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Wil W1161 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pennsylvania, June 13, 2003 (ENS) - Researchers at Penn State's College of Agriculture Studies have found that agriculture and and other land uses that provide open space increase the value of houses located within a quarter mile radius. Landfills and large scale animal operations lower the value of nearby homes. The researchers collected sales prices and other information on more than 8,000 Berks County, Pennsylvania, homes sold between 1998 and 2002, along with information on nearby land uses. A geographic information system and statistical tools were used to analyze the data. Berks County was chosen because it is . experiencing rapid development in its farmland areas and because data were readily available and the county has a mix of land uses and agricultural production. Open space, including forested acreage and grass, pasture and cropland located within a quarter mile of a house, had the largest positive effect on the value of that house, the study says. Large lot, single family residential land had a positive effect almost as large. Commercial, small lot single family residential, multi -unit residential, and industrial land uses were less favorable for nearby property values. These results can be used to predict the effect of land use change on nearby residential property values, says Richard Ready, an assistant professor of agricultural and environmental economics and co- author of the study. "This kind of information can be used by local officials to evaluate the consequences of planning and zoning decisions and efforts to preserve open space in their communities." "Undoubtedly, there will be interest in applying the Berks County results elsewhere," says co- author Charles Abdalla. "But until more research is conducted in areas with conditions that differ from Berks County, care should be used in trying to generalize these results." http://ens-news.com/ens/jun2003/2003-06-13-09.asp Page 6of11 06/16/2003