Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in Franklin Township, PA
In Franklin Township, outside an approved timber harvest, no more than 35 percent of woodland may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in Franklin Township, PA. In Franklin Township, outside an approved timber harvest, no more than 35 percent of woodland may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses, and the total riparian buffer may never be reduced below 75 feet from the top of each stream bank. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the Franklin Township code says
Franklin Township covers about 13.1 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 15 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.
35 percent of woodland for homes
Section 27-2503 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection reads: “Unless undertaken as an approved timber harvesting operation conducted in compliance with the required timber harvesting plan, no more than 35% of woodlands shall be regraded, cleared, built upon, or otherwise altered or disturbed for residential uses”
Source: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection, Section 27-2503
- 2.
75-foot minimum riparian buffer
Section 27-2503 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection reads: “[Amended by A.O.] (c) In no case shall the total riparian buffer width be reduced to less than 75 feet in width, measured from the top of each stream bank.”
Source: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection, Section 27-2503
- 3.
Selective cutting only
Section 27-2503 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection reads: “Timber harvesting shall only be permitted within the 20% disturbance allowance and shall be restricted to selective cutting.”
Source: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection, Section 27-2503
- 4.
Floodplain left undisturbed
Section 27-2503 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection reads: “Areas identified as being within the boundaries of the floodplain shall not be regraded, filled, built upon, channeled, or otherwise altered or disturbed except in conformance with Part 13, FH Flood Hazard District.”
Source: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection, Section 27-2503
- 5.
Impervious cover on steep slopes
Section 27-1408 of the Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Ss Steep Slope Overlay District reads: “The maximum impervious coverage of that portion of a lot within the Steep Slope Overlay District shall not exceed 10%, except that where innovative building techniques consistent with Subsection 1G, above, are employed, maximum impervious coverage shall not exceed 15%.”
Source: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Ss Steep Slope Overlay District, Section 27-1408
Offices for a Franklin Township site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | Franklin Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
Franklin Township questions, answered
Does Franklin Township limit woodland clearing?
Outside an approved timber harvest, no more than 35 percent of woodland may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses (Section 27-2503).
Is there a stream buffer rule in Franklin Township?
The total riparian buffer may never be reduced below 75 feet from the top of each stream bank (Section 27-2503).
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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin Township, Chester County, PA?
In Franklin Township, Chester County, PA, the township's zoning and codes page lists a Stormwater/Grading Permit Application, so ask the township office before you clear or regrade. As general guidance, Chapter 102 calls for a written erosion and sediment control plan at 5,000 square feet of earth disturbance and an NPDES permit at 1 acre or more. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in Franklin Township, Chester County, PA?
Burning rules in Pennsylvania are set by the municipality, and Huntly did not verify a local open-burning rule for Franklin Township. Call the township before you light anything. Huntly's forestry mulching grinds brush where it stands and needs no burn permit. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What invasive plants take over land around Franklin Township, PA?
Typical for Chester County: multiflora rose, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. They crowd out pasture, fence lines and woodland edges around Franklin Township, PA. Huntly clears thickets with a Cat 285XE forestry package on low-ground-pressure tracks, then treats regrowth as a separate line item if you want it. Herbicide, if used, goes through a licensed applicator and is quoted as a separate visible line.
Is there cost-share money for clearing invasives in Franklin Township, PA?
Possibly. As general guidance, landowners in Franklin Township, PA can ask the USDA service center for Chester County about EQIP funding. NRCS sets the Pennsylvania rate per scenario and year and decides eligibility and approval; ask the district conservationist for the current figure. The Chester County Conservation District also helps landowners plan conservation practices. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve Franklin Township, PA, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes. Huntly works Franklin Township, PA from its Chadds Ford base. The site walk is free, and every job is priced in writing after the walk at a fixed price. Longer hauls carry a mobilization line on the estimate. Call (484) 486-7272, Monday to Saturday 8 to 4, or email hello@huntlyland.com. Pennsylvania contractors must be registered as home improvement contractors with the Attorney General.
Who do I call for storm cleanup in Franklin Township, PA?
Call Huntly's 24/7 storm line at (484) 486-7272 for downed trees blocking a lane, field or driveway in Franklin Township, PA. Huntly's grapple clears and stacks the debris. If a tree is on a house or touching power lines, call a tree service or the utility first, then Huntly for the cleanup.
Does Franklin Township, PA have a permit for grading or driveway work?
Yes. Franklin Township's zoning and codes page lists a Stormwater/Grading Permit Application and a Driveway Permit Application, and its Code of Ordinances holds the local rules. Lane or trail work that moves soil may need one of them. The page gives 610-255-5212 for building permit and zoning questions. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Official site: franklintownship.us
Sources: dep.pa.gov (default) · chesco.org (About Us) · 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) · franklintownship.us · franklintownship.us (zoning code)
Where these facts come from
Sources: Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 25 Natural Resource Protection, Section 27-2503 · Franklin Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 14 Ss Steep Slope Overlay District, Section 27-1408 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in Franklin 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.