03/03/2022
Designated Rural Area Reports – Harris Township
Board of Supervisors to Hold Public Hearing and Consider Adoption of Rural Zoning Update
Residents living in our rural areas may have noticed signs that were posted recently. These signs were posted ahead of a public hearing that will be held on Monday, March 14th, on our comprehensive rural zoning update. The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on this project in September 2021. Based on the comments received at that meeting, the Board and the Planning Commission worked with members of the Township's agricultural community to address concerns noted with the language in the ordinance and to revise the zoning map.
We wanted to provide residents with more information on the project, on what's included in the ordinance and on what's changed since September.
Rural Zoning Update:
In 2012, the Harris Township Planning Commission undertook a comprehensive analysis of the Township’s zoning districts. This evaluation was conducted to determine if adequate land area was provided for land uses and if any changes were needed to ensure consistency between Township regulations and long range planning goals and policies.
As a result of this initial review, the Commission recognized a need to conduct additional long range planning for the portions of the Township that are outside of the Centre Region’s Regional Growth Boundary and Sewer Service Area.
In 2014, the Planning Commission began working on the Designated Rural Areas Project. This project focused on identifying long range planning goals for rural properties in the Township, along with a zoning implementation strategy to help accomplish those goals.
Harris Township currently has three rural zoning districts including the Agricultural (A), Forest (F), and Rural Commercial (RC) districts. The majority of properties outside of the Regional Growth Boundary are located within one of these three zoning districts, with the exception of parcels in the Linden Hall and Shingletown areas that are located in the Single Family Residential (R1) district.
These zoning districts were initially adopted in the late 1970s and have been updated periodically since that time. One of the desired outcomes of the Designated Rural Areas Project was to identify how local zoning regulations would need to be updated to meet the needs of local farmers. In order to gain a local perspective, Township staff met with several Harris Township farmers to discuss the changing nature of agriculture in Pennsylvania and the Region. The ability to diversify agricultural operations was cited as a concern for the long-term financial sustainability of local farms. Agriculture related tourism, recreation, and education opportunities were provided as concepts on how farmers throughout the State are diversifying operations and supplementing their income.
In order to help identify long term goals for the Township’s rural areas, the Planning Commission analyzed the locations of existing land uses, natural features, and environmental constraints. These features were mapped utilizing a Geographic Information System which allowed the Planning Commission to identify potential development constraints as well as adequate buffering around features that should be protected. The existing characteristics of the area were analyzed against long range planning guidance from the 2013 Centre Region Comprehensive Plan in order to identify specific goals for the Township’s rural areas.
The Harris Township Planning Commission presented the completed Designated Rural Areas Project to the Board of Supervisors at a joint meeting in September 2015. The Board of Supervisors asked that the Planning Commission begin drafting new zoning districts based upon the recommendations of the project. Preparing draft rural zoning ordinances were listed in the Commission’s 2016, 2017, and 2018 work programs.
Proposed Changes:
The draft ordinance proposes the following zoning districts be created in our rural areas:
Natural Areas District (replaces the current Forest Zoning District): The proposed Natural Areas District would apply to properties in Harris Township that are primarily comprised of steep slopes and other environmental constraints. This district would include portions of Rothrock State Forest, State College Borough Water Authority properties, recreational areas such as Tussey Mountain and other properties that are characterized by slopes that are greater than 15 percent. The Designated Rural Areas Project recommended that development in the District be limited to land uses that have minimal impacts on natural and environmental features.
Agricultural District: The proposed Agricultural District would apply to areas in Harris Township that contain agricultural operations or have large open space areas capable of being used for agriculture. The primary purpose of the proposed Agricultural District is to support agriculture as a sustainable industry in the Township. Agritainment uses are allowed in this district.
One issue addressed in the proposed Agricultural district is future residential development within the district. The existing Agricultural zoning ordinance includes Open Space-Rural Clustering provisions that require 50 percent of a parent tract to be preserved as open space whenever residential uses are proposed. While these regulations ensure that open space is preserved in conjunction with residential development, the Planning Commission explored new regulations that would provide more development options and ensure that the open space preserved would contain natural and environmental resources as well as allow for agricultural uses in the future.
Agricultural Residential: The proposed Agricultural Residential District would apply to portions of the Township’s rural areas that are primarily comprised of large lot residential uses. The district would include properties near the villages of Linden Hall and Shingletown, and existing developments inside the Regional Growth Boundary including Rockey Ridge, Aspen Heights, Huntridge Manor, Laurel Hills, Bear Meadows Village, and the Mountain View Country Club. This district allows for a mixture of residential and agricultural uses and serves as a buffer between higher intensity agricultural uses and more densely developed residential areas. This district supports a continuation of the existing development pattern. Farms that are located in the proposed Agricultural Residential District will still be allowed to continue their farming operations. Agritainment uses will be allowed on these properties.
Rural Centers: The proposed Rural Centers District would apply to properties in the existing villages of Linden Hall and Shingletown. Both of these villages pre-date modern zoning resulting in greater development density than what is found throughout other rural areas in the Township. The proposed district would permit the continuation of the existing residential character of the villages and permit development and redevelopment at a similar density.
Changes Since The September 2021 Public Hearing:
Following the September public hearing, the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission worked cooperatively with the Township's agricultural community to address concerns noted at the public hearing and at subsequent meetings. The following changes were made:
The name of the Rural Residential District was changed to Agricultural Residential. This change was made for two reasons. First, it better reflects the uses that are allowed in the district. And, second, we were made aware that any agricultural properties that are seeking inclusion in a conservation easement program will lose points in the scoring process if they are in a district that doesn't have Agriculture in the name. The Board of Supervisors did not want to take an action that would harm a property owner that is interested in participating in an easement program.
The proposed Agritainment regulations were revised. Agritainment uses are allowed in the Agricultural, Agricultural Residential and Natural Areas districts on properties that are 10 acres or larger and that contain an active agricultural operation. Agritainment uses are only allowed on 2 acres or less of a property.
The proposed zoning map was revised. Several properties along Bailey Lane and Route 322 East that were originally proposed for the Rural Residential District were added to the Agricultural District.
For More Information:
Residents can find more information, including the proposed zoning map, the ordinance and the Designated Rural Areas report on our website at: https://www.harristownship.org/online-resources/designated-rural-area-reports/
Residents are also encouraged to email Township Staff with questions or for additional information. Zoning Officer Todd Shea can be reached at [email protected] and Township Manager Amy Farkas can be reached at [email protected].
The Board intends to hold a public hearing and to consider adoption of this ordinance at their meeting on March 14th. That meeting will begin at 7:30 PM and will be held in the Township Meeting Room, 224 East Main Street, Boalsburg. Residents will be able to live stream the meeting on Youtube and a Zoom link will be available for those wishing to participate in that fashion. Please email the Township Manager for the log in information.
Click here to view the proposed map. Click here to view the proposed ordinance. In 2012, the Harris Township Planning Commission undertook a comprehensive analysis of the Township’s zoning districts. As a result of this review, the Commission recommended additional long range planning for portions...
