Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in West Goshen, PA
In West Goshen, forestry, timber harvesting or logging on any lot needs a forest management plan and a township permit first.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in West Goshen, PA. In West Goshen, forestry, timber harvesting or logging on any lot needs a forest management plan and a township permit first, and paving, filling, stripping or changing the grade of land needs a township grading permit. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the West Goshen code says
West Goshen covers about 11.9 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.
Forestry permit
Section 84-57.8 of the Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIV Supplemental Regulations reads: “It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any forestry, timber harvesting, tree harvesting or logging on any lot in the Township without first submitting a forest management plan as described herein and securing a permit from the Township”
Source: West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIV Supplemental Regulations, Section 84-57.8
- 2.
Grading permit to change grade
Section 69-4 of the Chapter 69 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control reads: “It is unlawful for any person to pave, fill, strip or change the existing grade of any land without first securing a grading permit. C.”
Source: West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 69 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, Section 69-4
- 3.
Replacing half of removed trees
Section 69-9 of the Chapter 69 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control reads: “Where removal of trees has been approved as a consequence of required construction activities, the permittee shall be required to replace at least 50% of such removed trees with a mixture of deciduous and nondeciduous trees having a minimum caliper of 1 1/2 inches at breast height.”
Source: West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 69 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, Section 69-9
- 4.
100-foot riparian buffer
Section 71-23 of the Chapter 71 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management Standards reads: “Except as required by Chapter 102, the riparian buffer shall be measured to be the greater of the limit of the 100-year floodplain or a minimum of 100 feet from the top of the streambank (on each side).”
- 5.
No fill in the floodplain
Section 84-90.11 of the Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIX Floodplain Regulations reads: “Within any identified floodplain area, the use of fill shall be prohibited.”
Source: West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIX Floodplain Regulations, Section 84-90.11
Offices for a West Goshen site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | West Goshen Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
West Goshen questions, answered
Does West Goshen regulate timber harvesting or tree removal?
Forestry, timber harvesting or logging on any lot needs a forest management plan and a township permit first (Section 84-57.8).
Does West Goshen require a grading permit?
Paving, filling, stripping or changing the grade of land needs a township grading permit (Section 69-4).
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 West Goshen, 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 West Goshen, 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 West Goshen 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 West Goshen 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 West Goshen Township, PA?
In West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA, Code Enforcement lists a Grading, Drainage, Erosion Control Permit Application Package, and the zoning and building codes are on eCode360. Email permits@westgoshen.org or call 610-696-5266. 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 West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA?
Burning rules in Pennsylvania are set by the municipality, so check with West Goshen Township before lighting anything. Huntly's mulch-in-place method needs no burn permit because the brush is ground up on the spot by forestry mulching instead of piled and burned. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
What grows wild and takes over land around West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA?
Typical for Chester County: multiflora rose, autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese stiltgrass. These crowd out pasture, fence lines and woodland edges around West Goshen Township. Huntly clears them with a drum mulcher and quotes any follow-up herbicide by a licensed applicator as a separate visible line.
Is there cost-share money for clearing invasives in West Goshen Township, PA?
Often, yes. As general guidance, landowners can ask the local USDA service center about NRCS EQIP. Pennsylvania's EQIP list covers brush management (practice 314, mechanical, large shrubs); the per-acre rate is set each year, so ask the district conservationist for the current figure. Eligibility, practice rules and sign-up dates apply, and enrollment comes before work starts. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Does Huntly serve West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes, West Goshen Township is inside Huntly's service region. The site walk is free, and every job is priced in writing after the walk. Mobilization is quoted on the estimate for long hauls. Call (484) 486-7272 or email hello@huntlyland.com.
Who do I call after a storm in West Goshen Township, Chester County, PA?
Call Huntly's 24/7 storm line at (484) 486-7272 for downed trees across lanes, fields and fence lines. We clear with a grapple and a Cat 285XE. If a tree is on a house, a power line or other structure, call a tree service or the utility first, then us for the cleanup.
Where do I find West Goshen Township, PA's ordinances and stormwater rules?
West Goshen Township's site has an Ordinances and Resolutions page and a Stormwater and Clean Stream Management page. Its Code Enforcement page links the zoning and building codes on eCode360 and a township fee schedule. Code Enforcement at 610-696-5266 can say which rules reach a clearing job. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Where these facts come from
Sources: West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIV Supplemental Regulations, Section 84-57.8 · West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 69 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, Section 69-4 · West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 71 Stormwater Management, Article III Stormwater Management Standards, Section 71-23 · West Goshen Township Code, Chapter 84 Zoning, Article XIX Floodplain Regulations, Section 84-90.11 · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in West Goshen 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.