(a) General requirements.
(1) All earthmoving activities shall be conducted in such a way as to prevent accelerated erosion and the resulting sedimentation.
(2) No change shall be made in the contour of the land, and no grading, excavating, removal or destruction of the topsoil, trees or other vegetative cover shall be commenced in any proposed subdivision or land development until such time as a conservation plan has been prepared.
(3) The conservation plan shall be developed in the form outlined in the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual, issued by the State Department of Environmental Protection.
(4) Final approval for a development tract of 25 or more acres will be contingent upon the issuance of a permit by the State Department of Environmental Protection (required by Pennsylvania Rules and Regulations, Department of Environmental Protection, Chapter 102, as amended, “Erosion Control”, under the authority of the Clean Streams Law, being 35 P.S. §§ 691.1 et seq.)
(5) Measures used to control erosion and reduce sedimentation shall meet the standards and specifications of the County Conservation District and Chapter 1224 of this Planning and Zoning Code.
(6) The Township Engineer, or other designated local official, shall ensure compliance with the appropriate specifications, copies of which are available from the County Conservation District.
(b) Grading for drainage.
(1) Grading for drainage shall be performed whenever necessary in order to provide more suitable sites for building and other uses, improve surface drainage and control erosion.
(2) All lots, tracts or parcels in a proposed subdivision or land development shall provide proper drainage away from buildings and dispose of surface water without ponding except where an alternative drainage system is approved by the Township Commissioners. Natural drainage patterns shall be preserved whenever possible.
(3) All drainage facilities shall be designed to adequately handle the surface runoff and carry it to the nearest suitable outlet, such as a curbed street, storm drain or natural watercourse. When drainage swales are used to divert surface waters away from buildings, they shall be sodded or planted and shall be of such slope, shape and size as to conform with the requirements of the County Conservation District. Concentration of surface water runoff shall be permitted only in swales or watercourses. In the case of single-family or multi-family development, swales extending three or more contiguous lots shall be interrupted by an inlet or redirected to the street.
(4) Cut and fill slopes shall be no steeper than two horizontal feet to one vertical foot unless stabilized by a retaining wall or curbing or unless approved by the Township Engineer subject to special conditions.
(5) Adequate provisions shall be taken to protect against adverse effects of cut and fill.
(6) Fills shall not encroach on natural watercourses or constructed channels; when placed adjacent to natural watercourses or constructed channels they shall have suitable protection against erosion during periods of flooding.
(7) During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control will be exercised.
(8) Grading equipment will not be allowed to cross live streams. Provisions will be made for the installation of culverts.
(c) Performance principles. The following measures are effective in minimizing erosion and sedimentation and shall be included when applicable on the conservation plan.
(1) Stripping of vegetation shall be done in such a manner as will minimize erosion.
(2) Salient natural features should be preserved when possible and cut-fill operations shall be kept to a minimum to create the least erosion potential.
(3) The disturbed area and the duration of exposure shall be kept to a practical minimum.
(4) Temporary vegetation and or mulching shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during development.
(5) The permanent vegetation and structural erosion and drainage measures shall be installed as soon as practical in the development.
(6) Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Where necessary the rate of surface water runoff will be structurally retarded.
(7) Sediment in the runoff water shall be trapped until the disturbed area is stabilized by the use of debris basins, sediment basins, silt traps or similar measures.
(Ord. 668, passed 10-17-1990)