming areas in North Codorus Township to be held strictly for agricultural activities; Protect and promote agriculture as an on-going, economic activity in existing agricultural areas in the Township, by allowing the primary land use activity in these areas to be farming with all other land uses being secondary. The protection of land for agricultural purposes is a legitimate zoning objective under the Municipalities Planning Code, as endorsed by the Township Comprehensive Plan; Encourage only those secondary land uses which support the agricultural functions of the area; Prevent adverse effects, which result from the encroachment and mixing of residential and other incompatible development with agricultural uses. Incompatible uses include residential developments, landfills, quarries, airports, golf courses and country clubs; These adverse effects for agricultural operations include the potential for: Increased traffic conflicts on narrow roads utilized for movement of farm machinery and livestock; Increased litter nuisance to crop and livestock farming; Loss of crops and livestock from increased theft, mischief or trespass; Complaints regarding odors, noise, dust, fencing, operation hours, and other items, which is a normal part of farming; These nuisance effects for residents include the potential for: eased level of nuisances not normally encountered in purely residential areas and described in Subsection above; Increased levels of groundwater contamination from agricultural activities, which are a normal part of farming.