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.
			Northumberland County
Land Evaluation
			Soils	50%
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	10%
Road Frontage	Points		Acreage	Points		Consistent with Ag Areas Map	Points
4,000 feet or more	25		125 acres or more	20		100% w/i important ag area	35
2.500 to 3,999 feet	15		100 - 124 acres	15		50% - 99% w/i important ag area	25
1,000 to 2,499 feet	10		75 - 99 acres	10		25% - 49% w/i important ag area	15
0 to 999 feet	5		50 - 74 acres	5		Less than 25% w/i important ag area	0
Availability of Public Water	Points		Crops, Pasture or Grazing	Points		Proximity to Other Easements	Points
Adjacent	12		90% or more	20		Adjacent to one or more easements	30
Less than 1 mile	10		80 - 89%	15		Two easements within 2 miles	20
1 mile to 2 miles	8		70 - 79%	12		One easement within 2 miles	10
More than 2 miles	5		60 - 69%	9		No easement within 2 miles	0
			50 - 59%	5
Availability of Public Sewer	Points		Less than 50%	0		ASA Adjacent to Tract	Points
Adjacent	13					75% or greater	35
Less than 1 mile	10		Stewardship	Points		50% - 74%	25
1 mile to 2 miles	8		Plan 90%+ implemented	20		25% - 49%	15
More than 2 miles	5		70% to 89% implemented	10		Less than 25%	10
			50% to 69% implemented	5
On-Site Sewage Disposal*	Points		Less than 50%	0
61% - 100%  Class I & II soils	13
41% - 60%	10		Historic, Scenic and Envir.	Points
21% - 40%	8		Greater than 80% adjacent	15
6% - 20%	5		60% to 79% adjacent	12
0% - 5%	0		40% - 59% adjacent	9
* For municipalities without public sewer			20% - 39% adjacent	6
			Less than 20% adjacent	3
Extent of Non-ag Use w/i 2 miles	Points		None	0
90% or more	25
50% - 89%	15		Prime or Unique Farmland	Points
Less than 50%	10		75% or more	15
			50% to 74%	10
Distance to Urban Center	Points		25% to 49%	5
Adjacent or within 1 mile	25		Less than 25%	0
1 mile to 2 miles	15
2 miles to 3 miles	10		Century Farm	Points
Over	5		Designated as a century farm	10
			Not designated	0