Reaching a massive milestone, Heritage Conservancy recently partnered with Warrington Township to ensure that open space dedicated as part of residential developments will remain open and accessible to the public, as it was intended.
Zoning Change
Several years ago, Warrington Township Supervisors enacted a zoning change that provides an incentive for developers to cluster planned homes in an effort to use as little of the land as possible while protecting the bulk of it as open space. Going an important step further, municipal leaders wanted to guarantee that the open space would stay that way. This is an important aspect of our mission, and it’s something that makes Heritage Conservancy’s work so special – our desire to protect open space for generations to come!
Warrington Township reached out to Heritage Conservancy to serve as the holder of conservation easements on four properties that utilized the conservation development zoning, to set aside nearly 175 acres of open space in the northwestern corner of the township.
Grove Valley Farm and Laurel Crossing
County Line Road south of Stump Road – two neighboring open space parcels totaling 36 acres (Grove Valley Farm – 21.032 acres, and Laurel Crossing – 15.020 acres). Grove Valley Farm consists of wildlife habitat, significant natural resources, and scenic views which contribute to the rural character of the surrounding area. Laurel Crossing contains picturesque forested areas, streams, and other wetland habitats that prove vital to the ecology of the region.
Weisel Farm
A third easement protects Weisel Farm, which contains 85 acres located between Stump, Mill Creek, and Pickertown roads. The property consists of a mix of meadows and forested habitat with some active agricultural fields.
Emerson Farm
And finally, a half-mile south along Pickertown Road, more than 50 acres have been protected at the Emerson Farm. The property consists of agricultural areas as well as habitat for wildlife, open space, and rural scenic views.
Easements
The easements are designed to protect natural resources while allowing agricultural uses, public trails, and recreation.
As holder of the conservation easements, Heritage Conservancy will monitor each property to make sure that the land is used according to the terms of the recorded restrictions. Each of our easements is closely monitored and accounted for by our dedicated team of land conservation experts.
More information about these projects can be found at warringtontownship.org.