(a) Action by governing body.--The governing body, upon completion of the procedures and considerations prescribed in sections 5, 6 and 7,¹ may adopt the proposal or any modification of the proposal the governing body deems appropriate, including the inclusion, to the extent feasible, of adjacent viable farm lands if the land owner has made application to be included, and, the exclusion, to the extent feasible, of nonviable farm land and nonfarm land. The existence of utility facilities on the proposed area shall not prevent the adoption of such area as an agricultural security area nor shall the rights of utilities with respect to the existing facilities be disturbed or affected by such adoption. The governing body shall act to adopt or reject the proposal, or any modification, no later than 180 days from the date the proposal was originally submitted. Failure by the governing body to act within this 180-day period shall be deemed adoption of the proposal without modification.

(b) Notification by governing body of reasons for rejection.--Within ten days of the governing body's decision to reject or modify the proposal, the governing body shall submit to the owner or owners of the land a written decision stating why the proposal was not adopted or was modified. The written decision shall include a finding of fact, review of the evaluation criteria prescribed in section 7 and a discussion of reasons for rejection or modification of the proposal.

(c) Effective date of creation of area.--An agricultural security area shall become effective upon the adoption of the proposal or its modification by the governing body or upon expiration of the 180-day period as provided in subsection (a). If the proposal has included land situated in more than one local government unit, the agricultural security area shall become effective upon adoption by the local government unit or units of such portion of the proposal or proposed modifications as will meet the minimum acreage and other requirements of an agricultural security area provided in this act. Subsequent adoption of the remaining portion shall immediately effectuate such portion as an agricultural security area.

(d) Filing of area description.--Within ten days of the creation of an agricultural security area, a description thereof shall be filed by the governing body with the recorder of deeds, who shall record the description, and with the planning commissions of the county and of the local government unit. Recording shall be done in a manner which is sufficient to give notice to all persons who have, may acquire or may seek to acquire an interest in land in or adjacent to the created agricultural security area. Upon the failure of the governing body to file a description or recorder of deeds to record the created agricultural security area in accordance with the time or manner requirements prescribed in this subsection, any person adversely affected may file a petition with the court of common pleas to compel immediate compliance with the provisions of this subsection.

(e) Participation.--Participation in the agricultural security area shall be available on a voluntary basis to landowners within the jurisdiction of the governing body including those not among the original petitioners. The deletion of land in the agricultural security area shall only occur after seven years or whenever the agricultural security area is subject to review by the governing body.

(f) Additions of land to agricultural security area during seven-year period.--The addition of land to the agricultural security area may occur at any time during the seven-year period provided for in section 9.² Land may be added to an existing agricultural security area located entirely outside the local government unit in which the proposed land is located: Provided That, prior to the submission of the proposal, the local government unit in which the proposed land is located and each local government unit in which the existing agricultural security area is located have adopted an ordinance or resolution allowing all land to be part of an individual agricultural security area located or to be located in all such local government units. Any proposal for such addition, and for approval or disapproval thereof, shall follow all the procedures and requirements of sections 5, 6 and 7 and this section for proposal, consideration and decision as to approval or disapproval of the original agricultural security area except that there shall be no requirement that any proposal for such addition include at least 250 acres of viable agricultural land. If the land comprising the additional proposal could be added to more than one existing agricultural security area, or shall lie in more than one local government unit, the proposal shall be considered as an addition to the agricultural security area which was first approved. Land added to an existing agricultural security area during any seven-year period shall be reviewed at the same time as all other land in the agricultural security area.

(g) Notification to secretary.--Within ten days of the recording of the agricultural security area, the governing body shall notify the Secretary of Agriculture that the area has been approved and recorded, modified or terminated. Such notification shall be in writing and shall include the number of landowners, the total acreage of the area, the date of approval by the governing body and the date of recording. The notification shall include only one landowner when land is under multiple ownership or is comprised of multiple parcels or accounts.