Timber harvesting is a permitted use in all zoning districts
within the Township.
It shall be the responsibility of each landowner on whose land
tree harvesting is to be carried out to develop or have developed
the logging plan and to submit notification as required in this chapter.
It shall be the joint responsibility of the landowner and the operator
to see that the provisions of the logging plan are implemented.
The following requirements shall govern all timber harvesting
activity:
A. The boundaries of the area to be harvested shall be clearly marked
by attaching posters to the boundary trees prior to the harvest in
order to avoid the inadvertent harvest of off-site trees.
B. Felling or skidding on or across any public thoroughfare is prohibited
without the express written consent of the Township or the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation, whichever is responsible for maintenance
of said thoroughfare.
C. No tops or slash shall be left within 50 feet of any public thoroughfare
or adjacent property boundary where the adjacent property is developed.
D. If the tract to be harvested borders a public thoroughfare or developed
land, there shall be established a harvesting setback of 50 feet along
said public thoroughfare and developed land. Harvesting within the
setback shall be limited to 1/3 of the basal area of the saw timber
in a ten-year period.
E. No tops or slash shall be left on or across a property boundary without
the consent of the adjoining landowner.
F. Litter resulting from any logging operation shall be cleaned up and
removed from the site before it is vacated by the operator.
G. All hauling roads, skid roads, skid trails and log landings shall
be retired properly, including seeding of herbaceous species as recommended
by the Dauphin County Conservation District or the Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Forestry.
All operators must comply with the rules and regulations of Chapter
189, Hauling in Excess of Posted Weight Limit, issued under the Act of June 17, 1976, P.L. 162, No. 81, Sections 4902(f) and 6103 (Vehicle Code), if they are operating vehicles on highways or streets in excess of posted weight limits.
All operators shall comply with Chapter
176, Article
III, entitled "Street Excavating and Tunneling," including obtaining a permit, when undertaking any work within a Township right-of-way.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which violates or permits
a violation of this chapter, upon being found liable therefor in a
civil enforcement proceeding, shall pay a fine of not more than $600,
plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred
by the Township in the enforcement of this chapter. No judgment shall
be imposed until the date of the determination of the violation by
the District Justice and/or Court. If the defendant neither pays nor
timely appeals the judgment, the Township may enforce the judgment
pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day a violation
exists shall constitute a separate offense. Further, the appropriate
officers or agents of the Township are hereby authorized to seek equitable
relief, including injunction, to enforce compliance herewith.