Southampton Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
12-5.16 Site
clearing, grading and soil protection.
[Amended 2-20-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-01]
a.
Clearing standards.
1.
The clearing of more than 1,500 square feet of vegetation from any parcel of land in the non-Pinelands other than clearing for agricultural activities, shall be authorized only if the applicant can demonstrate that:
(a)
The removal is necessary to accommodate development maintenance of a permitted structure or to carry out a permitted use of the property;
(b)
Removal is necessary in order to implement the fire management objectives of this chapter;
(c)
Removal is necessary to eliminate a pedestrian or vehicular safety hazard; or
(d)
Removal is necessary to eliminate a hazard to a building in accordance with the following requirements:
(1)
All landscaping as shown on the site plan shall be completed within six months of completion of construction.
(2)
All landscaping shall endure the stabilization of soils.
(3)
All development within the jurisdiction of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan other than turfed areas dedicated for public recreational purposes, shall utilize native vegetation for landscaping, including but not limited to the native plants set forth in N.J.A.C. 7:50-6.23 of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan.
(4)
Specimen trees will not be cleared or removed and the area to be cleared will be landscaped.
2.
In areas other than the Pinelands Area of the Township, clearing shall be permitted only where necessary for the physical construction of roads, improvements and building and only in conformance with detailed landscaping plan submitted by the applicant and approved by the Land Development Board.
b.
Grading. No grading construction or regrading shall be permitted which creates or aggravates water stagnation or a drainage problem on adjacent properties. Grading shall be limited to areas shown on an approved plan.
c.
Topsoil and subsoil protection.
1.
No topsoil shall be removed from the site, except as provided herein. Topsoil moved during the course of construction shall be redistributed over the distributed areas of the development and shall be stabilized by seeding or planting or another method shown on the approved plan.
2.
Excess subsoil, when approved by the Township Engineer, may be transferred to another site within the Township, but only under the circumstances set forth herein may it be relocated outside the Township.
3.
No grading construction or regrading shall be permitted which creates or aggravates water stagnation or drainage areas shown on the approved plan.
4.
Excess subsoil may only be removed from the site or relocated outside the Township upon the Township Engineer's recommendation and Township Committee's approval.