Return to Criteria Map
The LESA program has two main components: Land Evaluation and Site Assessment. The land evaluation of a parcel is based
on only one factor: the soils of that parcel. The site assessment depends on three factors: development, farmland, and clustering.
Each factor has a weight which is determined by the individual county. The site assessment factors are further broken down into
criteria determined by the individual county. These criteria are listed below.
			Adams County
Land Evaluation
			Soils	40%
The soils score is calculated from the amount of each soil type in a parcel multiplied by the value of that soil. The soil values are the
same for every state of Pennsylvania.
Site Assessment
Development	10%		Farmland	30%		Clustering	20%
Road Frontage	Points		Acreage	Points		Proximity to Other Easements	Points
1 1/2 miles or more	30		150 acres or more	26		Adjacent	20
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles	26		125 -149 acres	22		Within 1/4 mile	16
1 to 1 1/4 miles	22		100 - 124 acres	18		Within 1/2 mile	12
3/4 to 1 mile	18		75 - 99 acres	14		Within 1 mile	8
1/2 to 3/4 mile	14		50 - 74 acres	10		Within 1 1/2 mile	4
1/4 to 1/2 mile	10		50 acres or less*	6		More than 1 1/2 mile	0
500 feet to 1/4 mile	6		* If adj. to easement or grows unique crops
Less than 500 feet	0					Compatibility w/ plan LU maps	Points
			Crops, Pasture, Grazing, Orch.	Points		> 90% in Green Area	15
Extent of Non-Ag Use*	Points		90 - 100%	25		50-89% in Green Area	10
Adjacent to within 1/4 mile radius	20		80 - 89%	20		< 50% in Green Area	0
Within 1/4 to 1/2 mile radius	15		70 - 79%	15
Within 1/2 to 3/4 mile radius	10		60 - 69%	10		Ag Zoning around Tract	Points
Within 1 mile radius	5		50 - 59%	5		Tract and adjoin area ag	20
1 mile or more radius	0		49% or less	0		Tract ag; adjoin area non-ag	10
* 10 or more developed lots of 10 acres or less						Tract and adjoin non-ag	0
			Duration of Ownership	Points
Sewer, Water or Act 537	Points		100 years or greater	12		Proximity to Other Applicants	Points
Within 1,000 feet or less	20		60 - 99 years	10		Adjacent	20
Within 1,000 feet to 1/2 mile	16		30 - 59 years	8		Within 1/4 mile	16
1/2 to 1 mile	12		10 - 29 years	6		Within 1/2 mile	12
1 to 1 1/2 mile	8		Less than 10 years	4		Within 1 mile	8
1 1/2 to 2 miles	4					Within 1 1/2 miles	4
2 miles or more	0		Stewardship	Points		More than 1 1/2 miles	0
			Fully implemented con. plan	15
On-Site Sewage Disposal	Points		Partially implemented plan	7		Agricultural Use or Open Land	Points
51% or more soils are moderate	30		Plan approved, but not in place	0		75% - 100%	15
26% - 50% soils are moderate	20					50% - 74%	10
1% - 25% soils are moderate	10		Family Farm	Points		25% - 49%	5
No soils are moderate	0		Family members run farm	17		Less than 25%	0
			Tenant Farmer	0
						ASA Adjacent to Tract	Points
			Historic, Scenic and Envir.	Points		50% or more	10
			Listed in Nat. Reg. of Historic Pl.	5		25% - 50%	8
			or 30% adj. restricted land			25% or less	6
			Listed as historic, but not in	4		No adjacent, but w/i 1/2 mile	4
			Nat. Reg. of Historic Places			No adjacent & not w/i 1/2 mile	0
			Farms older than 50 years or	3
			25% adj. to scenic/historic roads
			Located in Unique Scenic	2
			Landscape Area (USLA)
			Outside USLA, but w/i 1/4	1
			mile of Nat. Reg. of Historic Pl.