Any removal of trees, grading, or disturbance of protected resources
initiated four years or less before the submission of plans for subdivision,
land development, building or zoning permits is presumed to be in
anticipation of development. If an application for building, conditional
use, subdivision or land development is submitted for the property
within four years of the date the tree removal, grading, or other
disturbances occurred, the requirements for resource protection, as
set forth in this chapter and in the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance,
shall be applied to the property as it was prior to the disturbance.
If tree removal has exceeded the limits set forth in Township ordinances,
the applicant shall be required to replace trees removed. Replacement
shall be based on the actual number and size of trees or forest removed,
and trees shall be replaced on an inch-for-inch basis. Determination
of actual caliper-inches of trees removed may be determined through
a site inspection, aerial photographs (latest available from Bucks
County) or on the basis of any tree inventory that was submitted to
the Township. If it is not possible to determine the caliper inches
of trees removed, then replacement trees shall be provided so that
there shall be a minimum of 100 caliper inches (measured diameter
at breast height (dbh) of trees per acre after replanting as determined
in consultation with an arborist approved by the Township.