Within this district, no building, structure, lot or land shall be used for other than one or more of the permitted or accessory uses listed in said district except for nonconforming uses and nonconforming buildings in §
500-80.
No building or structure shall be erected to a height in excess of the maximum allowable height in said district, except as provided for in supplementary regulations §
500-64.
Land with natural steep slopes (15% slope or greater), land
in floodplains, or land with high water table characteristics are
included in the Environmental Protection District. The Zoning Map
indicates the general location of these environmentally sensitive
areas within the Township. Whenever the Zoning Map, County Soil Survey,
or a field inspection indicates that the lot for which a building
permit is being sought or the lot(s) proposed for subdivision lie(s)
wholly or partially in an area of steep slope, floodplain, or high
water table, the Zoning Officer shall require the applicant to provide
field data information for each lot which shall be produced and certified
by a registered professional engineer or registered surveyor. The
Zoning Officer may consult the Township Engineer to review the accuracy
of all information submitted. Once the Zoning Officer is satisfied
that the information submitted is accurate, he shall use that actual
on-site information to review the lot(s) for compliance with the minimum
lot requirements.
Upon determination that the lot(s) under consideration is/are
partially or wholly within the Environmental Protection District,
the following regulations, as applicable, shall apply:
A. Floodplain area.
(1) The permitted, accessory and special exception uses shall be permitted
within the floodplain to the extent that they are not prohibited by
other provisions of this chapter and provided that they do not require
enclosed structures, fill or storage of materials or equipment, or
dumping of any nature.
(2) Floodplain soils are those classified in Group 13 in the Lehigh County
Soil Survey or are subject to flooding as identified on the Flood
Insurance Rate Map produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
and accepted by the Township.
B. Steep slopes area.
(1) The minimum standards and uses in §
500-59 shall apply where:
(a)
Earthmoving activities or removal of vegetation are proposed
for any portion of the lot determined to be a steep slope area; or
(b)
Any portion of a steep slope is to be used to meet Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection's standards for on-lot sewage
disposal.
(2) The requirements contained in other sections of this chapter for
the use of the district in which the lot lies shall be applied where:
(a)
The lot(s) is/are partially in a steep slope area;
(b)
There are no earthmoving activities or removal of vegetation
proposed for the steep slope portion of the lot(s); and
(c)
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's standards
for on-lot sewage disposal will be met on other portions of the lot.
(3) If development is proposed on slopes of 15% or greater, the applicant
shall submit a site plan to the Zoning Officer with the following
requirements.
(a)
Show detailed slope contours for all areas that are intended
to be or that potentially may be disturbed and/or constructed upon;
(b)
Separately identify all areas of 15% to 25%, and all areas of
greater than 25% slope using two-foot contour intervals. Isolated
areas or pockets of 500 square feet or less in size shall be considered
as part of the surrounding slope area;
(c)
Be to scale (such as one inch equals 50 feet);
(d)
Show proposed locations of buildings, driveways and on-lot septic
fields and provide evidence that such features will meet applicable
Township and Department of Environmental Protection's maximum slope
regulations;
(e)
State the maximum slope of proposed driveways; and
(f)
Show the area defined by the required front, side and rear yard
setbacks.
(4) Man-made slopes. This section shall not apply to man-made slopes
that the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Officer
were not naturally 15% or greater slope. However, the maximum driveway
slope shall still apply to man-made slopes.
C. Excessive slopes.
(1) For any earthmoving activities, except driveways (see Chapter
413, Streets and Sidewalks) on slopes of 15% or greater, the applicant shall submit an erosion and sedimentation plan approved by the Lehigh County Conservation District.
(2) The building site on a lot in a steep slope area shall be on that
section of the lot where the natural slope does not exceed 25%. The
length and width of the building site shall include the area within
the foundation walls and extend 25 feet beyond the foundation walls
on all sides.
(3) No development shall be permitted on slopes of 25% or greater.
D. High water table area.
(1) The minimum standards and uses in §
500-60 shall apply where:
(a)
Structures are proposed for the high water table portion of
the lot; or
(b)
Any portion of a high water table area is to be used to meet
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's standards for
on-lot sewage disposal.
(2) The requirements contained in other sections of this chapter for
the use of the district in which the lot lies shall be applied where:
(a)
The lot is partially within a high water table area;
(b)
There are no structures proposed for the high water table portion
of the lot; and
(c)
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's standards
for on-lot sewage disposal will be met on other portions of the lot.
(3) All public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical
and water systems located in a high water table area shall be constructed
to prevent infiltration of groundwater into the systems and vice versa.
(4) High water table type soils are those tabulated in Group 12 for Building
Sites in the Lehigh County Soil Survey as well as any nonfloodplain
soil where indications of the water table are found 20 inches or less
from the ground surface.