Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in Birmingham Township, PA
In Birmingham Township, site work such as stripping, grading, earthmoving or filling needs a township grading permit first.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in Birmingham Township, PA. In Birmingham Township, site work such as stripping, grading, earthmoving or filling needs a township grading permit first, and removing more than 25 percent of living trees 6 inches DBH or larger triggers replacement planting. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the Birmingham Township code says
Birmingham Township covers about 6.3 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 2 miles from our Chadds Ford base. These are the town rules that most often shape a clearing, mulching or grading scope here, quoted from the code itself.
- 1.
Grading permit for site work
Section 53-3 of the Chapter 53 Erosion and Sediment Control reads: “It shall be unlawful for any person to do any site work in conjunction with development, including, but not limited to, stripping, grading, earthmoving, filling and establishment of open-pit mines or borrow pits for any purpose without first securing a grading permit.”
Source: Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 53 Erosion and Sediment Control, Section 53-3
- 2.
Replacing trees past 25 percent
Section 103-41 of the Chapter 103 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Design Standards and Improvement Specifications reads: “In instances where disturbance or tree-cutting of more than 25% of those existing living trees having a DBH of six inches or greater is unavoidable or considered desirable in accordance with sound forest management practices, the individual removing such trees shall replace those removed in excess of 25% with new plantings of trees having at least a DBH of 2 to 2 1/2 inches.”
- 3.
Timber harvesting notice
Section 122-105.6 of the Chapter 122 Zoning, Article XVIII General Regulations reads: “Any operator or landowner who proposes to operate a forestry or timber harvesting operation in the Township shall file an erosion and sedimentation control plan with the Township at least 45 days prior to the start of the operation.”
Source: Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 122 Zoning, Article XVIII General Regulations, Section 122-105.6
- 4.
Chester Creek riparian buffer
Section 101-301 of the Chapter 101 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management Standards reads: “In the portion of the Township located in the Chester Creek Watershed, if a perennial or intermittent stream passes through the site, the applicant shall create a riparian buffer extending a minimum of 30 feet to either side of the top of the bank of the channel.”
Offices for a Birmingham Township site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | Birmingham Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
Birmingham Township questions, answered
Does Birmingham Township require a grading permit?
Site work such as stripping, grading, earthmoving or filling needs a township grading permit first (Section 53-3).
Does Birmingham Township protect individual trees?
Removing more than 25 percent of living trees 6 inches DBH or larger triggers replacement planting (Section 103-41).
Nearby pages
Cost, permits and the ground
Code summaries are general guidance, not legal advice; Huntly confirms the rules that apply to each parcel before work.
What shapes the cost of land clearing in Birmingham Township, PA?
Density and stem size, ground and terrain, access and staging, finish standard, resource plan, stewardship and schedule. Haul-off of non-organic debris, stump grinding below grade, permits and licensed applications are quoted as separate visible lines. Every job is priced in writing after a private site walk, and the walk carries no charge inside the service region.
Do I need a permit for land clearing in Birmingham Township, PA?
Often. Pennsylvania requires a written erosion and sediment control plan for earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more (25 Pa. Code § 102.4), and the Chester County Conservation District reviews plans and NPDES coverage for larger disturbances. The Birmingham Township rules on this page come on top of that. Whether a mulching-only scope counts as earth disturbance is a question for the township and the district, and we confirm it for each parcel before work.
Is forestry mulching better than bulldozing?
For most brush and small-tree work, yes. Mulching leaves roots in the ground and a chip layer on the surface, so slopes stay put, stream-adjacent ground stays stable, and there are no burn piles or haul-off loads. A buildable surface, root-ball removal, grading or drainage work may call for a broader clearing or excavation plan.
More about Birmingham Township, Chester County, PA
Regulatory notes are general guidance; Huntly confirms the rules that apply to each site before work.
Who approves land clearing or earth disturbance in Birmingham Township?
The Chester County Conservation District reviews erosion and sediment plans under delegated authority. Its FAQ says disturbance over 5,000 square feet needs a written plan, and one acre or more needs a plan the District reviews, plus an NPDES permit. Birmingham Township posts a Land Disturbance Application on its Stormwater page. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in Birmingham Township?
Sometimes. Birmingham Township's Chapter 49 (Burning, Outdoor) lets you burn leaves, logs and yard waste in the open from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset, at least 15 feet from any building, with 15 feet cleared around the fire. It bans burning on construction sites and during announced drought or emergency. Huntly's method needs no fire at all. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What grows wild and takes over land around Birmingham Township?
Typical for Chester County: multiflora rose, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. They fill fence lines, old pastures and woodland edges fast. Huntly's forestry mulcher clears the thickets, and the stumps and regrowth plan is quoted in writing after the site walk.
Is there cost-share money for clearing invasives in Birmingham Township?
There can be. USDA NRCS EQIP, run through the Chester County USDA service center, cost-shares brush management by mechanical means for large shrubs (practice 314); the per-acre rate is set each year in the Pennsylvania payment schedule, so ask the district conservationist for the current figure. The Chester County Conservation District may also run programs. Eligibility and enrollment are set by those agencies, and Huntly does not file the application for you. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve Birmingham Township, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes. Birmingham Township sits inside Huntly's Brandywine Valley service region, based in Chadds Ford. The site walk is free. After the walk, every job gets a fixed price in writing, with mobilization shown on the estimate if the haul is long. Call (484) 486-7272 or email hello@huntlyland.com. Hours are Mon to Sat 8 to 4.
Do I need a permit or special timing to cut trees in Birmingham Township?
As general guidance for Pennsylvania, tree cutting is commonly timed Oct 1 to Mar 31 to avoid roosting bats. Pennsylvania Chapter 102 sets a written erosion plan at 5,000 square feet of disturbance and an NPDES permit at one acre. Mulching often disturbs less soil than grading does. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly need to be registered to work in Birmingham Township?
Pennsylvania requires contractors doing home improvement work for owners to register with the Attorney General's office. Huntly Land Co. is operated by Huntly Land Co. LLC. Ask for the registration number and proof of insurance before signing any land clearing contract, in Birmingham Township or anywhere else. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Who do I call in Birmingham Township after a storm knocks down trees?
Call Huntly's 24/7 storm line at (484) 486-7272 for downed trees blocking lanes, fields and fence lines. We clear with a grapple and low-ground-pressure tracks. If a tree is on a house or on power lines, call a tree service or the utility first; we handle the cleanup after.
Official site: birminghamtownship.org
Sources: chesco.org (ErosionStormwater) · chesco.org (Faq) · birminghamtownship.org · birminghamtownship.org (Stormwater Department) · ecode360.com (9021797) · dep.pa.gov (default) · nrcs-prod.azureedge.us (PA Bulletin 440 26 06 PA Published Cost List and Payment caps for FY 26) · attorneygeneral.gov (home improvement contractor registration)
Where these facts come from
Sources: Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 53 Erosion and Sediment Control, Section 53-3 · Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 103 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Design Standards and Improvement Specifications, Section 103-41 · Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 122 Zoning, Article XVIII General Regulations, Section 122-105.6 · Birmingham Township Code, Chapter 101 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management Standards, Section 101-301 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in Birmingham Township can need a sediment and stormwater plan or a local approval. Start here:
Send us the details.
hello@huntlyland.comSend the town, rough acreage and two or three photographs. We reply by email with site-walk times, and a written scope follows the walk.
Office hours Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On call 24/7 for storm and emergency cleanup. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.