Frequently Asked Questions & UAT Documents
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The Upper Allen Township Board of Commissioners has approved an ordinance to place a land preservation referendum on the November 3, 2026, general election ballot. The referendum asks voters to vote yes or no to authorize a dedicated open space tax.
The following documents and links to the uatwp.org website will provide information and details about this proposed program.
Copy of Door Hanger
Land Preservation FAQ's
(click on the link above for answers to the following questions)
What is the question that will appear on the ballot
What is the tax impact on the average resident?
How does land preservation work?
Why is the referendum question being put before the voters?
What is the purpose and intended benefits of the Open Space Lands Act?
Don’t we already have ordinances and fees that create open space?
Doesn’t the County already have an Agricultural Land Preservation program?
Is the concept supported by County Planning Policy
Do taxpayers really vote to raise taxes for open space?
Is land preservation worth the cost?
How much money will be raised?
How will the money be used?
Will these funds be used alone, or can they be combined with other funding sources?
Will the Township seize private property with this money?
What are the Township’s priorities and how will land or open space be selected?
How much money will landowners be paid?
Will payment be based on the entire property or just the acreage preserved?
Will there be a minimum acreage requirement?
What are the realistic acreage goals?
Have eligible property owners been contacted?
Will preserved properties be monitored or inspected?
What are the next steps?
What if there aren’t any landowners interested in conserving their property?
Can the referendum be repealed?
Why has the Township not already created a Land Preservation Review Board and established priorities and criteria for eligible properties?
Natural Lands Conservation Opportunities Map 07-15-26
The map below highlights the land conservation opportunities in Upper Allen Township (olive green colored parcels).
Click on the underlined link above to open a PDF that allows you to zoom in closer on the map.
Cumberland County GIS Property Mapper
The county mapper allows you to view all the land parcels within the various municipalities that make up Cumberland County.
By clicking on a parcel, you can see the owner, property type, land use code, deed acres, land and building value, sale price and more.
Click on the underlined link above for the property mapper website.
We Conserve Cost of Community Services
The Cost of Community Services studies examine both the tax revenues generated by different land uses and the costs to local government of providing services to those same uses. They help people understand the fiscal outcomes of keeping land in agriculture or as open space versus developing land for other purposes.
Findings: Nearly all COCS studies show that residential land is a net drain on local governments, with a ratio above 1.0. The ratios for the other two land use categories studied (commercial/industrial and farmland/open space) are usually well below 1.0, representing net gains for local governments.
In all eleven municipalities, the studies found that residential land contributed less in taxes than it demanded in services. In contrast farmland (and commercial and industrial) contributed far more in taxes than it demanded in services.
Click on the underlined link above for the full study including a findings chart that highlights: Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural land use.
Grow Conservation Survey 07-18-26
An independent consultant conducted a survey on open space preservation and township growth for Upper Allen Township.
Click the underlined link above to open the survey PDF, that includes details on the method of the survey, demographics and results of the survey.
Consultant who conducted this survey: https://growconservation.com
Open Space Program Handbook 01-16-26
This handbook seeks to aid its users in navigating the decisions involved in establishing and operating local municipal open space programs. It reviews Pennsylvania’s legal framework for open space protection, including what municipalities may or must do under the law, as well as impermissible actions.
It describes a multitude of considerations and practices with supporting examples from 20 Pennsylvania municipalities. Each municipality comes to open space protection with a unique set of conditions that will influence the optimal shape of its program. Present and desired future land use; present and projected population; the natural and scenic character of the land; community needs; the capacity of municipal staff and elected officials; the availability of local land trusts and advisors; the interests, skills, and knowledge of volunteers; municipal finances and fundraising potential; public interest and involvement; existing and potential partnerships: all of these and other factors will inform a municipality’s open space protection efforts.
The handbook helps local governments make the decisions and take the actions necessary to effectively conduct an open space program suited to the municipality’s circumstances.
Click the underlined link above to open the handbook PDF.
Silver Spring Township: Land Preservation Program 04-20-26
This presentation was given to Upper Allen BOC and residents at a township meeting. Presenters included:
Vince DiFilippo, former Cumberland County Commissioner, former Cumberland County Agricultural Land Preservation Board Member, former Silver Spring Township Supervisor and current member of Silver Spring Township Land Preservation Board
Laura Brown, current Silver Spring Township Supervisor and current Land Preservation Program Coordinator
The presentation included:
Information about conservation easements and how they are used to preserve land
Act 153: Open Space Lands Act
Silver Spring's Land Preservation Program that was voted in via a referendum and the number of properties they have preserved thus far (23 properties/over 1384 acres with another 5 properties/139 acres in process).
Click the underlined link above to open the presentation.
Cumberland County Presentation 06-22-26
Stephanie Williams, Senior Planning Manager from Cumberland County Planning Department, presented to the Upper Allen BOC and township residents on June 22, 2026.
The presentation highlighted that the concept of land preservation is supported by county planning policy:
County Comprehensive Plan
Land Partnerships Plan
Countywide Clean Water Action Plan
Climate Action Plan
Hazard Mitigation Plan
She emphaized that develop is happening too fast and municipalities need to accelearte open space preservation.
Click the underlined link above to open the presentation to see outlined benefits of land preservation, countyside population trends, partnership and fund leveraging opportunities and more.
Natural Lands Presentation 06-22-26
A preentation given to the BOC and residents in June highlighted legislation that enables tax for open space preservation, neighboring tax environment, proposed increases and estimated annual revnue for open space preservation.
Click on the underlined link above to open the presentation PDF.
EIT and Property Tax Fact Sheet 07-16-26
Fact Sheet for Proposed Land Preservation Referendum:
The Township is proposing a Land Preservation Referendum ballot question that asks the voters of Upper Allen Township whether the Township should impose an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of One Twentieth of One Percent (1/20th of 1%) (.0005) and an increase in the real property tax at a rate not to exceed .20 mills ($.20 per $1,000 assessed valuation) on an annual basis to purchase land or interests in land for preservation and conservation of open, predominantly undeveloped land in Upper Allen Township.
This document is intended to help explain who may be affected by this potential tax increase if the referendum is approved by the voters and how much additional tax individuals and property owners may pay for the dedicated purpose of land preservation.
The Township would use the money to do one or more of the following: 1. Acquire agricultural conservation easements, 2. Finance the acquisition of open space, 3. Finance the acquisition of recreation land, or 4. Acquire Property Development Rights. Further details are available on the Township website.
Click on the underlined link above to open the fact sheet PDF.
Ordinance 850-Adopted 08-03-26
This ordinance of Upper Allen Township outlines the referendum pursuing open space lands preservation and the question for the November election ballot:
Do you favor the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of One Twentieth of One Percent (1/2p of 1%) (.0005) and an increase in the real property tax at a rate not to exceed .20 mils ($.20 per $1,000 assessed valuation) by Upper Allen Township to be used for some or all of the following: financial acquisition of open space, acquiring conservation easements, acquiring recreation lands and acquiring development rights.”
Click on the underlined link above to open the Ordinance PDF.
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