Chester County · PA · Estates & Conservation Properties division
Forestry mulching and land clearing in West Nottingham, PA
In West Nottingham, no more than 35 percent of woodlands may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses.
Yes. Huntly Land Co. works in West Nottingham, PA. In West Nottingham, no more than 35 percent of woodlands may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses, and no more than 50 percent of woodlands may be cleared or disturbed for non-residential uses. Every job starts with a private site walk.
What the West Nottingham code says
West Nottingham covers about 13.8 square miles of land (US Census), roughly 26 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 woodlands for homes
The West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) reads: “No more than thirty five (35) percent of woodlands shall be regraded, cleared, built upon, or otherwise altered or disturbed for residential uses.”
Source: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013)
- 2.
50 percent for other uses
The West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) reads: “No more than fifty (50) percent of woodlands shall be regraded, cleared, built upon or otherwise altered or disturbed for non-residential uses.”
Source: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013)
- 3.
50 feet on HQ, EV and impaired streams
The West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) reads: “Where the watercourse is part of a watershed that has been identified as High Quality (HQ) or Exceptional Value (EV) or where a stream has been identified as “impaired,” the minimum width for the riparian buffer shall be increased to fifty (50) feet.”
Source: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013)
- 4.
Buffers follow steep slopes
The West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) reads: “Where prohibitive slopes (twenty five (25) percent and greater) are located within thirty five (35) feet of a watercourse, the riparian buffer shall extend the entire distance of the sloped area.”
Source: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013)
- 5.
Timber harvesting plan
The West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) reads: “Where a timber harvesting operation is proposed a timber harvesting plan shall be required by the Township in accordance with Section 1118.”
Source: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013)
Offices for a West Nottingham site
| Question | Office |
|---|---|
| Sediment and stormwater / erosion review | Chester County Conservation District (Chapter 102 erosion and sediment control, NPDES) |
| Township or borough office | West Nottingham Township office |
| State erosion and sediment rules | 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 (DEP) |
West Nottingham questions, answered
Does West Nottingham limit woodland clearing?
No more than 35 percent of woodlands may be cleared or disturbed for residential uses.
Is there a stream buffer rule in West Nottingham?
The minimum riparian buffer rises to 50 feet on High Quality, Exceptional Value or impaired streams.
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 Nottingham, 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 Nottingham, 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham Township, PA?
Start with the West Nottingham Township office for local zoning and permits. Pennsylvania Chapter 102 sets a written erosion and sediment control plan at 5,000 square feet of earth disturbance and an NPDES permit at 1 acre or more, reviewed through the Chester County Conservation District. As general guidance, mulching in place often disturbs little soil. Huntly confirms the rule that applies to each site before work.
Can I burn brush piles in West Nottingham Township, Chester County, PA?
Burning rules in Pennsylvania are set by the municipality, so check with West Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 Nottingham Township, Chester County, PA, and what does a site walk cost?
Yes, West Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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 these facts come from
Sources: West Nottingham Township Zoning Ordinance (amended March 26, 2013) · 25 Pa. Code § 102.4, erosion and sediment control requirements
Last checked: October 2026.
Permits and rules
Clearing in West Nottingham 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.