Delaware County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in Chester Heights, PA
In Chester Heights, disturbance of 3,500 square feet or more needs a land disturbance permit from the Borough Engineer.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in Chester Heights, PA. In Chester Heights, disturbance of 3,500 square feet or more needs a land disturbance permit from the Borough Engineer, and a stream, pond or wetland on a site needs a riparian buffer of at least 50 feet from the top of bank. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the Chester Heights code says
Chester Heights covers about 2.2 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 7 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.
Land disturbance permit at 3,500 square feet
Section 162-46 of the Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development and Design Standards reads: “For disturbances of 3,500 square feet or more, a land disturbance permit issued by the Borough Engineer is required.”
- 2.
50-foot riparian buffer
Section 160-24 of the Chapter 160 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management reads: “Except as required by Chapter 102, if a perennial or intermittent stream passes through or a water body (i.e., lake, pond, wetland) is present on the site, the applicant shall create a riparian buffer extending a minimum 50 feet to either side of the top-of-bank of the channel, lake, or wetland.”
- 3.
Narrower buffers on older lots
Section 160-24 of the Chapter 160 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management reads: “The following provisions also apply to riparian buffers on lots in existence at the time of adoption of this chapter: (a) If the applicable rear or side yard setback is less than 50 feet, the buffer width may be reduced to 25% of the setback or 25 feet, whichever is greater.”
Offices for a Chester Heights site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Delaware County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | Chester Heights Borough office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
Chester Heights questions, answered
Does Chester Heights require a grading permit?
Disturbance of 3,500 square feet or more needs a land disturbance permit from the Borough Engineer (Section 162-46).
Is there a stream buffer rule in Chester Heights?
A stream, pond or wetland on a site needs a riparian buffer of at least 50 feet from the top of bank (Section 160-24).
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 Chester Heights, 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 Chester Heights, 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 Delaware County Conservation District reviews plans and NPDES coverage for larger disturbances. The Chester Heights 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 Chester Heights Borough, Delaware 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 Chester Heights Borough?
The Delaware County Conservation District handles Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control and NPDES permits under delegation from PA DEP, with the NPDES trigger at one acre of disturbance. Chester Heights Borough also runs its own permit and zoning process through its permits, fees and inspections page, so start there. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in Chester Heights Borough?
Yes, with conditions. Chester Heights Borough's code, section 97-29, allows burning brush from private property on Fridays or Saturdays, or after you phone the Fire Marshal on other days. Piles can be no more than 10 feet across and 5 feet high, attended at all times, and out by dusk. Construction materials never burn. Huntly's mulch-in-place method needs no fire. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What grows wild and takes over land around Chester Heights Borough?
Typical for Delaware 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 Chester Heights Borough?
There can be. USDA NRCS EQIP, run through the Delaware 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 Delaware County Conservation District's Grants page lists ACAP, Trees for Watersheds and mini-grants. Those agencies set eligibility, and Huntly does not file applications for you. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve Chester Heights Borough, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes. Chester Heights Borough 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 Chester Heights Borough?
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 Chester Heights Borough?
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 Chester Heights Borough or anywhere else. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Who do I call in Chester Heights Borough 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: chesterheights.org
Sources: delcopa.gov (permitting) · delcopa.gov (conservation district home) · chesterheights.org · ecode360.com (12775759) · ecode360.com (12775895) · 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: Chester Heights Borough Code, Chapter 162 Subdivision and Land Development, Article VI Development and Design Standards, Section 162-46 · Chester Heights Borough Code, Chapter 160 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management, Section 160-24 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in Chester Heights 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.