(a) Plan Approval Requirement. The Building Inspector shall issue a logging permit for timber harvesting activities only on the basis of plans submitted to and approved by both the Building Inspector and the Village Engineer. A separate permit shall be required for each site. It shall be unlawful for any landowner or operator to conduct timber harvesting on a site one acre or greater in size in the Village of Lowellville except as provided for in and approved logging plan which is available at the harvest site at all times during the operation.
(b) Plan Submission and Approval. At least forty-five days before the operation is scheduled to begin, a landowner on whose land timber harvesting is to occur or the operator/timber harvester that the land owner has contracted with shall submit to the Building Inspector 2 paper copies and 1 digital copy in a PDF format of a timber permit application and a written logging plan in the form specified in these regulations. If the timber harvesting operation is done under a timber purchase contract then there shall also be submitted a copy of the timber purchase contract. Within 3 days of receipt of said plan the building inspector shall transmit or deliver to the Village Engineer the same for his or her approval. Within forty-five days of the receipt of a logging plan, the Building Inspector and the Village Engineer shall approve, conditionally approve, or deny approval of the plan.
(c) Fees. The fee for processing a logging plan shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the first acre; five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the next five acres or partial acres, ($100.00) for each acre or fraction thereof in excess of six acres to cover the cost of necessary reviews, except that no fee shall be charged for timber harvesting activities performed by a governmental agency. No logging plan shall be accepted for processing until all fees have been paid.
(d) Notification. The landowner or operator shall notify the Building Inspector in writing at least five business days before operations commence and five business days before operations are completed under an approved logging plan. The notification shall identify the operation, and, as applicable, shall specify the commencement or completion date.
(e) Review By Conservation District. A copy of all applications for logging permits and accompanying logging plans may be transmitted upon receipt by the Building Inspector to the Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District for review and comment prior to the issuance of a permit. The recommendations of the Conservation District shall be considered for possible incorporation into the proposed logging plans. The applicant shall pay all fees charged by the Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District.
(f) Change in Plans After Approval. No change, revision, or amendment shall be made to any approved logging plan unless authorization for such has been granted in writing by the Building Inspector.
(g) Expiration of Permit. Logging permits shall be valid for six months, provided that any permit may be renewed without cost for one additional six month period at the direction of the Building Inspector.
(h) Supervision By Professional Forester. The Village may require that all be supervised by a professional forester or his representative, who must be at least a forest technician. The applicant shall pay all fees charged by the professional forester or his representative.
(Ord. 3940. Passed 6-13-18.)