Borough of Sayre, PA Regulation of Oil and Gas Operations

Contractor yards (pipe yards and equipment staging areas).

Minimum lot area shall be not less than one acre.

Unhoused equipment and piping material shall be enclosed within a chain link fence six feet in height.

Repair and maintenance activity requiring use of equipment that will generate noise, odors, or glare beyond the property boundaries will be conducted within a building, or outdoors during the hours or 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

(4)

No flammable or explosive liquids, solids, or gases shall be stored in bulk above ground, except for tanks of fuel directly connected to energy or heating devices.

(5)

No materials or wastes shall be deposited upon a property in such form or manner that they may be transferred off the property by any reasonably foreseeable natural causes or forces.

(6)

Loading and unloading of vehicles shall be conducted on private property and may not be conducted on any public right-of-way.

(7)

The pipe yard and equipment staging area shall not be situated any closer than 300 feet from any existing residential dwelling.

(8)

Any lighting of the pipe yard and equipment staging area shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property.

Compressor stations and natural gas processing plants.

(1)

Minimum lot area shall be 10 acres.

(2)

Building and noise control:

(a)

Acoustically designed building. All compressors and associated mechanical equipment shall be located within a fully enclosed, acoustically designed building.

(b)

Noise control. The building and equipment designs shall be adequate to comply with the noise established by § 173-89G of this chapter or as otherwise established as a condition of approval. In no case shall the facility create any noise that causes the exterior noise level to exceed the pre-development ambient noise levels as measured within 1,000 feet of the compressor station building(s). The operator shall be responsible for establishing and reporting to the Borough Council the pre-development ambient noise level prior to the issuance of any conditional use approval.

(c)

Noise management plan. The applicant shall provide and implement a noise management plan detailing how noise will be controlled. In addition to generally accepted noise mitigation and noise abatement techniques, the plan shall minimize the frequency of blow downs, limit them to daytime use to the extent possible, and address the use of silencers.

(3)

The following setbacks shall provide and implement a noise management plan detailing how noise will be controlled. In addition to generally accepted noise mitigation and noise abatement techniques, the plan shall minimize the frequency of blow downs, limit them to daytime hours to the extent possible, and address the use of silencers. In addition to the setbacks providing relief from noise, the setbacks are imposed for purposes of safety and land use control.

(a)

Property lines and street rights-of-way: 300 feet to adjoining properties and public street rights-of-way.

(b)

Residential structures: 750 feet to any existing residential structure not located on the project parcel.

(c)

Water Bodies: 500 feet from any body of water which is not a public drinking water source, and 1,000 feet from any perennial or intermittent stream or wetland.

(4)

A buffer of undisturbed area of not less than 50 feet in width shall be maintained along all property lines and street rights-of-way to provide a buffer and shall not be used for parking, storage or any other purpose except landscaping and crossing of access streets. In determining the type and extent of the buffer required, the Borough shall take into consideration the design of the project structure(s) and site, topographic features which may provide natural buffering, existing natural vegetation, and the relationship of the proposed project to adjoining areas.

(5)

Any required landscaped buffer may be installed in the setback area, and shall consist of trees, shrubbery and other vegetation and shall be a minimum of 25 feet wide.

(6)

Design details of buffers shall be included on the site plan, and buffers shall be considered improvements for the purpose of guaranteeing installation in accord with the requirements for land developments in the Bradford County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

(7)

It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all buffers in good condition, free of rubbish, and replace any dying or dead plants or deteriorating landscape material.

(8)

The compressor station property perimeter shall be enclosed by a six-foot-high security fence in compliance with § 173-96A and B of this chapter.

(9)

Any lighting at the compressor station facility shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property.

(10)

All operations shall comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and rules and regulations. No zoning permit shall be issued until such time as the applicant provides evidence of compliance with state and federal regulations.

(11)

The applicant shall provide all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess the environmental, community, and other public health, safety, and welfare effects of the proposed operation. The findings of the Borough basis on this information shall serve as a basis for the establishment of conditions of approval in accordance with § 173-47 of this chapter and § 603(c)(2) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. The applicant shall provide the following:

(a)

Application information: All required application information, and all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess compliance with this chapter.

(b)

DEP application information: A copy of all applications and information required by the applicable DEP rules and regulations.

(12)

For any facility approved by the Borough, the operator shall submit to the Borough copies of all DEP-required or DEP-issued documents and reports associated with the operation within 15 days of the date of the document or report.

(13)

Bradford County and Sayre Borough require a 911 address assignment for all natural-gas-related facilities.

Dormitory-style housing facility.

(1)

Minimum lot area shall be five acres.

(2)

All vehicle parking shall be contained on the facility property and comply with Article XVI, Off-Street Parking, within this chapter.

(3)

The facility shall be set back from all property lines in accordance with the standards set forth in § 173-87.7.

(4)

The dormitory-style housing facility shall not be situated any closer than 300 feet from any existing residential dwelling.

(5)

Sewage and water facilities shall be sufficient to handle the anticipated loading created by the proposed housing facility and shall meet all requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Bradford County Sanitation Committee.

(6)

Dormitory-style housing facilities shall be designed and constructed to meet all applicable Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code requirements and shall be inspected and approved by the Sayre Fire Department Chief prior to being occupied. The applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Borough indicating that these requirements have been met.

(7)

Residents of dormitory-style housing facilities shall be provided with meals, sleeping accommodations, bathroom facilities, and recreational opportunities, and may also be provided with housekeeping services or laundry facilities. There shall be no more than two persons per bedroom.

(8)

Arrangements for collection, storage and disposal of solid wastes generated by the facility shall be made by the applicant and submitted to the Borough for approval as part of the application for such a use.

(9)

Where applicable, ingress, egress, and regress off state highways shall comply with all applicable PENNDOT, Chapter 441, Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Streets. No zoning permits shall be issued until such time as the applicant provides evidence of compliance with a PENNDOT highway occupancy permit.

(10)

All other applicable requirements of this chapter, including the sign standards set forth under Article XVII.

Water withdrawal facility.

(1)

Minimum lot area shall be five acres.

(2)

Hours of operation shall be determined by the Sayre Borough Council.

(3)

All proposed improvements for a proposed water withdrawal facility shall comply with § 173-89, Performance Standards, applicable to all nonresidential uses under this chapter.

(4)

Any lighting of the water withdrawal facility shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property.

(5)

The applicant shall provide all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess the environmental, community and other public health, safety and welfare effects of the proposed operation. The findings of the Borough based on this information shall serve as a basis for the establishment of conditions of approval in accord with § 173-47 of this chapter and § 603(c)(2) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. The applicant shall provide the following:

(a)

Application information: All required application information, and all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess compliance with this chapter.

(b)

Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) approval by rule: A copy of all applications and information required by the applicable SRBC rules and regulations for water withdrawal.

(6)

Evidence of erosion and sedimentation submission and plan review by the Bradford County Conservation District.

(7)

Any water withdrawal facility shall not be located within the FEMA-designated floodway.

(8)

Where applicable, ingress, egress, and regress off to state highways shall comply with all applicable PENNDOT, Chapter 441, Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Streets. No zoning permits shall be issued until such time as the applicant provides evidence of compliance with a PENNDOT highway occupancy permit.

(9)

A buffer of undisturbed area of not less than 25 feet in width maintained along all property lines and street rights-of-way to provide a buffer and shall not be used for parking, storage, or any other purpose except landscaping and crossing of access streets. In determining the type and extent of the buffer required, the Borough shall take into consideration the design of the project structure(s) and site, topographical features which may provide natural buffering, existing natural vegetation, and the relationship of the proposed project to adjoining areas.

(10)

Bradford County and Sayre Borough require a 911 address assignment for all natural-gas-related facilities.

(11)

The water withdrawal facility shall not be situated any closer than 300 feet from any existing residential dwelling.

Water treatment facility.

(1)

Minimum lot area shall be 10 acres.

(2)

All water-hauling vehicle parking and staging shall be contained on the facility property. In addition, the applicant shall demonstrate adequate circulation and turning radii for water-hauling vehicles accessing intake and fill points.

(3)

All proposed improvements for a proposed Water Treatment Facility shall comply with § 173-89, Performance Standards, applicable to all nonresidential uses under this chapter.

(4)

A buffer of undisturbed area of not less than 50 feet in width maintained along all property lines and street rights-of-way to provide a buffer and shall not be used for parking, storage, or any other purpose except landscaping and crossing of access streets. In determining the type and extent of the buffer required, the Borough shall take into consideration the design of the project structure(s) and site, topographical features which may provide natural buffering, existing natural vegetation, and the relationship of the proposed project to adjoining areas.

(5)

Any required landscaped buffer may be installed in the setback area, and shall consist of trees, shrubbery, and other vegetation and shall be a minimum of 25 feet wide.

(6)

The water treatment facility property perimeter shall be enclosed by a six-foot-high security fence in compliance with § 173-96A and B of this chapter.

(7)

Any lighting at the Water Treatment Facility shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on the adjacent property.

(8)

At the building setback line, the facility shall include an elevated earthen berm that is a minimum of three feet higher than the finished elevation of water treatment ponds and facilities. The berm must have a crown width of at least three feet and may not have a slope steeper than a three-to-one ratio.

(9)

(a)

Application information: All required application information, and all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess compliance with this chapter.

(b)

DEP application information: A copy of all applications and information required by the applicable DEP rules and regulations.

(10)

For any water treatment facility approved by the Borough, the operator shall submit to the Borough copies of all DEP required or DEP-issued documents and reports associated with the operation, within 15 days of the date of the document report.

(11)

(12)

Bradford County and Sayre Borough require a 911 address assignment for all natural-gas-related facilities.

(13)

The water treatment facility shall not be situated any closer than 300 feet from any existing residential dwelling.

Water impoundment/storage and distribution facility.

(1)

Minimum lot area shall be 20 acres.

(2)

The Sayre Borough Council shall determine hours of operation.

(3)

(4)

The water impoundment perimeter shall be enclosed by a six-foot-high security fence with a locked gate for company access only. The company shall also attach life preservers at equidistant points around the perimeter and a rope ladder leading up slope, out of the impoundment, to an area free of water and impoundment liner.

(5)

A water impoundment shall contain a maximum of six fill hydrants for water hauling vehicles.

(6)

Any lighting of the water impoundment shall be pointed downward and inward to the property center and shaded to prevent direct reflection on adjacent property.

(7)

All proposed improvements for a proposed water impoundment shall comply with § 173-89, Performance Standards, applicable to all nonresidential uses under this chapter.

(8)

The applicant shall provide all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess the environmental, community, and other public health, safety and welfare effects of the proposed operation. The applicant shall provide the following:

(a)

Application information: All required application information, and all other necessary information to enable the Borough to assess compliance with this chapter.

(b)

Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) approval by rule: A copy of all applications and information required by the applicable SRBC rules and regulations for water withdrawal.

(9)

Evidence of erosion and sedimentation submission and plan review by the Bradford County Conservation District.

(10)

Any water impoundment shall not be located within the FEMA designated floodway.

(11)

(12)

A buffer of undisturbed area of not less than 25 feet in width shall be maintained along all property lines and street rights-of-way to provide a buffer and shall not be used for parking storage or any other purpose except landscaping and crossing of access streets. In determining the type and extent of the buffer required, the Borough shall take into consideration the design of the project structure(s) and site, topographic features which may provide natural buffering, existing natural vegetation, and the relationship of the proposed project to adjoining areas.

(13)

The water impoundment shall not be situated any closer than 300 feet from any existing residential dwelling.

Mineral batching and mixing plant.

(1)

Minimum lot size shall be five acres.

(2)

If materials are to be stored they shall be screened sufficiently from adjacent properties and the public right-of-way. Such screening shall be comprised of an earthen berm at least 10 feet in height. Such berm shall be located on the subject property and placed so as to maximize the berm's ability to absorb and/or block views of, and the noise, dust, smoke, etc., generated by the proposed use. The berm shall be completely covered and maintained in an approved vegetative ground cover. Along any adjoining property line and road shall be located a ten-foot-wide landscape screen.

(3)

No such facility shall be closer than 1,000 feet from any residential dwelling or water well not on the plant property.

(4)

All mineral batching and mixing plants shall have an effective dust collection system approved by the Borough.

(5)

The Borough may require the use of wheel washers or other means of cleaning trucks/vehicles before entering public streets.

(6)

The Borough may require a bond to be posted of sufficient amount to cover the cost of maintenance, repair, and reconstruction of any Borough streets over which vehicles may travel to and from the approved site. The bond may be reviewed periodically to determine whether the amount is sufficient to cover any maintenance or repair cost.

(7)

The Borough may impose restrictions on access to the facility, storage of vehicles or materials on the premises, hours of operation and other such matters as they deem necessary to insure that there is no adverse impact upon the function of the district or adjacent parcels.