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.
			Montgomery 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	25%		Farmland	10%		Clustering	25%
Road Frontage	Points		Acreage	Points		Consistent with Ag Areas Map	Points
1,000 feet or more	30		75 acres or more	10		Within significant farmland area	20
501 to 999 feet	15		50 - 74.9 acres	7		Within 1/2 mile from SFA	12
0 to 500 feet	0		25 - 49.9 acres	4		1/2 mile to 1 mile from SFA	6
			Less than 25 acres	0		More than 1 mile from SFA	0
Availability of Public Water/Sewer	Points
Either within 1/4 mile	10		Crops or Pasture	Points		Proximity to Other Easements	Points
Either within 1/2 mile	5		90%+	5		Adjacent to 2 or more easements	25
No service within 1/2 mile	0		80% - 89.9%	4		Adjacent to 1 easement	20
			70% - 79.9%	3		Less than .25 mile	15
Site w/ Steep ( > 15%) Slopes	Points		60% - 69.9%	2		Within .25 - .49 mile	10
0% - 9.9%	30		50% - 59.9%	1		Within .50 - .99 mile	5
10% - 19.9 %	15					More than 1 mile	0
20 % or more	0		Stewardship	Points		Potential to start new ag cluster	20
			NRCS plan fully implemented	40
Wetlands and/or Floodplains	Points		NRCS plan partially implemented	20		ASA Adjacent to Tract	Points
0% - 9.9%	20		Plan less than 50% implemented	0		75.1% - 100%	20
10% - 39.9 %	10					50.1% - 75%	15
40 % or more	0		Historic Qualities	Points		25.1% - 50%	10
			Documented features favorable	5		.1% - 25%	5
Extent of Non-Ag Use	Points		Undocumented features favor.	2		0%	0
21% or more within 1/2 mile	10		No significant historic features	0
10% - 20% within 1/2 mile	5					Consistent w/ Comprehensive Plans	Points
Less than 10% within 1/2 mile	0		Scenic Qualities	Points		Priority farmland on plan	20
			Adjacent to public open space	5		Low density residential or ag.	10
			Site provides a scenic vista	5		Medium or high density residential,	0
			Provides a scenic accent	2		or industrial
			No significant scenic features	0
						Consistent w/ Munic. Comp. Plan	Points
			Farm Product Gross Sales	Points		P. farmland, low den. resid or ag	15
			$110,000 or more	20		Medium or high density residential,	0
			$87,500 to $109,999	16		or industrial
			$65,000 to $87,499	12
			$42,500 to $64,999	8
			$20,000 to $42,499	4
			Less than $20,000	0
			Condition of Farm Buildings	Points
			Useable, functioning blgs.	10
			Blgs exist, but not functioning	4
			Bare land	0
			Duration of Family Farming	Points
			60 years or greater	5
			30 - 59 years	2
			1 - 29 years	0