[Amended 7-18-2016 by Ord. No. 7-2016]
In addition to the requirements of Chapter
123, Subdivision and Land Development, and other requirements of this chapter, the measures below shall be taken to conserve valued woodlands and other vegetation.
A. Except in conjunction with routine property maintenance and forestry as defined and regulated in Chapter
139, the following regulations shall apply:
(1) Healthy, well-stocked woodlands or wooded lots.
(a)
No wooded lot of two acres or more, either created by subdivision
or currently existing, shall be disturbed in such a manner that the
number of trees having a caliper of eight inches or greater on the
lot prior to any disturbance shall be reduced by more than 25% by
such disturbance. Where a unified development or grading plan for
a subdivided tract is to be submitted, this standard may be applied
to the entire tract proposed for development or grading, rather than
to the individual lots of which the tract consists.
(b)
In instances where disturbance or tree cutting of more than
25% of those existing trees having a caliper of eight inches or greater
is considered desirable, as determined by a forester in accordance
with sound forest management practices, the individual removing such
trees shall replace 110% of the total caliper inches removed in excess
of 25% with new plantings of trees having at least a five-inch caliper.
Upon approval of the Township, applicants of predominantly wooded
sites shall be permitted to substitute vegetation other than trees
for required tree plantings. The replacement trees shall be installed
within two years of commencement of land disturbance.
(c)
Design, maintenance and guarantee of such plantings shall be in conformance with Article
X, Landscaping, Buffering and Screening; Development and Construction Standards.
(d)
The Township shall have discretion to require renovation of
unhealthy or unsafe trees having a caliper of eight inches or greater.
Every effort shall be made to retain as much woodland as possible
of a size and configuration which will promote its growth and natural
regeneration.
(2) Disturbance to vegetation other than woodlands which provides wildlife
food and cover or visual amenity shall be minimized. This may include,
but not necessarily be limited to, single or groups of specimen trees,
hedgerows, formal gardens and other vegetation not considered as woodland.
(3) In the event that grading will be performed on a site which shall result in the removal of more than 5,000 square feet of the vegetation on the site at any time, a permit shall be required in accordance with the provisions of Article
IX, Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control, and Chapter
109, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control, of this Code, regardless of whether such a permit is otherwise required.
B. Disturbance or removal of vegetation occupying environmentally sensitive areas shall be undertaken only as permitted herein to minimize the adverse impacts of such actions. This shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, vegetation performing important soil stabilizing functions on floodplains, stream and pond banks and sloping lands. In accordance with Article
IX, Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control, §
73-51B(2), no stripping of vegetation shall be conducted in areas of greater than 25% slope unless specific approval is obtained from the Board of Supervisors after having consulted with the Township Engineer.