Legislation aims to give Pennsylvania municipalities more leeway in managing open spaces

(The Center Square) – Legislation sponsored by Pennsylvania state Rep. Jack Rader, R-Monroe, that would give local governments the ability to better maintain municipal-owned land for parks and recreation unanimously passed in the House of Representatives and has moved to the Senate for consideration.

House Bill 221 would amend the Open Space Air Act to allow local governments to use up to 25% of a municipality’s open space fund to maintain and improve property for an open space benefit. The local government would be able create an open space maintenance fund and up to 25% of the annual revenue from the open space tax would be allowed to be deposited into the fund.

“Under current law, municipal property that serves an open space benefit, but was not purchased under the auspices of the Open Space Air Act, cannot be developed or maintained using open space funds,” Rader said in a news release. “My legislation would close this gap in the law by allowing municipalities to properly maintain open space land, regardless of the manner in which the land was acquired.”

Last session Rep. Rader sponsored similar legislation that was unanimously passed in the House, but it was not taken up by the senate.

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