Lower Makefield Township Committee Invites Residents to June 26th Public Forum on the Future of Patterson Farm

    LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA, June 21, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Ad-hoc Property Committee (AHPC), a group of non-partisan, resident volunteers and professionals organized at the request of the Lower Makefield Township (LMT), today announced the first of three public forums to shape the future of Patterson Farm while honoring its 300-plus year history will be held June 26th.

"Our goal is to keep Patterson Farm as a beloved agricultural, historical, and natural open space for the Lower Makefield community to enjoy for years to come," said Dennis Steadman, Chair, Ad-hoc Property Committee for Lower Makefield Township.

David Kratzer, Township Manager said, "This property needs significant investment by the Township and the community to achieve this vision, so a critical step right now is to have rich and informed community input and dialog on these proposals."

The first public forum is scheduled to take place on Monday, June 26th from 7:00 to 9:00pm at the Lower Makefield Community Center, 1550 Oxford Valley Rd, Yardley, PA 19067. At the forum, the professional team from award-winning Seiler + Drury Architecture of Norristown, PA will be holding workshops to gather community input and reactions. It will be an open house for dialog and residents are invited to attend any portion of the Forum that fits their schedule. Participants need not be there at 7:00, nor is it necessary stay the full two hours.

"Our team of professional architects, engineers, and land economists are working in earnest on achievable plans for a better future for Patterson Farm," said Doug Seiler, Principal, Seiler + Drury Architecture. "A key element to our success is a high level of engagement from the LMT community. Therefore, it is our hope to see as many people as possible on June 26th for this initial presentation of findings and ideas."

The Patterson Farm on Mirror Lake Road at the entrance of Lower Makefield from I-295 is an exceptional resource on open space, farm fields, historic farmsteads, and natural beauty. Currently, the property and buildings purchased by the Township in 1998 are mostly unavailable to the public due to active farming operations and unsafe condition of most buildings. With the right focused investment, this historic Quaker farm can become a true long-lasting asset to the LMT community – historically, agriculturally, environmentally, and educationally.

"The AHPC was formed because Patterson Farm is now at a crossroads. While the land is being farmed for local produce and other crops, the historic buildings have reached a condition where they must either be invested in and saved or the status quo will see them become non-viable," added Steadman. "We hope residents will come and help us decide the future for this important historical and beautiful agricultural site."

Interested members of the LMT community are strongly encouraged to attend all three Ad-hoc Property Committee public forums to share ideas, aspirations, and feedback on the future of Patterson Farm. The first meeting is June 26th from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Lower Makefield Community Center at 1550 Oxford Valley Rd, Yardley, PA 19067; the following two meeting dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

About Patterson Farm and the Ad-hoc Property Committee
The Patterson Farm was purchased by Lower Makefield Township from Thomas and Alice Patterson in 1998 as open space. The public can learn more about this property here.

The Ad-hoc Property Committee (AHPC) is a non-partisan committee of volunteer professionals who have organized at the request of the Lower Makefield Township (LMT) in Bucks County, PA. They hold public meetings via Zoom on the 2nd Thurs of each month at 7:30pm. Videos of past meetings are available for viewing on the LMT YouTube page. Together, LMT, AHPC, and architectural firm Seiler + Drury are working to produce a master plan for the buildings and land use in a way that will keep Patterson farm in agriculture and preserve it far into the future. Comments and input are welcome via the LMT citizen portal.

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