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.
			Dauphin 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	25%		Clustering	25%
Road Frontage	Points		Acreage	Points		Target Area	Points
[(Frontage/100) / total acreage] * 40			(Acres / 500) * 5			Farm percentage within target area * 10
Availability of Public Water	Points		Crops or Pasture	Points		Proximity to Other Easements	Points
On tract	15		Percent used for crops or pasture * 30			4 farms - contiguous	30
Within 1,000 feet	10					4 farms - within 1/2 mile	26
No service within 1,000 feet	5		Stewardship	Points		4 farms - within 1 mile	24
			Plan fully implemented	20		4 farms - within 1.5 miles	22
Availability of Public Sewer	Points		Plan Approved,  > 50% coverage	10		3 farms - contiguous	26
Lies in existing sewered area	15		Plan Approved,  < 50% coverage	0		3 farms - within 1/2 mile	22
Within sewer expansion area	10					3 farms - within 1 mile	20
Outside of sewered/expansion area	5		Historic and Environmental	Points		3 farms - within 1.5 miles	18
			State forest land	1		2 farms - contiguous	24
Extent of Non-Ag Use Adjacent	Points		State park land	1		2 farms - within 1/2 mile	20
Non-Ag land	15		State game land	1		2 farms - within 1 mile	18
State Gamelands/Forest/Park	10		100 Year flood-plain	1		2 farms - within 1.5 miles	16
Agricultural land	5		Recognized historic feature	1		1 farm - contiguous	22
			In Scenic Rivers Programs	1		1 farm - within 1/2 mile	18
Distance to Urban Center	Points		Century farm	1		1 farm - within 1 mile	16
[(10,000-Distance) / 10,000)] * 15						1 farm - within 1.5 miles	14
			Class I - III Soils	Points
			Percent on Class I - III soils * 30			ASA within 2 miles of Centroid	Points
						Percentage in ASA area X 40
			Farm Product Gross Sales	Points
			(Gross Sales* / 100,000) * 5			Area Planning Designation	Points
			* Up to $100,000			Designated for agriculture	20
						Design. for mixed or transitional use	10
			Condition of Farm Buildings	Points		Designated for non-ag	0
			Sound	5
			Deteriorating	3
			Dilapidated	1
			No buildings	0