(A) List. The list will include the type of natural feature, description, potential problems if not protected, and strategies for protection.
(1) Steep slopes, wooded areas, conservation areas. Slopes of 15% have 15 feet of vertical change for every 100 feet of horizontal distance. Steep slopes are often wooded and along creeks and are areas with numerous mature trees.
(a) Difficulty of maintaining, snowplowing steep road, higher costs of buildings, high rate of septic system failures, Increased erosion and runoff, winter driving hazards from steep roads and driveways, disturbance of scenic areas, increased costs to extend public water and sewer lines, loss of important birds and wildlife habitats, loss of hunting areas, loss of air purification, loss of scenic resources, noise and incompatible development may become more noticeable, increase maintenance expenditure.
(b) Use special precautions during building, cluster houses on the most suitable land while keeping steep slopes in open space, keep natural vegetation intact, preserve areas of 25%+ slopes in open space/conservation districts, require larger lot sizes in steep areas, prevent the unnecessary cutting of trees during building, seek to preserve in public or private open space, seek replanting with native vegetation of forested land that may be disturbed.
(2) Floodplains. Areas that are prone to flooding. These include not only the legally designated floodplain, but also areas along drainage channels.
(a) Increased flooding in other areas, loss of potential public recreation areas, threats to important wild life and bird habitats, erosion and sedimentation.
(b) Consider prohibiting all structures and paving not only within the 100-year floodway (which is the actual main flood channel), but also along the adjacent 100-year flood fringe; seek to preserve natural vegetation immediately adjacent to creeks, seek to preserve land along major creek valley as private, semi-public or public open space, follow guidelines set forth in Chapter 152 of this code of ordinances.
(3) Waterways. There is one major surface water within and adjacent to the borough: the Bushkill Creek.
(a) Loss of potential public recreation areas, threats to important bird, fish, and wildlife habitats, increased turbidity; and
(b) Prevent soil erosion avoid sedimentation of creeks, consider areas along creeks for public recreation, prevent runoff from polluting creeks with pesticides, grease, and farm animal wastes, protect and maintain riparian buffer zones along waterways.
(B) Putting this plan into action.
(1) It will be essential to carry out this plan through action in several major areas:
(a) Administration;
(b) Security;
(c) Park design and engineering;
(d) Financing;
(e) Maintenance;
(f) Communications with the public;
(g) Safety/liability; and
(h) Volunteers.
(2) This section describes existing conditions and recommendations under each of these major topics.
(3) This plan should be carried out through a continuous process of planning and action. The awareness and continued participation of borough residents will be extremely valuable in this process. This section describes ways to move the objectives and recommendations of this plan towards reality.
(Ord. passed 8-3-2015)