West Manchester Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXI
Quarry Zone Q
§ 150-214 Purpose.
[Amended 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
The purpose of this zone is to reserve appropriate areas of the Township for quarrying and processing of quarry raw materials; to provide reasonable standards for quarry operations in order to prevent conditions which would interfere with the enjoyment or use of other properties; and to allow uses of a temporary nature in locations premature for quarrying. None of the regulations stated in this article supersede the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act of May 31, 1945, the Noncoal Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act of December 19, 1984, the Oil and Gas Act of December 19, 1984, or the Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act of April 27, 1966.
§ 150-215 Permitted uses.
The following principal uses are permitted by right in the zone:
A.
Quarrying.
B.
Public buildings, including firehouses.
C.
Public utilities.
D.
Farms.
E.
Nursery and garden centers.
F.
Parking lots or parking garages.
G.
Manufacturing or processing establishments utilizing quarry materials.
H.
A communications antenna mounted on an existing public utility transmission tower, building or other structure, and a communications equipments building. (See § 150-322.1.)
[Added 4-9-1998 by Ord. No. 98-06; amended 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
I.
Forestry.
[Added 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
§ 150-215.1 Special exception uses.
§ 150-216 Minimum lot area; minimum lot width.
§ 150-217 Maximum building height.
The building height limit shall be 100 feet.
§ 150-218 Maximum building coverage.
Not more than 60% of the lot area may be covered by buildings, including accessory buildings.
§ 150-219 Maximum lot coverage.
[Amended 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
Not more than 80% of the lot area may be covered by impervious surfaces, such as buildings, driveways, parking areas and sidewalks.
§ 150-220 Required setbacks for all uses except quarrying.
§ 150-221 Operational requirements for quarries.
A.
General. Quarry operations:
(1)
May not substantially injure or detract from the lawful existing or permitted use of neighboring properties.
(2)
May not adversely affect any public or private water supply source.
(3)
May not adversely affect the logical, efficient and economical extensions of public services, facilities and utilities throughout the Township.
(4)
May not create any significant damage to the health, safety or welfare of the Township and its residents and property owners.
(5)
May not result in the land area subject to quarrying being placed in a condition which will prevent the use of that land for economically and ecologically productive uses upon completion of the quarry operation.
(6)
Must comply with all applicable state regulations.
B.
Fencing. A substantial fence or earthen barrier measuring at least six feet in height must surround the area of actual quarrying to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the area to their potential endangerment.
C.
Screens. Where adjacent to a residential or a public street right-of-way or where a quarry operation will substantially impair the beauty and character of the surrounding countryside, trees and shrubs must be planted or attractive earthen barriers erected to screen the operation, as far as practical, from normal view.
D.
Access. Truck access to any quarry operation shall be so arranged as to minimize danger to traffic and nuisance to neighboring properties. Access drives shall conform to the specifications set forth in the West Manchester Township Access Drive Ordinance, Ordinance No. 96-01, Chapter 42 of the Code of the Township of West Manchester.
[Amended 3-14-1996 by Ord. No. 96-08]
E.
Setbacks from residential zones. Where the lot or parcel of land which is the site of quarrying operations is adjacent to a residential zone:
F.
Setbacks from public streets. No part of a quarry pit, stockpile, waste pile, processing equipment, scale, operational equipment or truck parking area may be closer than 100 feet to a public street line.
§ 150-222 Quarry rehabilitation requirements.
A.
Rehabilitation required. Within two years after the termination of quarrying operations, the area of actual quarrying operations must be rehabilitated to a condition of reasonable physical attractiveness and, as practical, restored.
B.
Rehabilitation standards. In rehabilitating the area of actual quarrying operations, the owner or operator must comply with the following standards:
(1)
Slope. The slope of earth material in any excavated pit must not exceed the angle of slippage.
(2)
Topsoil and ground cover. Where filling of the pit is desirable and economically feasible, the fill must be a kind and depth to sustain grass, plants or trees, and such must be planted.
(3)
Drainage. To prevent any silt, erosional debris or other loose material from filling any existing drainage course or encroaching on state or Township roads or private property, all surface drainage existing or developing by or through the topsoil site must be controlled by dikes, barriers or drainage structures. All measures to control natural drainage or floodwater must meet with the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
(4)
Removal of plant and equipment. Within two years after termination of operations, all plant and equipment must be removed, except where the plant and equipment is still used for processing earth material from other properties. If substantially covered, foundations and piers may be left in the ground.
§ 150-223 Required quarry application, operation and rehabilitation information.
All applications for new or expanded quarry operations shall include, and in order to keep the Zoning Officer abreast of impending termination of quarrying operations and plans for rehabilitation as well as operational activities which he has a duty to check, each quarry owner or operator must submit to the Zoning Officer, annually in the month of October, the information following:
A.
The ownership and acreage of the land which is the site of quarrying operations, including all land held under contract or lease.
B.
The type of earth resources quarried.
C.
The present depth of excavations.
D.
The probable effect of blasting and other excavation methods upon existing and permitted uses in the area surrounding the quarry site.
E.
A map, at a scale of one inch equals 100 feet, or such other scale acceptable to the Township, showing:
(1)
All land owned or under option, contract or lease.
(2)
Lot or land quarried.
(3)
As practical, contours at twenty-foot intervals extending beyond the site to the nearest public street or highway.
(4)
Private access roads and abutting streets and highways.
(5)
The location of all structures.
(6)
The location of stockpiles and waste piles.
(7)
The title, scale, North point and date.
(8)
Fencing and screen planting.
F.
The proposed reuse of the land to be quarried.
G.
Plantings or other planned special features of rehabilitation.
H.
The proposed methods by which rehabilitation is to be accomplished.
I.
A listing of those roads contained within the Township that are to be used by hauling trucks from the quarry operation.