The Agricultural Zoning Incentive Program was established in 1995. The objective of this program is to implement the agricultural element of the Berks County Comprehensive Plan, which contains the goal of protecting and stabilizing agriculture in areas of productive soils and promoting agriculture as an ongoing viable component in the County’s economy.

The concept of the program is straightforward. In return for successful adoption of effective agricultural zoning by any municipality in Berks County, the County Community Development Office will reimburse up to $6,000, the costs associated with amending or revising the municipality’s zoning ordinance. The Berks County Planning Commission staff will be the sole judge of whether a municipality has met the standard of effective agricultural zoning. In addition, the ordinance provisions must be consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan. The County and municipality will be bound by a contractual agreement and no reimbursement will be made until the municipality has adopted the required zoning provisions.

Municipalities that wish to participate in AZIP must have a comprehensive plan that clearly supports effective agricultural zoning. The municipality must also demonstrate that agriculture is an important aspect of its economy, and that the agricultural zoning is necessary to sustain the agricultural industry.