If the Northampton Area School District School Board has anything to do with it, as much open space as possible will be retained in the district.

The school board voted 8-0, with one member absent Sept. 10, to approve Act 4. The measure would allow NASD landowners to freeze their property taxes at the rate when they decide to place their land in the program and agree to not sell the property for development purposes.

According to the resolution approved, "Act 4 of 2006 ... provides for the exception of certain eligible real farm property from further millage increases beginning with the millage established for the school district fiscal year 2013-14." The NASD administration accepted the resolution for board approval.

At the school board's July 9 meeting, Northampton County Farmland Preservation Administrator Maria Bentzoni conducted a presentation regarding Act 4. During the presentation, Northampton County Executive John Stoffa spoke in favor of it.

At the Sept. 10 meeting, school board member Darin Arthofer commented, "I received a couple of phone calls on this [Act 4]."

"One of the questions was: 'Does the Act [4] affect any board members?'" Arthofer asked.

School board President David Gogel polled school directors and each said "No," or nodded in the negative, indicating that they would not personally benefit if their land was placed under an Act 4 covenant.

Gogel said he was probably the only NASD school director who owns sufficient acreage that would make it worthwhile to place the land under the preservation act.

"I don't expect to go to Act 4," Gogel said, adding that property he owns had been placed under Act 519, which is the Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of 1974.

School board member Jane Erdo said she would vote in favor of Act 4. During the July 9 meeting, she also indicated she would support Act 4.

"I feel we have to protect our farm areas. And I feel Moore Township has been very proactive to preserve our rural character," Erdo said during the Sept. 10 meeting.

"I'd like to see us preserve it [open space]. We are quickly becoming Long Island West," Erdo added.

"I have mixed feelings," about it [Act 4]," school board member Jennifer Miller said. "But I feel this is a small price to pay [for farmland preservation]."

"If the board decides to enact this [Act 4], that money [reduced tax revenue] will have to be made up somewhere else," cautioned district Business Administrator Terry Leh.

Board member Jean Rundle also expressed concern regarding Act 4, asking, "Does a landowner have to go under it [Act 4]?"

Gogel explained that only undeveloped land and not property with buildings on it can be placed in Act 4.

Gogel said some landowners place a portion of their land in farmland preservation and retain a portion for development or subdivide it among their children and heirs. He added such decisions do not require landowners to submit a subdivision and land development plan for local planning commission approval.

Northampton County farmland preservation has increased from 6,000 acres to 12,000 acres since Stoffa took office six years ago.

Northampton County allocated $5.5 million for farmland preservation in 2011, a combination of $2 million in county funds, Earned Income Tax (EIT) allotments and Pennsylvania funding.

Moore and Plainfield township voters approved referendums to set aside 0.25 of 1 percent of EIT toward farmland preservation. Moore currently has 1,231 acres in farmland preservation.

In her July 9 presentation, Bentzoni said farmland preservation retains agriculture land, thereby reducing the need to import food; preserves scenic views; reduces the need for road improvements and water and sewer systems upgrades; and lessens the need to build more public schools to accommodate residents' children when there are new housing developments.

Northampton County has approved Act 4.

Moore, Lehigh and East Allen townships approved Act 4. As of deadline for this edition of The Press, Allen Township has not approved Act 4.

Bangor, Easton, Pen Argyl, Saucon Valley and Wilson school districts approved Act 4. Nazareth Area School District has not approved Act 4.

For Act 4 to be implemented countywide, it must be approved by a county and the townships and school districts located in that county.