Ordinance as found in the 4-27-17 Zoning Code p 107 https://www.abingtonpa.gov/home/showdocument?id=6053
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Article XVI: Steep Slope Conservation District
SECTION 1600. INTENT: The purpose of this
ordinance is to reduce sedimentation, degradation of
water quality, and other damage to streams
and wetlands that result from construction, erosion,
and stormwater runoff on steep slopes; and
to preserve the natural topography, drainage patterns,
vegetative cover, wildlife habitats, and
scenic views of steeply sloping areas.
SECTION 1601. DELINEATION OF STEEP SLOPE CONSERVATION DISTRICT:
The Steep Slope Conservation District consists of two specially
designated steep slope areas defined
below. Steep Slope Conservation District calculations are to be based
on a site survey by a registered
surveyor, on topographic information plotted from a verified aerial
survey, or an analysis of U.S.
Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) topographic maps where the calculated
slope category (i.e., prohibitive or
precautionary slope, as defined below) exists for an area which spans
five contiguous 10-foot contour
intervals. The two specially designated steep slope areas are defined
as follows:
A. Precautionary Slope: those slopes
greater than 15% and less than or equal to 25%, measured
over a ten foot run.
B. Prohibitive Slope: those slopes
greater than 25%, measured over a ten foot run.
SECTION 1602. DEFINITIONS:
Erosion – The wearing away of the ground
surface as a result of the movement of wind, water, ice, and/
or land disturbance activities.
Sedimentation – The process by which
sediment resulting from accelerated erosion has been or is
being transported off the site of the
land-disturbing activity or into a watercourse or wetland.
Site disturbance – Any activity which
removes the vegetative cover from the land surface.
Slope – The degree of deviation of a
surface from the horizontal, usually expressed in percent or
degrees; rise over run.
Vegetation cover – Grasses, shrubs,
trees, and other vegetation which hold and stabilize soils.
SECTION 1603. STEEP SLOPE CONSERVATION
DISTRICT PROTECTION STANDARDS:
A. General: The Steep Slope Conservation
District shall be deemed to be an overlay on any zoning
district now or hereinafter enacted by
Abington Township.
1. The Steep Slope Conservation District
shall have no effect on the permitted uses in the
underlying zoning district, except where
said uses are intended to be located within the
boundaries of the Steep Slopes.
2. The requirements of the Steep Slope
Conservation District, as defined, shall supersede the
requirements of the underlying zoning
district.
3. Sloped area to be developed, regraded
or stripped of vegetation shall be drawn on the
development plans.
4. The developer, shall undertake the
following actions in the Steep Slope Conservation
District:
a. Minimization of site design and
grading.
b. Minimization of disruption of view
corridors.
c. Preservation of natural topographic
features (i.e., large trees [6” dbh or greater], tree
groves or stands, wildlife habitats,
etc.).
108
B.
Prohibitive Slopes (slopes greater than 25%): On at least 90% of
the prohibitive slope
area,
development, regrading or stripping of vegetation shall be
prohibited unless
the disturbance is for roadway crossings
or utility construction, and unless it can be
demonstrated that the roadway or utility
improvements are necessary in the sloped area.
In no
case, however, shall more than 15% of the total prohibitive
slope areas be developed,
regraded and/or disturbed (even if roadway crossings/and or
utility construction is
C.
Precautionary Slopes (15% to 25% grade): On at least 75% of the
precautionary slope area,
development, regrading, or
stripping of vegetation shall be prohibited.
SECTION 1604. USES PERMITTED AS OF
RIGHT:
The following uses shall be permitted as
of right, provided that they are consistent with requirements
of the underlying zoning district and
other applicable requirements.
A. Passive parks and outdoor
recreational uses, consistent with the goals of watershed
protection.
It is recommended that site disturbance
and impervious surfaces be minimized or avoided.
B. Tree farming, forestry, logging,
woodcutting, and other agricultural uses, where such activity
is limited to highly selective removal
of trees, consistent with conservation-oriented Best
Management Practices, including minimum
tillage methods, as approved by the Montgomery
County Conservation District.
C.
Maximum precautions shall be taken to avoid destruction of or
injury to understory brush
and
trees.
D. Grading for the minimum portion of a
driveway necessary to access the proposed
building or land use, when it has been
demonstrated that no other routing which
avoids steep slopes is feasible.
E. Yard area of any permitted building
(or land use), as long as the building itself is not
within a Prohibitive Slope area.
F. Outdoor plant nursery or orchard, in
accordance with recognized natural resource and soil
conservation practices.
G. Wildlife sanctuary, woodland
preserve, or arboretum.
H. Accessory uses necessary for the
operation and maintenance of the above uses (except
swimming pool, tennis or sport court,
and golf course).
I. Access roads for the passage of
emergency vehicles.
SECTION 1605. REQUIREMENTS FOR SITE
PLAN:
A. For all earth moving activities
within the Steep Slope Conservation District, the Applicant
shall
submit a site plan prepared by a
Pennsylvania-licensed engineer which shows or includes, at
a minimum, the following:
1. Slopes in classes of (a) 0 through
15%, (b) greater than 15 through 25%, and (c) greater
than 25%, based, at minimum, on 10-foot
contour intervals.
2. Location of all water bodies,
including but not limited to streams and wetlands.Existing
natural and topographic features.
3. Location of all proposed and existing
buildings and streets.
4. Location of all existing vegetation
including meadow, forest, and scrub lands broken down
by those areas of vegetation which will
be removed as well as vegetation to be preserved;
specifications for revegetation shall
also be included.
109
ARTICLE XVI: Steep Slope Conservation
District
5. Specific methods which will be
utilized to control soil erosion and sedimentation, soil loss,
and excessive stormwater runoff, both
during and after construction.
6. A statement and description of the
stability of the soils on-site and the appropriateness of
the construction method proposed.
7. A hydrology, drainage, and flooding
analysis, to include a statement on the effect of the
proposed development upon water bodies
or wetlands in the vicinity of the project.
8. A statement describing the underlying
geology attesting to the stability of the site.
9. Calculations of the area of proposed
disturbance of each slope class on each proposed lot,
as well as within any proposed road
right-of-way.
10. A grading plan for the construction
site and all access routes.
B. The site plan submitted shall be
reviewed by the Township Engineer. The Township Engineer
shall accept or reject the plan as
submitted, or may require that specific conditions be complied
with in order for the plan to meet
approval. In evaluating the site plan for impacts where
development encroaches into the Steep
Slope Conservation District, the following criteria
shall apply. No building permit shall be
issued and no grading or site clearing shall occur until
a site plan including all of the items
below has been reviewed and approved by the Township:
1. Minimized disturbance of especially
sensitive features, including the most steeply sloping
portions of the site.
2. Disturbance to areas shall be
minimized, where the length or area of steep slopes on the
site and extending 200 feet into
adjacent lands is extensive.
3. Disturbance shall not cause runoff
and/or related problems off the site and onto adjacent
properties.
4. Disturbance shall be undertaken in
such a way as to minimize adverse effects on visual
qualities of the site to the maximum
extent feasible, including hilltops, ridgelines, rock
outcroppings.
5. When grading within 3 feet of the
property line, the applicant shall submit engineered
prints for the proposed change.
6. Measures shall be undertaken to
minimize disturbance to and removal of natural vegetation
at the site; vegetation removal shall be
evaluated with particular regard to impacts on
slope stability, transpiration and
recharge of stormwater, existing drainage patterns, and
the overall characteristics of the
landscape. Special mitigation may be required, such as
use of retaining walls to preserve
existing vegetation.
7. Road construction, if it is to be
permitted on steeply sloping terrain, shall be required to
follow the natural topography to the
extent feasible.
SECTION 1606. SPECIAL STEEP SLOPE
CONSERVATION DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS:
All development proposals which propose
development in the Steep Slope Conservation District shall
conform to the following:
A. Those lands to be undisturbed and
preserved as open space due to the presence of steep slopes
may be offered for dedication to the
Township, a private land trust or a non-profit agency in
order to preserve and maintain the area
in its natural state.
B. The use of conservation easements on
steep slopes shall be required to preserve the area
in perpetuity. A conservation easement
for the slope area required to be preserved shall
be delineated on the plan. The plan
shall also clearly note any restrictions on earthmoving
activities on the plan. This information
shall be also recorded with the approved plan.
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