[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township
of Robinson as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 8-14-1989 by Ord. No. 16-1989 as Ch. 25, Part 1,
of the 1989 Code]
The word "person," as used in this article, shall mean and include
any natural person, partnership, association, firm or corporation.
The singular shall include the plural; the plural shall include the
singular, and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to plant, maintain or allow
to grow any silver maples or willows within the lines of any street,
alley or sidewalk in the Township of Robinson or within 15 feet of
any public sewer or water line.
Every owner of property in the Township of Robinson shall be
required to keep limbs and branches of all trees growing upon such
property or along the street, sidewalk, curb or alley abutting upon
such property trimmed so that no part of such limbs or branches or
of the foliage growing thereupon shall have a clearance of less than
eight feet above the surface of the sidewalk or of less than 14 feet
above the surface of the roadway of any street or alley.
It shall be the responsibility of property owners in the Township of Robinson to conform to the requirements of this article as to trees upon property owned by them or along streets, alleys and sidewalks abutting upon such property and, upon notice from the Township Manager or his designee, to remove any tree or trees growing in violation of § 268-2 of this article and to trim or cut the branches or limbs of trees as required by § 268-3 hereof. Any person failing to comply with any such notice within the time limit stated therein shall be guilty of a violation of this article and, following the expiration of such time limit, the Township Manager or his designee shall have the authority to cause the work required by such notice to be done by the municipality or under contract therewith and to collect the cost of such work, with an additional amount of 10%, from such property owner in default.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay
a fine of not more than $600 and, in default of payment, to imprisonment
for a term not to exceed 30 days.
[Adopted 11-20-2006 by Ord. No. 16-2006]
A.
No person, firm, corporation, partnership or similar entity shall
cut or remove trees on any cutting block over one acre in the Township
of Robinson without first obtaining a timber harvesting permit from
the Township in accordance with the regulations and procedures set
forth herein.
B.
No permit shall be required for Christmas tree farms, cutting trees
for personal use or thinning/pruning trees to maintain a wooded stand.
A.
In all cases where a permit is required, the applicant and the property
owner shall submit an application for such a permit on a form provided
by the Township and pay the permit fee as well as an amount established
by the Board of Commissioners as an escrow for review of the application
and inspections upon the issuance of a permit, as may be established
by the Board of Commissioners by resolution. The Township strongly
recommends that all applicants utilize the services of a professional
forester in connection with the preparation and submission of the
application and related materials.
B.
The applicant shall, at least 30 days prior to submission of the
application, provide written notice by certified mail, return receipt
requested, of its proposed logging operation to all adjoining property
owners. The written notice shall provide in detail the nature, extent
and duration of the proposed operation including submission of a detailed
description of the location of the proposed operation. The applicant
shall submit proof of providing such notice, including return receipts,
at the time of submission of the application.
C.
At the time of submission of the application, the following items
shall be provided:
(1)
A logging plan, which must be prepared on a property survey map,
tax map or USGS topographical map of the entire site, which depicts
or includes by separate submission the following information:
(a)
Area of trees to be cut down. The area must be marked in the
field by survey ribbon.
(b)
Location of existing roads, public and private rights-of-way
or easements and points of access to public roads.
(c)
Location of any streams or wetlands.
(d)
The names and addresses of owners of adjacent properties.
(e)
Existing contours.
(f)
Location of storage piles, loading areas and skidding roads,
if possible.
(g)
Proposed transportation route for bonding purposes of public
roads.
(h)
North arrow and scale.
(i)
An erosion and sediment control plan.
(j)
Such other documents, plans or reports as may be reasonably
necessary to review the application and the proposed operation.
D.
Proof of liability insurance coverage shall be submitted at the time
of application, with combined limits of coverage of no less than $1,000,000,
which shall name the property owner and Township as the insureds or
additional insureds. Proof of workers' compensation insurance
coverage shall also be submitted.
E.
Bond requirements. Road maintenance bonds shall be posted with the
Township, in an amount and form to be determined by the Township,
in accordance with applicable PennDOT regulations and to ensure repair
of any Township roadways which may be damaged as a result of harvesting
operations. The Township shall set a reasonable time limit for such
bond, which shall coincide with the length of the proposed operation.
The bond shall be renewed or extended with each permit renewal. Said
bond shall remain in full force and effect until a certificate of
completion has been issued by the Zoning Officer. In lieu of such
a bond, the applicant may post a cash deposit or certified check with
the Township Secretary.
A.
Each application, together with the required documentation and information set forth in § 268-7, shall be submitted to the Township's Zoning Officer for review. Within 30 days after submission of an application that is determined to be complete, the Zoning Officer shall approve, disapprove or approve with modifications or conditions the application as submitted. Notice of the Zoning Officer's determination shall be provided to the applicant and property owner by certified mail, return receipt requested.
B.
The Zoning Officer, upon receipt of the application and required documentation, shall within the time limits set forth in Subsection A above have the application reviewed by a professional forester. The applicant shall deposit with the Township additional funds as determined by the Zoning Officer to compensate the professional forester for his/her evaluation.
C.
An applicant who is aggrieved by the determination of the Zoning
Officer may file an appeal from such determination to the Township's
Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days of written notice of the Zoning
Officer's decision.
In the event that a permit is issued by the Zoning Officer,
the applicant shall comply with the following additional standards
or requirements:
A.
No tops or slash may be left within 50 feet of any adjoining property
line.
B.
No cutting or loading shall occur from dusk to dawn.
C.
All permits issued shall expire one year from the date of issuance.
A permit may be extended for an additional year upon payment of an
additional application fee and a determination that the applicant
is in compliance with this article and all applicable laws.
D.
The applicant shall notify the Township by certified mail, return
receipt requested, 10 business days prior to completion of its operation.
E.
Streamside logging shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable
laws and subject to the following:
(1)
Selected trees may be cut within 50 feet of any stream; however,
no tops or slashes may be left within such area.
(2)
A fifty-percent canopy must be maintained within the fifty-foot buffer
zone from the stream.
(3)
Streams may not be crossed at any time unless an appropriate permit
is obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
(4)
A minimum distance between a stream and any road or skid trail shall
be maintained at 50 feet plus four feet for each 1% of slope (i.e.,
a twenty-percent slope between road/trail and stream would require
a one-hundred-thirty-foot buffer area.
F.
All public roadways shall be kept clean and free of mud and debris.
G.
Prior to opening the entrance to a logging site onto a Township road,
a driveway opening permit shall be obtained by the applicant.
H.
At any point of approved access to a public road, the applicant shall
construct an aggregate base to support the roadway edge.
I.
No vehicles utilized in the logging operation shall be parked within
a public right-of-way.
J.
No tops or slash shall be left within 100 feet of a public right-of-way.
K.
No trees may be cut within any Township right-of-way unless the applicant
obtains the written consent of the Township for such cutting.
L.
All logging operations shall comply with any and all applicable Township,
county, state and federal laws, including but not limited to:
(1)
Erosion and sedimentation control regulations contained in 25 Pa.
Code, Chapter 102, promulgated pursuant to the Clean Streams Law (35
P.S. § 691.1 et seq.).
(2)
Stream crossing and wetlands protection regulations contained in 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 105, promulgated pursuant to the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act (32 P.S. § 693.1 et seq.).
(3)
Stormwater management plans and regulations issued pursuant to the
Stormwater Management Act (32 P.S. § 680.1 et seq.).
(4)
Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code Act of 1986 (P.L. 805,
No. 247, as reenacted and amended).
A.
This article shall be enforced by the Township Zoning Officer. The
Zoning Officer may request and shall receive, so far as may be necessary
in the discharge of his duties, the assistance and cooperation of
the police and all other municipal officials, including but not limited
to the Township Engineer and a professional forester, in exercising
jurisdiction over property being harvested or harvesting operations.
B.
The Zoning Officer and assistants described above, upon the showing
of proper credentials and in the discharge of their duties, may enter
upon any property at any reasonable hour where timber harvesting is
reported, proposed or being conducted, and no person shall interfere
with such entry.
The Zoning Officer may revoke a timber harvesting permit theretofore
issued in the following instances:
A.
Where he finds that there has been any false statement or misrepresentation
as to a material fact in the application, plan or information on which
issuance of the permit was based.
B.
Where he finds that the permit was issued in error and should not
have been issued in accordance with applicable law.
C.
Where the permittee fails or refuses to comply with a written order
issued by the Zoning Officer within the time fixed for compliance
therewith.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate or fail to
comply with a written order or notice of violation issued by the Zoning
Officer or with any of the provisions of this article or conditions
of the timber harvesting permit shall be, upon conviction thereof,
sentenced to a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default
of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to
exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed
a separate offense.
