[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 1]
BUFFER ZONE
Land surrounding the immediate perimeter of a logging operation in which no cutting of trees or other vegetation shall occur except for the isolated cutting of individual trees which are dead, damaged, sick, infected, or constitute a danger to neighboring properties or the public generally.
CLEAR CUTTING
A logging method that removes all trees from a tract of land or portion thereof.
FORESTER
A person with a degree in forestry from a college or university accredited by the Society of American Foresters who has experience in wood lot management.
LOGGING
The act of cutting live trees for cordwood, for timber, for pulp or for any commercial purpose, excepting therefrom a homeowner cutting on his own property for his own use, clearing for development of building sites, or clearing for farming operations.
LUMBERING
See "logging."
MUNICIPALITY
The Borough of Liberty.
SELECTION METHOD
A method of selectively removing trees from a wooded area either singly or in small groups according to age and size with provisions being made for natural or artificial vegetation.
SLASH
All debris resulting from logging operations, including stems, limbs, and parts thereof.
TIMBERING
See "logging."
TOPS
That part of a felled tree which is left above the part of tree to be utilized by the logger.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 2]
Logging operations within the Borough of Liberty on any parcel of property over one acre in size shall require a permit. The permit shall be valid for a maximum of 10 acres at any one time. Logging permits shall only be valid for a period of four months.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 3]
1. 
The presence of living trees in our surroundings is important and desirable from an ecological, environmental, and aesthetic standpoint.
2. 
Except as otherwise herein provided, it shall be unlawful for anyone to cut down any tree in any zoning district of the Borough of Liberty which is six inches or more in diameter measured at a point 4.5 feet above ground level.
3. 
It shall be lawful to cut down such trees six inches or more in diameter if the tree is sick, infected, damaged, dead, is in such position or condition that it constitutes a danger to neighboring property or to the public street; provided, however, that, except in case of emergency, no such tree shall be cut down unless and until a permit to do so has been obtained from the Zoning Officer. In case of emergency, where time does not allow the prior obtaining of such permit, a permit shall be applied for within 72 hours of the cutting down of any tree.
4. 
It shall be lawful in any calendar year for the owner of any tract of land to cut down on said tract of land up to three trees six inches or more in diameter not of the type referred to in Subsection 3 for any private or commercial purpose upon first obtaining from the Zoning Officer a permit to do so.
5. 
When a zoning permit is issued for a building, structure or use, it shall be lawful to cut down any trees which exists in the space to be occupied by such building, structure, or use, any space within 15 feet of any such building or structure, and any space to be occupied by, and all space within 10 feet of all sides of any driveway, parking area, water system, or sewage disposal system; provided, however, that no such trees shall be cut down in such manner unless it can be determined after the cutting that only those trees for which the permit was issued have been cut down.
6. 
Logging shall be permitted as a special exception in all zoning districts of the Borough of Liberty in accordance with the provisions of this section and all other provisions of this chapter and the law relating to the granting of special exceptions.
A. 
Logging shall be done only in accordance with a forest management plan prepared by a forester, a copy of which plan shall be filed with the Zoning Officer at least 30 days prior to the date of which the Zoning Hearing Board is to hold its hearing on the application for a special exception to do such logging. All forest management plans and the logging operation itself shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) 
The logging shall be by the selection method. Clear cutting is prohibited.
(2) 
An erosion and sedimentation control plan designed to prevent erosion and sedimentation during and after the logging operations and an approved soils and erosion plan by the Soil Conservation Service of Allegheny County shall be submitted at the same time the forest management plan is filed.
(3) 
All cutting, removing, skidding and transporting of trees shall be planned and performed in such manner as to minimize the disturbance of or damage to other trees and vegetation and the land itself.
(4) 
Roads and trails shall be constructed, maintained and abandoned in such manner so as to prevent soil erosion and permanent damage to soil and waterways.
(5) 
Where possible, stream crossings shall be avoided, but where deemed necessary, crossing shall be made at a right angle across suitable culverts or bridges.
(6) 
Skidding across live or intermittent streams is prohibited except over bridges or culverts.
(7) 
Buffer zones of 50 feet shall be maintained on the property on which the logging operation is being conducted along all streets and abutting properties.
(8) 
Buffer zones of 25 feet shall be maintained along any streams and around any springs.
(9) 
Everything practicable shall be done to prevent damage or injury to young growth and trees not designated for cutting.
(10) 
All limbs and stubs shall be removed from felled trees prior to skidding.
(11) 
All trees bent or held down by felled trees shall be released promptly.
(12) 
No trees shall be left lodged in the process of felling.
(13) 
Felling or skidding on or across property of other is prohibited without the express written consent of the owners of such property. Felling or skidding on or across any public street is prohibited without the express written consent of the Borough in the case of Borough streets or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in the case of state highways or Allegheny County in the case of county highways.
(14) 
No tops or slash shall be left within 50 feet of any public street or adjoining property; within 25 feet of any stream or historic or scenic trail; or within 10 feet of any drainage ditch.
(15) 
The stumps of all felled trees shall be permitted to remain in the soil for stabilization purposes.
(16) 
During period of abnormal forest fire danger, as determined by the Borough Fire Chief, the Borough shall have the right to order a suspension of logging operations until the danger subsides.
(17) 
Upon completion of a logging operation all roads shall be graded to eliminate any wheel ruts, and access to such roads from any public street by motor vehicles of any kind shall be effectively blocked.
(18) 
Application for a logging permit shall be accompanied by a survey of the affected property with the area of trees to be cut down shown thereon.
B. 
Before the logging operation begins, all trees which are to be felled in connection therewith shall be clearly marked on the trunk and the stump so that the same may be easily identified both before and after a tree has been felled. No trees shall be felled which have not been designated for removal on the forest management plan as finally approved by the Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Liberty.
C. 
The holder of a permit to conduct a logging operation shall notify the Borough at least 48 hours before the cutting of trees is to begin in connection with the construction of roads or trails.
D. 
The holder of the permit to conduct a logging operation shall notify the Borough at least 48 hours before the cutting of trees for removal from the site is to begin.
E. 
The holder of a permit to conduct a logging operation shall notify the Borough as least 48 hours in advance of the expected suspension of the logging operation for more than five successive working days for reasons other than weather conditions.
F. 
The holder of a permit to conduct a logging operation shall notify the Borough at least 48 hours in advance of the expected completion date of the logging operation, and shall notify the Borough immediately upon said operation's completion.
G. 
The Borough may, by its own personnel or outside persons hired for the purpose, go upon the site of any proposed logging operation after an application to conduct such operation has been filed for the purpose of reviewing the plans for the proposed operation and thereafter recommending or opposing the proposed operation or recommending or requiring changes or modifications thereto.
H. 
No property shall be clear cut.
I. 
Logging shall not be undertaken on any ground with a slope exceeding 25% or in landslide prone areas or Flood Prone Areas.
J. 
All trees shall be removed in sections not to exceed 24 feet in length.
K. 
When a logging operation has been completed, the property shall be replanted with trees of a similar nature measuring a minimum of two feet in height to replace the trees which were cut down.
L. 
All logging debris, including small tree tops and branches, shall either be hauled from the site or properly mulched on the site and spread and the property shall be completely restored to a pre-logging condition.
M. 
Any roads or grading to facilitate roads inherent with the logging operation shall be completely regraded and reseeded to restore the property to a pre-logging condition.
N. 
Proper erosion and sedimentation control measures shall be taken on disturbed property to prevent accelerated water run-off.
O. 
No tree may be cut which is the largest of its species in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
P. 
The fees for a logging permit shall be determined by the Council of the Borough of Liberty.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 4]
Prior to the commencement of a logging operation, the person who secures the logging permit shall post a bond written by a surety company authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the Borough of Liberty as obligee in the amount of $1,000 per acre to guarantee restoration of the property. In lieu of the bond, other security acceptable to the Borough of Liberty (e.g., cash or irrevocable letter of credit issued by a commercial bank or savings and loan association) may be posted with the Borough of Liberty.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 5; as amended by A.O.]
1. 
If it appears to the Borough that a violation of this chapter has occurred, the Borough shall initiate enforcement proceedings by sending an enforcement notice as provided in this section.
2. 
The enforcement notice shall be sent to the owner of record of the parcel on which the violation has occurred, to any person who has filed a written request to receive enforcement notices regarding that parcel and to any other person requested in writing by the owner of record.
3. 
An enforcement notice shall state at least the following:
A. 
The name of the owner of record and any other person against whom the Borough intends to take action.
B. 
The location of the property in violation.
C. 
The specific violation with a description of the requirements which have not been met, citing in each instance the applicable provisions of this chapter.
D. 
The date before which the steps for compliance must be commenced and the date before which the steps must be completed.
E. 
That the recipient of the notice has the right to appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board within a period of 10 days.
F. 
That failure to comply with the notice within the time specified, unless extended by appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board, constitutes a violation, with possible sanctions clearly described.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988; as added by A.O.]
In case any building, structure, landscaping or land is, or is proposed to be, erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted, maintained or used in violation of this chapter, the Borough Council or, with the approval of the Borough Council, an officer of the Borough, or any aggrieved owner or tenant of real property who shows that his property or person will be substantially affected by the alleged violation, in addition to other remedies, may institute any appropriate action or proceeding to prevent, restrain, correct or abate such building, structure, landscaping or land, or to prevent, in or about such premises, any act, conduct, business or use constituting a violation. When any such action is instituted by a landowner or tenant, notice of that action shall be served upon the Borough at least 30 days prior to the time the action is begun by serving a copy of the complaint on the Borough Council. No such action may be maintained until such notice has been given.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988; as added by A.O.]
1. 
Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated or permitted the violation of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Borough, pay a judgment of not more than $500 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Borough as a result thereof. No judgment shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation by the magisterial district judge. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Borough may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation, unless the magisterial district judge determining that there has been a violation further determines that there was a good faith basis for the person, partnership or corporation violating this chapter to have believed that there was no such violation, in which event there shall be deemed to have been only one such violation until the fifth day following the date of the determination of a violation by the magisterial district judge and thereafter each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation.
2. 
The court of common pleas, upon petition, may grant an order of stay, upon cause shown, tolling the per diem fine pending a final adjudication of the violation and judgment.
3. 
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed or interpreted to grant to any person or entity other than the Borough the right to commence any action for enforcement pursuant to this section.
4. 
Magisterial District judges shall have initial jurisdiction over proceedings brought under this section.
[Ord. 425, 7/6/1988, § 6]
In addition to the penalties prescribed in § 27-1505 above for violation of this chapter, the Borough of Liberty shall be entitled to commence or pursue any civil action at law or equity to compel compliance with the terms and conditions of this chapter, and any remedies so pursued shall not be deemed mutually exclusive.