[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Lancaster 5-2-1995 by Ord. No. 65. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
AGRICULTURAL SECURITY AREA
A unit of 500 or more acres of contiguous or noncontiguous parcels of land of a minimum size of 10 acres each used for agricultural products of crops, livestock, and livestock products under the ownership of one or more persons and designated as such by the Board of Supervisors of Lancaster Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
CROPS, LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS
Crops, livestock and livestock products include, but are not limited to:
A. 
Field crops, including corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, hay, potatoes, and dry beans.
B. 
Fruits, including apples, peaches, grapes, cherries and berries.
C. 
Vegetables, including tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage, carrots, beets, onions and mushrooms.
D. 
Horticultural specialities, including nursery stock ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees and flowers.
E. 
Livestock and livestock products, including cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, horses, poultry, fur-bearing animals, milk, eggs and furs.
F. 
Timber, wood and other wood products derived from trees.
G. 
Aquatic plants and animals and their by-products.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED AREA
A complete and accurate list of the name or names of the owner or owners of each parcel of land to be included in the agricultural security area and the tax parcel number of each parcel.
NORMAL FARMING OPERATIONS
The customary and generally accepted activities, practices, and procedures that farmers adopt, use or engage in year after year in the production and preparation for market of crops, livestock and livestock products and in the production and harvesting of agricultural, agronomic, horticultural, silvicultural, and aquacultural crops and commodities.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Lancaster, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
A. 
The agricultural security area consists of parcels of land named by the following owners and identified by the Butler County Tax Parcel Identification Number for assessment purposes.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
200 4F129 7
200 4F98 46C
200 4F58 6
200 4F58-7
200 4F129 12
200 4F129 11
200 4F127 A9BA
200 4F127 A3
200 4F131 8C
200 4F127 A4
200 4F127 A4A
200 4F127 A6
200 4F129 4
200 4F131 1
200 4F98 41
200 4F98 13
200 4F58 130000
200 4F129 3AB
200 4F129 3AC
200 4F129 3AD
200 4F129 3AA
200 4F129 3A
200 4F98 14A
200 4F96 7
200 4F96 15A
200 4F131 9B
200 4F131 9
200 4F129 6
200 4F98 1
200 4F48 40000
200 4F58 8 and 15
200 4F56 22
200 4F56 270000
200 4F56 17
200 4F56 8
200 4F129 2
200 4F131 8CBA
200 4F131 8CB
200 4F100 A2A
B. 
The map prepared and recommended by the Agricultural Security Area Advisory Committee and the Township Planning Commission is hereby adopted and approved as the Official Map identifying the agricultural security area of Lancaster Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Participation in the agricultural security area shall be available on a voluntary basis to landowners within the jurisdiction of Lancaster Township. The deletion of land in the agricultural security area shall only occur after seven years or whenever, pursuant to law, the agricultural security area is subject to review by the Board of Supervisors of the Township. The addition of land to the agricultural security area may occur at any time during the seven-year period, provided that any proposal for addition shall follow the procedures and requirements of the proposal for the original agricultural security area.
The Township shall review the agricultural security area seven years from the effective date of this chapter and every seven years thereafter. Reviews shall be performed pursuant to the procedures set forth in law or rules and regulations adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the Township.
A. 
General rule. Lancaster Township shall encourage the continuity, development and viability of agriculture within such an area by not enacting local laws or ordinances which would unreasonably restrict farm structures or farm practices within the area in contravention of the purposes of the act unless such restrictions or regulations bear a direct relationship to the public health or safety.
B. 
Public nuisance. Lancaster Township ordinances defining or prohibiting a public nuisance[1] shall exclude from the definition of such nuisance any agricultural activity or operation conducted using normal farming operations within an agricultural security area, as permitted by the act, if such agricultural activity or operation does not bear a direct relationship to the public health and safety.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 180, Nuisances.
Limitations on the power of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its agencies regarding condemnation and certain other actions and upon political subdivision, authorities, public utilities, or other bodies regarding condemnations shall be as provided by state law.
A. 
No nuisance action shall be brought against an agricultural operation which has lawfully been in operation for one year or more prior to the date of bringing such action, where the conditions or circumstances complained of as constituting the basis for the nuisance action have existed substantially unchanged since the established date of operation and are normal agricultural operations, or if the physical facilities of such agricultural operations are substantially expanded or substantially altered and the expanded or substantially altered facility has been in operation for one year or more prior to the date of bringing such action; provided, however, that nothing herein shall in any way restrict or impede the authority of the Township from protecting the public health, safety, and welfare or the authority of a municipality to enforce state law.
B. 
The provisions of this section shall not affect or defeat the right of any person, firm or corporation to recover damages for any injuries or damages sustained by them on account of any agricultural operation or any portion of an agricultural operation which is conducted in violation of any federal, state or local statute or governmental regulation which applies to that agricultural operation or portion thereof.
If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not effect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.