OUR MISSION
- Serve the needs of London Britain Township (LBT) in the preservation, conservation, and stewardship of historic sites and open space, including important agriculturally productive lands and natural areas;
- Assist the LBT Board of Supervisors and the LBT Planning Commission in decisions regarding open space planning and land acquisition;
- Assist landowners in London Britain Township who wish to pursue conservation objectives in their plans for their properties;
- Establish an endowment fund to provide operating revenue for acquisition of land and interest in land, and for stewardship and planning activities;
- Provide liaison with environmental, agricultural, conservation and historic preservation organizations and promote the services each organization offers;
- Acquire land in fee, purchase development rights, and accept lands and conservation easements from donors, including developers, that are required to set aside lands by subdivision or land development regulations;
- Establish management procedures with homeowners associations;
- Work with LBT staff in efforts to better manage and improve existing open space areas and greenways.
VOLUNTEER BOARD
President, April Schmitt
Vice President, Mary Ellen Taylor
Treasurer, Joe McNelis *
Secretary, Mary Beth French
Township Supervisor, Aileen Parrish *
Property Monitor, Joan Fenza
Volunteer Coordinator, Dawn Manley **
Historical Commission, Martin Wells
Webmaster, April Schmitt
Asst Treasurer, Emily Dryden
Asst Secretary, Nancy Henderson
Asst Webmaster, Mary Beth French
* Founding members: Aileen Parrish, Joe NcNelis, & Warren Davies (deceased).
* * With committee support.
OUR CONSERVATION
| Acres Owned | 100 |
| Acres Under Easement | 44 |
| Acres Transferred to Public Agency† | 0 |
| Other Acres Protected‡ | 20 |
| Total | 164 |
† Pertains to land that has been acquired by the land trust and than reconveyed to a local, county or state, state or federal government entity for conservation purposes.
‡ Other pertains to assistance in transactions including preparation and negotiation work and/or the reconveyance of land to another private conservation organization.
HISTORY
On 10 August 1998 the Board of Supervisors of London Britain Township adopted and enacted Ordinance # 98-5, supporting the creation and implementation of a land trust in accordance with the Second Class Township Code. The specific purpose of this land trust?;”… to assist and cooperate with the Township in achieving its goals and objectives”. Among the “goals and objectives” are the protection of historic sites, environmentally sensitive areas and open space.
The Pennsylvania Legislature in 1981 enacted the Agricultural Areas Security Act (AASA). This Act, among other things, provides for the purchase, by the State and Counties, of development rights of properties within an established agricultural security area. It does not provide for the appropriation of funds for local municipal acquisition of such rights.
Funding for the purchase of open space in Chester County is severely limited. In order to address the open space concerns of Township residents, which were revealed in a Township survey held several years ago, Township Supervisors desired and recommended, enhancement and promotion of the acquisition of open space and/or development rights from landowners.
To reach that objective, three residents volunteered to be founders and initial directors of a nonprofit organization identified as a “Supporting Organization”, pursuant to Section 509 (a) sub-Section 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Articles of Incorporation were signed by the Incorporators (the aforementioned “founders”) on 29 January 1999 and approved and filed in the Pennsylvania Department of State on 17 May 1999 on which date the London Britain Township Land Trust was incorporated under the Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
*The Incorporators (founders) were three in number; Aileen Parrish, Township Supervisor, Joseph McNelis, Chairman of the LBT Planning Commission, and Warren Davies, at-large.