Upper Leacock Township tightens zoning rules for backyard farming
Upper Leacock Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is updating its zoning rules for agricultural activities. The new ordinance will allow limited farming as an extra use in the Mixed Use (MU) Zoning District. Around 15 households in the area will be directly affected by these changes. The proposed rules set clear limits on farm animals based on lot size. Residential plots under 10,000 square feet cannot keep any livestock. Larger lots, between 10,000 and 20,000 square feet, may house up to five birds in an aviary. Properties from 20,000 square feet up to ten acres can keep up to ten fowl or poultry, but only in a contained space.
All other farm animals, except horses used for carriages or buggies, remain banned. Any permitted agricultural activity must be fenced and used solely for the residents' own consumption. These rules only apply to lots with a single-family home. The full draft of the ordinance is available for review at several locations. Copies can be inspected at the Township office, the newspaper office, and the Upper Leacock Township website. A physical copy is also filed with the Lancaster County Law Library. Residents can obtain their own copy from the Township office for the cost of reproduction during specified hours.
The amended zoning ordinance introduces specific guidelines for agricultural activities in the Mixed Use District. It restricts livestock based on property size while ensuring any permitted farming is contained and for personal use. The changes will apply only to qualifying single-family residential lots in Upper Leacock Township.
