The following site capacity calculations shall be submitted
with all applications for subdivision or land development. Through
these calculations, the net buildable site area, the maximum number
of dwelling units, the maximum amount of impervious surfaces, and
the required open space shall be determined.
A. Base site
area. Calculate the base site area. From the total site area subtract
future road rights-of-way: existing utility rights-of-way; land which
is not contiguous or which is separated from the parcel by a road,
railroad, or major stream which acts as a major barrier to common
use; or land shown on previous subdivision or land development plans
as reserved for open space.
Total site area
|
= _____ acres
|
|
- _____ acres
|
Base site area
|
= _____ acres
|
B. Land with
resource restrictions and resource protection land. Calculate the
land with resource restrictions and the resource protection land.
In the event that two or more resources overlap, only the resource
with the highest open space ratio shall be used in the calculations.
[Amended 11-10-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-17]
Resource
|
Open Space Ratio
|
Acres of Land in Resources
|
Resource Protection Land (Acres X Open Space Ratio)
|
---|
Floodplains
|
1.00
|
|
|
Steep slopes:
|
|
|
|
15% - 25%
|
.70
|
|
|
25% or more
|
.85
|
|
|
Woodlands
|
|
|
|
No other resource
|
.50
|
|
|
With other resource
|
.80
|
|
|
Lakes and ponds
|
1.00
|
|
|
Lakeshore areas
|
.70
|
|
|
Pond shore areas
|
.80
|
|
|
Waters of the commonwealth
|
1.00
|
|
|
Wetlands
|
1.00
|
|
|
Wetland margins
|
.80
|
|
|
Land with resource restrictions
|
|
_____ acres
|
|
Resource protection land
|
|
|
_____ acres
|
C. Net buildable
site area. Calculate the net buildable site area.
Base site area
|
_____ acres
|
Subtract resource protection land
|
- _____ acres
|
Net buildable site area
|
= _____ acres
|
D. Number of dwelling units. For districts or uses which specify a maximum density, calculate the maximum number of dwelling units. For residential districts or uses which do not specify a maximum density and for nonresidential uses, skip to Subsection
E.
Net buildable site area
|
_____ acres
|
Multiply by maximum density
|
x _____ (See applicable district regulations.)
|
Number of dwelling units (do not round up)
|
= _____ dwelling units
|
E. Impervious
surfaces. Calculate the maximum area of impervious surfaces.
Net buildable site area
|
_____ acres
|
Multiply by maximum impervious surface ratio
|
x _____ (See applicable district regulations.)
|
Impervious surfaces
|
= _____ acres
|
F. Site capacity
summary.
Net buildable site area (c)
|
_____ acres
|
Maximum number of dwelling units (if applicable) (d)
|
_____ dwelling units
|
Maximum impervious surfaces (e)
|
_____ acres
|
[Amended 11-10-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-17]
All uses and activities established after the effective date
of this chapter shall comply with the following standards. Site alterations,
regarding, filling or clearing of any natural resources prior to the
submission of applications for building permits or the submission
of plans for subdivision or land development shall be a violation
of this chapter. In the event that two or more resources overlap,
the resource with the greatest protection standard (the least amount
of alteration, regrading, clearing or building) shall apply to the
area of overlap.
A. Floodplain. Such areas shall remain undisturbed, except for minor road crossings where design approval is obtained from the Township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and where no other reasonable access is available. See Article
XX, Floodplain Regulations.
B. (Reserved)
[Repealed by Ord. No. 2022-17]
C. Steep
slopes. In areas of steep slopes, the following standards shall apply:
(1) 15%
to 25%: No more than 30% of such areas shall be altered, regarded,
cleared or built upon.
(2) 25%
or steeper: No more than 15% of such areas shall be altered, regraded,
cleared or built upon.
(3) Areas
of steep slope that are less than 3,000 square feet shall be exempt
from these standards.
D. Woodlands. In areas containing woodlands, the following standards shall apply except as specifically provided for in §
205-16, Use D30 Forestry:
(1) No
more than 50% of woodlands not associated with another environmentally
sensitive resource shall be altered, regraded, cleared, or built upon.
The remaining 80% shall be maintained as permanently preserved.
(2) No
more than 20% of woodlands associated with another environmentally
sensitive resource shall be altered, regraded, cleared or built upon.
The remaining 80% shall be maintained as permanently preserved.
E. Tree protection
zone. During construction such areas shall not be altered, regraded,
compacted or built upon, nor used for storage or parking of vehicles.
F. Lakes,
ponds and waters of the commonwealth. Such areas shall remain undisturbed
and freeflowing. Such areas shall not be altered, regraded, filled,
piped, diverted or built upon, except for minor road crossings where
design approval is obtained from the Township and the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection and where no other reasonable
access is available.
G. Lakeshore
area. The shorelines of lakes, to a distance of 300 feet from the
shorelines, shall contain no more than 10% impervious surfaces. At
least 70% shall remain undeveloped and unaltered.
H. Pond shore
area. The shorelines of ponds, to a distance of 100 feet from the
shorelines, shall contain no more than 10% impervious surfaces. At
least 80% shall remain undeveloped and unaltered.
I. Wetlands.
The following standards shall apply to wetlands:
(1) Delineation
of wetlands. When the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Maps indicate
wetlands on a site or when a site contains hydric soils or an area with a predominance of wetlands vegetation, an on-site investigation shall be conducted to determine
if wetlands are present on the site. A landowner or an applicant shall
use one of the following methods to delineate wetlands:
(a) Wetland boundaries shall be delineated through an on-site assessment
which shall be conducted by a professional soil scientist or others
of demonstrated qualifications. Such a person shall certify that the
methods used correctly reflect currently accepted technical concepts,
including the presence of wetlands vegetation, hydric soils, and/or
hydrologic indicators. A study shall be submitted with sufficient
detail to allow a thorough review by the Township. The study must
be approved by Council.
(b) A wetlands delineation validated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In the event that a wetlands delineation validated by the U. S. Army
Corps of Engineers is shown to vary from a wetlands boundary derived
from Subsection l(l)(a) above, the Corps delineation shall govern.
(2) Wetlands
of one acre or greater in size shall remain undeveloped. Such areas
shall not be altered, regraded, filled, piped, diverted or built upon,
except for minor road crossings where design approval is obtained
from the Township, where state and federal permits have been obtained,
and where no other reasonable access is available.
(3) Wetlands
of less than one acre in size shall not be altered, regarded, filled,
piped, diverted or built upon except where state and federal permits
have been obtained.
J. Wetland margin. For wetlands of one acre or greater in size, a wetland margin shall be provided. The wetland margin shall extend 100 feet from the wetland boundary and to the limit of the hydric soils, whichever is less. At least 80% shall remain undisturbed in which no alteration, regrading, filling or development shall be permitted. In addition, any Department of Environmental Protections regulations (under Chapter
105) concerning activities in wetland margins shall be met.
K. Stormwater.
The stormwater shall be managed in accordance with the Stormwater
Management Regulations in Section 518 of the Bristol Township Subdivision
and Land Development Ordinance.
L. Soil erosion
and sedimentation. All uses shall protect streams, lakes and ponds
from sedimentation damage and control erosion in accordance with the
Clean Streams Law P.L. 187, Chapter 102, except that in addition, all subdivisions and land developments
shall submit a soil erosion and sedimentation plan as part of the
preliminary subdivision or land development plan. The required soil
erosion and sedimentation plan shall be submitted to the Bucks County
Conservation District.
M. Sewage
disposal. All sewage disposal systems, regardless of type, shall meet
the requirements and procedures of the current official sewage facilities
plan in accordance with Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities
Act, the Bucks County Department of Health and the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection. The applicant shall demonstrate
compliance with the requirements of this section for all applications
for building permits.
N. Permanent
removal of topsoil. The permanent removal of topsoil from any parcel
of land shall be prohibited, except as follows:
(1) During
actual construction on premises, that portion of the topsoil present
which covers an area to be occupied by permanent structures or permanently
located materials of an impervious nature or ponds and lakes may be
considered excess, and may be removed by the owner.
(2) During
regrading operations conducted upon premises, whether or not carried
on in conjunction with on-site construction, excess topsoil remaining
after restoring a minimum compacted depth of four-inch topsoil cover
to the art::as of the parcel upon which regarding operations were
conducted may be removed by the owner.
O. Permanent
removal of subsurface solids. The permanent removal of subsurface
solids, whether soil, clay, or mineral in nature, for other than on-site
construction or grading purposes shall be prohibited.