It is the intent of this section to preserve the rural character of the Township by requiring the conservation of trees and other vegetation, especially during the land development process, and by requiring property line buffers. This effort will also minimize the detrimental effects of soil erosion and sedimentation and stormwater runoff. The Township's agricultural and other open land are vital to the rural character of the Township, which is the keystone of the local economy, and the preservation of that character will protect and promote the public welfare. This section is not intended to prescribe specific cutting practices; or to prevent or hinder any landowner from realizing financial return from the sale of trees; or to prevent or hinder commercial tree harvesters from operating in the Township in accord with a timber harvesting plan using best management practices. (Note: This section shall not apply to agricultural uses and lands owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the Pennsylvania Game Commission.)
A. Natural vegetation. In order to minimize soil erosion and stormwater runoff, and to preserve the rural character of the Township, natural vegetation shall be maintained to the greatest extent possible.
(1) Clearing of vegetation shall be limited to those areas of the site needed for proposed and required improvements.
(2) Any part of a site where existing vegetation has been disturbed and which is not used for buildings, structures, loading or parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks, designated storage areas or other improvements, shall be provided with an all-season ground cover.
(3) In the case of conditional uses and special exceptions, additional landscaping, screening and/or buffers may be required by the Township where the same are determined by the Township as necessary to protect adjoining uses.
B. Buffer areas prior to development approval. In addition to the requirements of Subsection
A, the following requirements shall apply to all parcels in SP, W-C, C-1, C-2, C-3, 1 and I-A Districts and parcels of more than 10 acres in R-1, R-2 and R-3 Districts.
(1) A buffer shall be maintained until such time as a development plan is approved for the parcel and buffers are provided in accord with this chapter. The buffer shall not be less than 75 feet in width and shall be maintained along all property lines and any road right-of-way. Existing vegetation in this buffer area shall not be disturbed, except that trees may be harvested to the extent that the basal area of trees in the seventy-five-foot buffer area shall not be reduced below 50% of the basal area present before cutting or below 65 square feet per acre, whichever is higher. "Basal area" is the area in square feet per acre occupied by tree stems at 4.5 feet above the ground, normally measured by a calibrated prism or angle gauge.
(2) Clearing of vegetation and landscaping for a development project shall be in accord with an overall plan to be submitted with the zoning and land development plan application. Such clearing shall not be initiated until the application is approved by the Township. For the purposes of installation, landscaping shall be considered an improvement in accord with Chapter
355, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code of the Township of Coolbaugh. The clearing and landscaping plan shall show the type and extent of existing vegetation, the area proposed for clearing and proposed landscaping.