2nd set recomendations on changing our ordinances

Hi All, we've now worked through the changes we think the ordinances need re conservation. I've pasted them below. Next up, by the end of september, is looking for ways to support local businesses including agriculture.

1st draft recommendations around conservation ordinances.

Conservation overlays

A Conservation Overlay is a zoning designation that's layered onto existing zoning classifications.  It doesn't replace the underlying zoning (e.g., residential, commercial), but adds additional regulations aimed at protecting natural resources and preserving environmental quality within a specific area.  These regulations typically restrict development to limit its impact on the environment.

Chapter 175 of our ordinances deals with zoning. We have an Airport Overlay (Article XXII)  and a route 228 corridor overlay, but no conservation overlays. 

Recomendations

Establish a conservation overlay for the Glade Run Lake watershed to protect the quality and quantity of water entering the lake. The overlay should include:

• Building Setbacks:  Requiring larger setbacks from streams or lakes for construction to minimize potential pollution from development.

• Impervious Surface Limits:  Restricting the amount of paved or covered areas to reduce stormwater runoff.

• Vegetation Buffers:  Maintaining or enhancing vegetation along water bodies to filter pollutants and provide habitat.

• Stormwater Management: Implementing measures to control and treat stormwater runoff before it enters waterways.

• Septic System Regulations: Ensuring proper design and maintenance of septic systems to prevent wastewater contamination. 

Riparian buffers

A riparian buffer is a vegetated area adjacent to a water body, such as a stream or river, that plays a crucial role in protecting the water from the impacts of adjacent land uses. 

● It typically consists of trees, shrubs, and other perennial plants that help shade the water and filter pollutants. 

● Riparian buffers are essential for maintaining water quality by reducing nutrient runoff, sediment, and chemicals from agricultural or urban areas. 

● They also provide habitat for wildlife and contribute to the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. 

● In summary, riparian buffers are vital for environmental conservation and water protection.

Recommendations

We recommend incorporating Riparian Buffer ordinances in our ordinances, modeled on Article Vi, Riparian Buffer Standards, Butler County Act 167 Plan Phase ii - Model Ordinance

Forest stewardship

The amount of forest and woodland cover has increased remarkably in the past two generations in west Pennsylvania. It now covers 60-70% of our land, and around 70% of that land is in private ownership and mostly in small plots under 10 acres. 

At present, although we have ordinances around tree felling and logging, we have nothing on the preservation and improvement of forested land. 

Recommendations

To that end we recommend adopting forestry ordinances, based on the Model Forestry Ordinances, drafted, and available from, Penn State Extension Service.

Protection of Community & Landscape Character

We presently have no ordinances protecting the history or landscape character of our township. 

The purpose of such ordinances would be  to protect and preserve the scenic, historic, cultural, and rural character of the Township’s landscapes, houses, and natural features, with Development designed and sited to respect the existing pattern, scale, and visual quality of the land, and to ensure that new construction is compatible with the Township’s historic and cultural resources.

A number of Pennsylvania townships already have such ordinances, eg East Bradford, Warwick, Willistown and  West Whiteland townships.

Recommendations

1: We commission a survey to identify the historic buildings and other historic sites in our township, developing a  registry of such buildings and sites, and cheating standard recognition/information plaques to be put up on such buildings, with the owners approval. 

2: We develop ordinances to govern an overlay shall apply to all land development, subdivision, or building permit applications involving:

• Properties listed in the Township Historic Resource Inventory.

• Lands within mapped Scenic/Rural Character areas.

• Any site determined by the Township to contain significant cultural, historic, or archaeological resources.

Parks and Recreation Fees

Section 150-29 of our ordinances requires developers to pay into a special parks and recreation fund, for every house they build. This fund can only be used for Parks and Recreation.  Every house that gets built has to contribute $800 into the fund, or, at the townships discretion, they can create open public land/recreational facilities to the same value. Note this is in addition to the requirement to provide such land within developments.  Finally, our ordinances state that 

“if the Township does not use the recreation fees to provide land and facilities for recreation use within three years from the date of receipt of the recreation fees, the Township shall refund the recreation fees plus interest earned from the date of payment approved.”

Recomendations

1: The fee/dwelling be revised to bring it in line with that used in surrounding townships (all of which charge over $1,000 at present)

2: The option of providing recreational facilities instead of a fee, should be removed.

3: Unspent fees should not be returned to the developer but rather placed into a township fond to support conservation and agricultural easements within the township.

Stormwater Management

Present ordinances are quite comprehensive

Recomendations

1: Ensure that our ordinances of in line with Pennsylvania's MS4 standards

2: Promote green stormwater infrastructure and consider incentivizing low impact development.  PennFuture, Evaluating the potential benefits of permeable pavement on the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff

3: Promote more use of non-structural BMP’s and their protection, less ponds.

4: Strengthen inspection and as-built performance testing.

5: Enhance Riparian Buffers

Wetlands

We basically don’t have an ordinance for wetlands. There are protections under storm water

management but few specific to wetlands especially when compared with Cranberry and Clinton townships.

Recomendations

Map wetland areas in the township

Ensure that any disturbances to wetlands or river and stream basins require a permit are  bonded. 

Waste disposal and recycling

All households and businesses in the township are required to separate our recycling material from trash and really should not be burning recyclable material. Burning regulations generally need to be tightened up.

Recommendations

1: Enforcement the recycling requirement, especially with businesses

2: Instigate burn bans on both fire hazard days and poor air quality days.

3: Restrict burning to wood and garden waste, but not allowing the burning of Fall leaves.

Sewage and septic systems

Septic and sewage systems are well regulated. Little change is needed except where they pertain to conservation overlays and riparian buffer zones (see those separate sections)

Tree planting list

A comprehensive list of native trees suitable for planting in our township has been drawn up based on work by the West Penn Conservancy. 

Recommendations

This list should be adopted by the township and all developers required to follow it.