HAGERSTOWN, MD (July 16, 2025) – The Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning is proud to announce the permanent preservation of two farms totaling 246.67 acres in Williamsport and Hagerstown. These easements were finalized on May 1 and June 30, 2025, and were made possible through funding from Washington County and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF).
The first farm—a 130-acre crop and hay operation located on Downsville Pike in Williamsport—was preserved on May 1. The second, a 116.67-acre crop and livestock farm on Lemuel Lane in Hagerstown, was finalized on June 30. Both properties are situated within existing blocks of conserved land, further strengthening the County’s agricultural landscape and encouraging neighboring landowners to pursue long-term preservation.
The preservation was achieved through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Program (MALPP), which allows landowners to sell agricultural easements that permanently protect productive farmland from development. These two farms represent the eighth and ninth easements finalized in the Fiscal Year 2024 cycle.
MALPP is Washington County’s most impactful land preservation program, protecting over 17,000 acres, or approximately 39% of the County’s total conserved land. The program is funded and administered by MALPF through the Maryland Department of Agriculture and is locally managed by the Land Preservation Office within the Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning. Farm owners may apply annually by July 1, with easement offers typically extended the following March.
Washington County’s broader land preservation strategy also includes programs such as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Rural Legacy Program, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Project Open Space, the County’s Installment Purchase Program (IPP), local forest conservation easements, and federal initiatives such as the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and Federal Scenic Easements. These programs reflect Washington County’s continued commitment to protecting its agricultural heritage, open spaces, and rural character.
For more information about land preservation programs in Washington County, contact Chris Boggs, Rural Preservation Administrator, at 240-313-2447 or [email protected].
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