Stroud Township City Zoning Code
PART 14
WELLHEAD PROTECTION OVERLAY DISTRICT
§ 27-1401 Findings.
[Added by Ord. No. 2-2020, 6/16/2020]
1.
The Township of Stroud finds that:
A.
The groundwater underlying the Township is a major source of its existing and future water supply, including drinking water.
B.
Accidental spills and discharges of toxic or hazardous materials may threaten the quality of such groundwater supplies and related water resources in the Township, posing potential public health and safety hazards.
C.
Unless preventative measures are adopted to control the discharge and storage of toxic and hazardous materials within the Township, spills and discharges of such materials will predictably occur, and with greater frequency and degree of hazard by reason of increasing construction, commercial and industrial development, population and vehicular traffic within the Township.
§ 27-1402 Purpose.
[Added by Ord. No. 2-2020, 6/16/2020]
The purpose of this Part is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare through the preservation of the Township's groundwater resources and public water supply and to ensure a future supply of safe and healthful drinking water for the Township, local residents and employees, and the general public. The designation of wellhead protection zones and careful regulation of development activities within these zones will reduce the potential for groundwater contamination.
§ 27-1403 Applicability.
[Added by Ord. No. 2-2020, 6/16/2020]
These regulations shall apply to all land uses within the wellhead protection zones and shall be in addition to other requirements for the zoning districts designated on the Township Zoning Map and shall apply irrespective of other sections of this Code.
§ 27-1404 Establishment and Delineation of Wellhead Protection Overlay District and Wellhead Protection Zones.
[Added by Ord. No. 2-2020, 6/16/2020]
1.
The Wellhead Protection Overlay District shall be defined as that area within the Township that is located within the following wellhead protection zones:
A.
Zone 1: A 400-foot fixed radius around a well that is regulated by PADEP as a community water system.
B.
Zone 2: A 1,000-foot radius around each well within the Township that is regulated by PADEP as a community water system, with Zone 2 encompassing the area not located in Zone 1. See Figure 1.
Figure 1 Wellhead Protection Zones  |
The Township Board of Supervisors may modify the extent of Zone 2 on a detailed delineation study conducted by a Pennsylvania-licensed geologist. Any such study shall be based on a six-month time-of-travel capture zone using a generally accepted numerical groundwater flow model, and the study shall be consistent with the Monroe County Water Supply and Model Wellhead Protection Study, Volumes I and II, June 1997, and any updates. If accepted by the Township Board of Supervisors, the modified Zone 2 shall become the official Zone 2 delineation. A developer may submit such detailed delineation for consideration of the Township at the developer's expense.
2.
The Wellhead Protection Overlay District is shown on a map at the Township offices.
§ 27-1405 Use Regulations.
[Added by Ord. No. 2-2020, 6/16/2020]
1.
Land uses, facilities and/or activities within Wellhead Protection Zones 1 and 2 shall be regulated according to Schedule 27-XI.[1] Land uses, facilities, and/or activities shall be prohibited (designated with an "X" in the schedule); permitted by right (designated with a "P" in the schedule); or permitted by conditional use approval (designated with a "C" in the schedule), in accordance with Schedule 27-XI.
[1]
Editor's Note: Schedule 27-XI is included as an attachment to this chapter.
2.
Uses Permitted by Conditional Use Approval.
A.
In addition to all other applicable standards of this Part, the provisions of § 27-407 shall apply.
B.
Applications shall include, at a minimum, a detailed description of each of the activities to be conducted upon the lot or tract of land in question which shall constitute a regulated land use, including a listing of all substances which are to be stored, handled, used or produced in connection with each regulated land use being proposed and which substances are subject to federal and/or state authorities.
C.
The applicant shall demonstrate that the regulated land use will not, during construction or thereafter, cause the degradation of the groundwater quality upon or beneath the lot or tract of land or adjacent lots or tracts of land, the degree and extent of which degradation would violate safe drinking water standards promulgated by federal, state or county governmental agencies.
D.
The Township may attach such conditions and safeguards to any special permit as are, in its opinion, necessary to ensure initial and continued conformance to all applicable standards and requirements. Such conditions may include but are not limited to:
(1)
Monitoring wells.
(2)
Requirement of additional setbacks from sewage disposal systems to downgradient property lines.
(3)
The installation of adequate containment facilities and systems so as to prevent the contamination of groundwater by substances regulated by federal, state and/or county governmental authorities.
(4)
The preparation, filing and periodic revision of an emergency plan addressing the means by which any potential contamination of groundwater will be controlled, collected and remediated, including emergency contacts and identification of potential contaminants.
(5)
Regular inspection and monitoring, by the owner, occupant, Township and/or third parties of the regulated land use.
(6)
Compliance by the applicant with the provisions of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[2] pertaining to sanitary sewage disposal, water supply, stormwater management, utilities, easements and subsurface carbonate areas.
(7)
The design of stormwater detention basins with an impermeable liner to prohibit infiltration of impounded water to the subsurface.
(8)
The use of structural and/or nonstructural measures to prevent leachate contamination, including but not limited to building enclosures, impervious pads and pavements, self-contained drainage systems, detention basins, filters, separators or other devices and other management practices.
(9)
Compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations applicable to the regulated land use.
3.
Public water supply projects which require the use of chemicals for disinfection or treatment will be allowed in all wellhead protection areas subject to approval, construction and operation in accordance with PADEP regulations.