Planned use of nearly 63-acre Bethel Township farmland remains uncertain

The planned use for a 62.69-acre farm in Fredericksburg purchased by Bell & Evans for $2.5 million in April 2023 is still unknown at this time.

More than a year after the farm was purchased, it remains undeveloped, and when LebTown recently asked company officials how it planned to utilize the property, the response was "no comment."

After Bell & Evans acquired the farm 19 months ago, company officials immediately filed a request with the Bethel Township Planning Commission requesting a zoning ordinance change from agricultural to manufacturing.

According to the planning commission's May 2023 meeting minutes, Alex Kinzey from Steckbeck Engineering and Mike Bracrella from Bell & Evans discussed the zoning change request on April 17, 2023.

Read More: Bell & Evans acquires 62.7-acre site next to existing chicken plant for $2.5 million

At that meeting, Bracrella said Bell & Evans wanted to start the process of the map amendment to be proactive, adding he's unsure what the company intended to do with the land, according to the meeting minutes.

The planning commission agreed that they would like to know what the company was proposing for the parcel before a decision was made. Bethel Township engineer Matthew Mack told LebTown the farm used to be a poultry operation.

Bracrella responded that Bell & Evans would do their best to provide a tentative plan with the understanding that submitting a plan is not a guaranteed approval. A commission member said the company's request did not comply with the township's comprehensive plan.

At the planning commission's August 2023 meeting, Bracella gave a presentation about the drilling process, according to the minutes. Several residents commented on the proposal, although what those comments entailed was not included in the minutes.

Following discussion, commission chairman Beverly Martel made a motion "not to recommend the zoning change request from Bell and Evans to change the zoning from agricultural to manufacturing for the property located at 241 Blue Mountain Road, to the township's board of supervisors."

All voted in favor of Martel's motion.

Township supervisors voted unanimously to deny the zoning request at their September 2023 meeting.

Supervisor Bruce Light addressed the audience regarding the request, noting "that change is coming and don't be surprised if the request is presented to the township again in the future." Light made a motion to deny the request to change the zoning from agricultural to manufacturing for 241 Blue Mountain Road.

"We thought they own a lot of other land that they can use," said township supervisor board chairman Richard Rudy told LebTown after the vote.

"At that time it didn't make a lot of sense to change ag land into commercial," added Light. "We can make a decision for this time, but five years from now who knows where it will be."

The company has not since submitted a new proposal to change the zoning, with Rudy noting that Bell & Evans has "since bought at least one other property in the area near it."

Light added that while the township supervisors can't control what Bell & Evans proposes, municipal officials are charged with "planning the township to the best of their abilities."

The Blue Mountain Road property was acquired from Randall M. and Diana R. Fischer in a $2.5 million transaction recorded with Lebanon County on April 14, 2023.

That land sits adjacent to Bell & Evans' state-of-the-art, 411,500-square-foot plant, which opened in December 2021.

The plant has received national recognition for the high-quality of its engineering, LebTown has previously reported.

"Animal welfare is just one of the elements where the Fredericksburg facility excels, along with a thoughtful focus on every detail when it comes to food safety, automation, sustainability, energy savings, staff satisfaction and much more, which is why we're giving Bell & Evans our 2022 Plant of the Year award," said Food Engineering in a release.