Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 45, November 9, 2024
Section 137b.64 - Agricultural reserve land to be open to the public(a)General. An owner of enrolled land that is enrolled as agricultural reserve land shall allow the land to be open to the public for outdoor recreation or the enjoyment of scenic or natural beauty without charge or fee, on a nondiscriminatory basis. Enrolled land that is in agricultural use or forest reserve is excluded from this requirement.(b)Actual use by public not required. Enrolled land that is enrolled as agricultural reserve land need not actually be used by the public for the purposes described in subsection (a) to continue to receive a preferential assessment. It shall, however, be available for use for those purposes.(c)Reasonable restrictions on use allowed. A landowner may place reasonable restrictions on public access to enrolled land that is enrolled as agricultural reserve land. These restrictions might include limiting access to the land to pedestrians only, prohibiting hunting or the carrying or discharge of firearms on the land, prohibiting entry where damage to the land might result or where hazardous conditions exist, or other reasonable restrictions.(d)Entry upon the agricultural reserve land. A person shall, whenever possible, notify the landowner before entering upon enrolled land that is enrolled as agricultural reserve land. The landowner may deny entry when damage to the property might result. The landowner can prohibit entry to areas of the agricultural reserve land upon prior notification to the county assessor of the existence of a hazardous condition on that land. The landowner's reasons to deny entry to the land shall be based upon fact and be acceptable to the county assessor.(e)County assessor's discretion. A county assessor may establish reasonable guidelines by which an owner of enrolled agricultural reserve land may identify the conditions under which the land shall be open to the public for outdoor recreation or the enjoyment of scenic or natural beauty, and by which the county assessor may maintain an up-to-date summary of the locations of agricultural reserve land within the county and the public uses to which these agricultural reserve lands may be put. A county assessor may disseminate this information to the public. This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 137b.2 (relating to definitions); and 7 Pa. Code § 137b.13 (relating to agricultural reserve).