Bill Text: PA SB899 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for authorization of development and operation of facilities to improve cost-efficiency in agricultural production or support agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprises on farms and for the establishment of minimum standards for land development and for construction of buildings that support agricultural cost-improvement activities and are used in agricultural marketing and agritourism enterprises; establishing the Farm Enterprise Standards Board and providing for its powers and duties; imposing limitations in local governmental authority; providing for State preemption; and making related repeals.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 7)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-25 - Referred to AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS [SB899 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SB899-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 916
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 899 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY McILHINNEY, WAUGH, FOLMER, GREENLEAF, MENSCH, M. WHITE AND BRUBAKER, MARCH 25, 2011
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 25, 2011
AN ACT
Providing for authorization of development and operation of
facilities to improve cost-efficiency in agricultural
production or support agricultural marketing or agritourism
enterprises on farms and for the establishment of minimum
standards for land development and for construction of
buildings that support agricultural cost-improvement
activities and are used in agricultural marketing and
agritourism enterprises; establishing the Farm Enterprise
Standards Board and providing for its powers and duties;
imposing limitations in local governmental authority;
providing for State preemption; and making related repeals.
The General Assembly finds and declares that the purpose of
this act is to:
(1) Facilitate and encourage the engagement of on-farm
activities and enterprises that increase the cost-efficiency
of agricultural production, increase the value and
profitability of the farm's agricultural products and provide
additional and supplemental income to farm operations.
(2) Identify enterprises and related land improvement
activities and facilities that will likely improve cost-
efficiency in agricultural production and facilitate
agricultural marketing and agritourism on farms.
(3) Identify and develop uniform standards that will
especially apply to land improvement activities and the
construction and use of buildings and structures supporting
agricultural production and supporting agricultural marketing
and agritourism enterprises authorized and encouraged under
this act.
(4) Relieve farm families who meet the standards
established for land improvement and construction and use of
buildings and structures supporting agricultural production,
agricultural marketing and agritourism enterprises and
activities from zoning, land development and construction
standards, requirements and restrictions that would otherwise
be imposed by local governments.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Family Farm
Initiative And Enterprise Land Development Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise.
"Agricultural marketing enterprise." An enterprise engaged
in by a farmer for the purpose of directly marketing
agricultural products produced by the farmer in their natural or
manufactured state. The term shall include any on-farm
processing, packaging or other activity performed in the course
of direct marketing of the farmer's agricultural products. An
enterprise that directly markets 30% of the total value of
agricultural products grown on a farm for commercial sale shall
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be considered an agricultural marketing enterprise,
notwithstanding that items other than the farmer's agricultural
products are marketed or that the enterprise is operated during
periods other than periods where the farmer's agricultural
products are normally produced.
"Agritourism enterprise." Any of the following:
(1) An enterprise that provides entertainment or
education on a farm to tourists and other patrons in the
promotion of farming or rural lifestyle or the promotion of
agricultural products, including farm enterprises that:
(i) Provide for participation of patrons in farming
or harvesting activities.
(ii) Allow patrons to interact with farm or rural
animals or allow patrons to interact with agricultural
products normally produced on the farm.
(iii) Promote the farm or products produced on the
farm through tours, sampling and tasting of products or
souvenir sales.
(iv) Provide bed and breakfast accommodations or
similar farm lodging to patrons as part of the engagement
in farming or harvesting activities or to acquaint
patrons with the farm's agricultural character or
aesthetic nature.
(v) Provide pastoral or family dining.
(vi) Provide games, rides and other entertainment
activities normally engaged in by farm families or rural
communities.
(vii) Engage in activities in conjunction with local
seasonal festivals to promote the local availability of
agricultural products.
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(2) An enterprise in equine activity.
(3) An enterprise in agritainment, as defined in section
2 of the act of December 19, 1974 (P.L.973, No.319), known as
the Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of
1974.
(4) Any other enterprise determined to be an agritourism
enterprise by the board.
"Board." The Farm Enterprise Standards Board.
"Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
Commonwealth.
"Equine activity." Any commercial equine activity, as
defined in section 3 of the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L.128,
No.43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law.
"Land development." As defined in section 7 of the act of
July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code.
"Municipality." Any county, borough, township or town. The
term includes any county, borough, township or town created
under home rule or other means authorized by statute.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Agriculture of the
Commonwealth.
"Structure." As defined in section 7 of the act of July 31,
1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code.
"Supporting agricultural structure." Any structure
constructed for the purpose of storing farm implements or
machinery, farm supplies or agricultural products. The term
includes any structure constructed for the purpose of production
of mushrooms or other horticultural products.
Section 3. Farm Enterprise Standards Board.
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(a) Establishment.--The Farm Enterprise Standards Board is
established within the department.
(b) Membership.--The board shall consist of the following
members:
(1) The secretary or a designee, who shall serve as
board chairman.
(2) Two active farmers appointed by the Governor who are
engaged or who have experience in operation of an
agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprise. Each
appointee shall be made from a list of persons nominated by
all of the following:
(i) The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
(ii) The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable
Agriculture.
(3) Two architects or building contractors, each
appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, who have experience
in the design or construction of supporting agricultural
buildings or buildings commonly used in agricultural
marketing and agritourism enterprises.
(4) One municipal official appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate who is responsible for enforcement of
building or land development standards.
(5) One member of the public appointed by the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(c) Term.--Members of the board shall be appointed to four-
year terms, except that the initial terms for the legislative
appointees shall be two years.
(d) Meetings.--At least four members of the board shall
constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business. A
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majority of those present and voting shall have authority to act
upon any matter. Each member of the board may participate in
meetings and shall be considered to be present at meetings as
authorized by law. The board is authorized to establish rules
governing the operation of meetings and procedures for
administration of this act. A board member who is absent without
reasonable justification for three consecutive meetings may be
removed by action of the board.
(e) Compensation and expenses.--Persons appointed to the
board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed
for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties.
(f) Vacancies.--A vacancy occurring during the term of any
board member shall be filled for the unexpired term by a
successor appointed in the same manner as the member.
(g) Powers and duties.--
(1) General.--The board shall have the following powers
and duties:
(i) To identify supporting agricultural structures
and agricultural marketing and agritourism enterprises
that will be authorized to be constructed or performed on
farms.
(ii) To establish minimum standards for land
development, construction of buildings and structures and
operation that will apply to supporting agricultural
structures and to agricultural marketing or agritourism
enterprises on farms identified under subparagraph (i).
(iii) Upon a request for review in accordance with
section 4, to determine whether the design, land
development or construction of supporting agricultural
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production facilities or facilities related to an
agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprise meets
the minimum standards established by the board.
(2) In establishing the minimum standards under
paragraph (1)(i), the board shall consider the following:
(i) Minimum standards and requirements of
construction or operation that may be applicable to
supporting agricultural structures or agricultural
marketing or agritourism enterprises under Federal law.
(ii) Measures for effective control of adverse
environmental impacts likely to occur from land
development, construction or operation of supporting
agricultural structures or agricultural marketing or
agritourism enterprise facilities.
(iii) Measures for effective control and management
of erosion and sedimentation, sewage and storm water
runoff from land development, construction and operation
of supporting agricultural structures or agricultural
marketing or agritourism enterprise facilities.
(iv) Measures to ensure effective health and safety
protection of agricultural marketing or agritourism
enterprise areas and facilities that patrons will likely
come into contact with or occupy.
(v) Principles for management of agricultural
marketing and agritourism enterprises on farms in a
manner and scale that will not seriously diminish the
farm's principal character and use as a farm.
(vi) The practical and economic feasibility of
typical farm families in this Commonwealth to attain the
standards established.
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(h) Administrative and clerical support.--The department
shall provide the board with sufficient staff, office space,
equipment and other administrative and clerical support as will
allow the board to fully carry out the powers and duties
prescribed under this act.
Section 4. Review and determination of compliance with minimum
standards.
(a) Request for review.--Any person owning or operating a
farm who constructs or plans to construct a supporting
agricultural structure or who engages or plans to engage in an
agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprise may submit to
the board an application for review to determine whether the
structure or enterprise meets the minimum standards established
by the board. The application shall be submitted in writing in a
form and manner prescribed by the board.
(b) Notice.--Within 30 days of receiving the application,
the board shall provide to the applicant, by regular mail, a
notice of receipt of the application and shall transmit for
publication a notice of receipt of the application in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin and in the appropriate newspaper of
general circulation.
(c) Procedures for review and determination.--Reviews and
determinations made by the board shall be subject to 2 Pa.C.S.
Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of
Commonwealth agencies).
(d) Notice of determination.--In addition to the
requirements for issuance and notice of determination prescribed
by law, the board shall, upon issuance of determination,
transmit for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin a notice
that sufficiently identifies the application for which the
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determination is issued and that the determination made.
(e) Appeals.--Any person aggrieved by a determination made
by the board may appeal the determination by filing an appeal
within 30 days of the date the determination is published in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin. Any appeals made under this subsection
shall be subject to the provisions of 2 Pa.C.S. Ch 7. Subch. A
(relating to judicial review of Commonwealth agency action).
Section 5. Enterprises meeting minimum standards authorized.
Land development, construction or operation of any supporting
agricultural structure or any facility related to an
agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprise performed in
accordance with the minimum standards established under this act
shall be authorized absolutely, notwithstanding any municipal
ordinance, public nuisance or zoning prohibitions to the
contrary.
Section 6. Effect of establishment of minimum standards on
other laws.
This act may not be interpreted with other law in a manner
that will impose any additional requirement or restriction upon
supporting agricultural structures and facilities for which
standards have been established under this act.
Section 7. Effect of municipal ordinances and actions in
contravention of this act.
Any enactment or enforcement of a municipal ordinance that
prohibits, restricts or places additional requirements on land
development, construction or operation of a supporting
agricultural structure or agricultural marketing or agritourism
enterprise which meets the minimum standards established under
this act shall be deemed to be an unauthorized local ordinance
for purposes of 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 3 (relating to local regulation)
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and shall be subject to the rights of legal action and other
rights and remedies prescribed in 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 3. The rights
and remedies authorized under this section shall be in addition
to any other legal or equitable rights or remedies that may be
authorized by law. Any person aggrieved by the enactment or
enforcement of a municipal ordinance in contravention of this
act shall not be required to exhaust legal or administrative
remedies that may be prescribed under other laws.
Section 8. State preemption.
This act and its provisions are of Statewide concern and
occupy the whole field of regulation related to land
development, construction and engagement and operation of
supporting agricultural structures and facilities related to
agricultural marketing and agritourism enterprises. No ordinance
or regulation of any municipality may prohibit or attempt to
regulate any matter relating to land development, construction
or operation of supporting agricultural structures or
agricultural marketing or agritourism enterprises in a manner
that conflicts with this act.
Section 9. Interpretation of act.
This act shall be liberally construed to effectuate its
purposes.
Section 10. Retroactivity.
This act shall apply retroactively to any municipal ordinance
or regulation in effect on the effective date of this section.
Section 11. Repeals.
(a) Specified acts.--The following acts or parts of acts are
repealed to the extent they conflict with this act:
(1) The act of June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), known
as The First Class Township Code.
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(2) The act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as
The Second Class Township Code.
(3) The act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known
as The County Code.
(4) The act of January 24, 1966 (1965 P.L.1535, No.537),
known as the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.
(5) The act of February 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656, No.581),
known as The Borough Code.
(6) The act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as
the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
(7) The act of October 4, 1978 (P.L.864, No.167), known
as the Storm Water Management Act.
(8) The act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known
as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act.
(b) Other acts.--Any other act or part of act is repealed to
the extent it is in conflict with this act.
Section 20. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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