Chesapeake Bay Watershed — Riparian Buffer & E&S Control (25 Pa. Code Ch. 102) (PA)

Tracked preemption from the Pennsylvania overlay bundle.

Overview

Effective
2010-11-19
Sunset
Authority
state
Scope
state:PA

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

AND
  • city.is_in_chesapeake_bay_watershed == True

Preempted fields

2 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
review_typerequiredep_chapter_102_e_and_s_npdes_permitEarth disturbance ≥1 acre requires DEP Chapter 102 NPDES permit; ≥5 acres in special-protection waters triggers heightened review.
review_typerequireriparian_buffer_or_riparian_forest_buffer150-ft riparian forest buffer (or equivalent functional substitute) is required for earth disturbance adjacent to Exceptional Value (EV) and High Quality (HQ) waters per 25 Pa. Code §102.14. Chesapeake Bay TMDL implementation also strongly incentivizes buffer adoption in non-EV/HQ portions of the watershed.

Citation

Authority source
25 Pa. Code Chapter 102 — Erosion and Sediment Control (riparian buffer requirements at §102.14, codified at 40 Pa.B. 6638, Nov. 19, 2010); Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Phase III, 2019
§ 25 Pa. Code §§102.4, 102.14
https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/025/chapter102/chap102toc.html

Research notes

Chesapeake Bay watershed in PA covers approximately half the state (Susquehanna and Potomac basins). Federal conflict check enabled because the buffer requirement implements both state law and the federal Chesapeake Bay TMDL under Clean Water Act §303(d). Municipal zoning ordinances may not authorize development that contradicts the Chapter 102 buffer rule.