Millersville resident Robert McLane is gearing for a fight.
The Manor Avenue resident said he's not going to sit by idly and watch what he calls the "destruction of Amos Funk's legacy" through the development of the farmland surrounding Funk's Farm Market on South Duke Street.
"That property should be a memorial to farmland conservation throughout the East Coast," McLane said.
Funk's Farm Market and the adjacent farmland are owned by Fred Funk, the son of Amos Funk, whom many consider the father of Lancaster County's farmland preservation program. Amos Funk died last month at age 98.
Wednesday night, McLane listened to developer John Hogan describe to the Manor Township Zoning Hearing Board his plans to build a retirement community on 66 acres of farmland surrounding the 10-acre farm market property.
According to Manor Township Manager Barry Smith, the plans call for a 75-unit assisted-living center, 156 detached cottages and 252 multifamily units. All would be restricted to residents age 55 and older.
The 66-acre property is zoned rural agriculture, Smith said. Under Manor Township's zoning ordinance, assisted care centers and retirement communities are allowed by special exception in areas zoned rural agriculture.
Hogan is seeking that special exception from the township zoners.
If he wins approval, the plan then would go through the township's land-development process, which ultimately would bring the project before the Manor supervisors for final review.
The development proposal apparently would not affect Funk's Farm Market itself, which has been closed for the winter but is expected to reopen March 31, according to the market's Web site.
McLane said he would have no problem with the development if it were confined to the 10 acres occupied by the market, which is zoned commercial.
"I don't think anyone would have a problem with that," he said. "What I don't want to see is the loss of the prime soils on the farm ground."
Ken Shertzer, who lives on Duke Street near the farm market, shares McLane's views.
"I hate to see the farms turning into developments," he said. "We only have so many acres of good ground."
Both McLane and Shertzer said they are bothered by the project especially because it's being proposed for farmland that was owned for decades by Amos Funk. Fred Funk bought the property from his father 33 years ago.
"What (Fred Funk's) father stood for and what (Fred Funk) is doing are two totally different things," Shertzer said.
When Lancaster County formed its own soil conservation district in 1950, Amos Funk accepted a position on the board and served on it for 44 years.
When Lancaster County commissioners created the Agricultural Preserve Board in 1980, he became one of its directors and served for 12 years.
He helped form the nonprofit Lancaster Farmland Trust in 1985, and served on its board for a decade.
In 2004 he accepted the American Land Conservation Award — the nation's highest award for environmental conservation.
In a 2007 interview with the Lancaster New Era, Amos Funk said he always planned to sell the Manor Township farm for development.
"From the start, I thought that farm should be developed," he told the newspaper. "It's near water and sewer. It's next to other development."
The 66-acre parcel is outside the urban growth boundary that surrounds Millersville Borough. It sits right against the boundary line, which Smith said was established by the Manor supervisors.
The farm market parcel is just inside the boundary.
That's a point McLane said he plans to raise with township officials.
"We shouldn't let them expand into the rural zone," he said.
Neither Hogan nor Fred Funk could be reached immediately for comment Thursday.
Smith said testimony in the hearing before the Manor zoners concluded Wednesday evening. The zoning board is expected to render a decision on Hogan's request for a special exception at the board's next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. April 7, in the township building, 950 W. Fairway Drive.