[Amended 9-16-1991 by Ord. No. 91-08]
A. Requirements. A conservation plan and supporting analysis of potential adverse environmental impacts, alternatives to the subdivision and land development as proposed, measures to minimize adverse environmental impacts, and measures to mitigate such impacts shall accompany the preliminary and final subdivision or land development plans.
B. Information. A conservation plan shall include the following minimum information.
(1) Inventory.
(a) Property base map. A base map of the applicant's property shall meet the requirements for preliminary plan approval with respect to sheet size, scale, property acreage calculations, delineation of courses and distances of property boundaries, dedicated street rights-of-way and easements with sheet size and scale conforming to the requirements of the Chester County Recorder of Deeds.
(b) Existing natural features. The following information shall be shown on the property base map:
[1] Geologic formations, based upon available published information or more detailed data obtained by the applicant for the applicant's property.
[2] Topography or degree of slope, as measured at two-foot contour intervals, in the following ranges: less than fifteen to twenty percent (15% to 25%), and greater than 25% on the applicants property and within 200 feet of such. Location and elevation to which contour elevations refer shall be identified and shown with reference to a known, established bench mark as approved by the Township Engineer.
[3] The location of delineated or suspected wetland areas, ponds, streams, springs and natural drainage swales, both perennial and seasonal, on the applicant's property and within 200 feet of such.
[4] Areas on the applicant's property and within 200 feet of such within the floodplain district, as delineated by the Township Floodplain Maps.
[5] Soil series, types and phases, as mapped by the Soil Conservation Service for the Chester County Soil Survey, and accompanying data tabulated for each soil, including its name, depth to seasonal high water table, depth to bedrock, agricultural capability class, erodibility (if data are available), limitations of soil type (including load-bearing capacity, drainage and plant growth) and hydrologic group.
[6] Vegetative cover conditions on the property according to general cover type, e.g., cultivated land, permanent grassland, old field, hedgerow, woodland, tree clusters, individual freestanding trees over six inches DBH, specimen trees over 20 inches DBH, wetland vegetation, etc. For all woodlands, the applicant shall indicate the principal species of dominant and codominant trees and the shrub understory. Driplines for trees of at least six inches DBH not within woodlands or tree clusters and for the edge of woodland areas and tree clusters shall be shown on the plans.
[7] Existing structures and other improvements.
[8] Historic resources including structures, ruins, sites, traces and the relationship to the bounds of any National Register historic structure or district.
[9] Scenic and/or conservation easements on the applicant's property and within 200 feet of such.
[10] Ridgelines and high points within each portion of the tract in order to delineate (in addition to natural drainage patterns) viewsheds from adjacent public roads and areas within the tract having views of surrounding natural features.
[11] Any areas having existing or potential toxic substances, including any prior dumping areas, landfill areas and/or underground tanks.
[12] Riparian buffer areas, as defined in the Birmingham Township Zoning Ordinance, Chapter
122 of the Township Code.
[Added 12-21-1998 by Ord. No. 98-15]
(2) Land disturbance. The conservation plan shall delineate the areas of the tract to be graded, filled, cut, covered with impervious surface or otherwise disturbed and conversely shall delineate the areas of the tract proposed to remain undisturbed. Where a wooded lot as referenced in §
103-41C(1) hereof is proposed to be disturbed, the conservation plan shall also delineate all trees of six-inch DBH or larger proposed to be preserved or removed.
(3) Impact assessment. All applicants shall assess in narrative form the on-site and off-site impacts of their proposed activities and the scale and/or magnitude of such impacts on existing natural features. The assessment shall, at minimum, include the following:
(a) A description of the location and tabulation of the types and acreages of the natural features which would be disturbed.
(b) A description of the location and dimensions of all improvements proposed by the applicant, including tabulations of gross square foot coverage of all proposed impervious surfaces.
(c) Consideration of all reasonable alternatives to minimize disturbances to natural features. The applicant shall furnish evidence that such alternatives were considered if, in the judgment of the Township, such information is required to determine if the applicant has complied with §
103-41 hereof.
(4) Mitigation. The conservation plan and impact assessment shall include provisions for impact mitigation as follows:
(a) Depiction on the conservation plan or a separate plan of mitigation measures proposed by the applicant, including number and placement of plantings and of other landscape or design improvements.
(b) Description of views of the applicant's property as it would be developed as seen from adjoining properties used or zoned for residential or institutional purposes and from existing adjoining public roads. Such views shall be classified according to whether views of the applicant's proposed improvements would be hidden, filtered or unobstructed.
(c) A description of views of the applicant's property as they would be seen at the time the applicant's mitigation improvements are in place.