Nearby Townships with Riparian Ordinances
This is an incomplete listing, compiled on request by William E. Reed, Program Organizer, Clean Water Action, cleanwateraction.org/pa
| Municipality | Buffer Width | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery | ||
| Bryn Athyn | 75 in talk | |
| Cheltenham | 50-75ft | |
| Collegeville | 1/2 mi Perkiomen Creek 75-100ft | |
| East Greenville | 100-500ft in select areas of Peevy Mill Hill woodland =1/2mi | |
| Franconia | 10ft; 10% slope in 300 ft surrounding stream; if higher than 10% slope, add 4ft per every 1% above 10% | |
| Hatboro | 50ft on either side | |
| Hatfield Borough | 75 | |
| Hatfield Twp | 75 | |
| Horsham Township | Zone 1:25'; Zone2:50' | |
| Lansdale | 1ft above flood elevation | |
| Lower Frederick | 10ft from top of bank | |
| Lower Gwynedd | 25ft, conditionally no less than 10ft | |
| Lower Merion | 50ft | |
| Lower Salford | 25, 50 near roads | |
| Lower Pottsgrove | 25ft neighborhood setback, 50 either side of perrenial or intermittent stream, if yard is not 50 ft, 25 | |
| Marlborough Twp | perennial and intermittent=75; streams w/ upward drainage area of less than 75 acres^2=25; wetlands and waterbodies not near stream=25 | |
| Norristown | 100ft | |
| Pennsburg | 75' | |
| Perkiomen Township | 75 | |
| Plymouth | 15ft | |
| Pottstown | along Manatawny Creek 50-200ft | |
| Schwenksville | 50ft, conditionally no less than 10ft | |
| Skippack Twp | 25ft min; Where the 300 feet of land adjacent to a riparian or wetland boundary has an upland slope greater than 10%, the minimum buffer shall be increased by four feet for each degree of slope above 10% which shall be added to the minimum riparian or wetlands buffer | |
| Towamencin Township | 50ft | |
| Upper Hanover Township | 75 | |
| Upper Pottsgrove Township | 150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Upper Salford Township | Zone 1:25'; Zone2:50' | |
| Upper Dublin | 50ft | |
| Upper Merion Twp | drafted, but never adopted ordinance | |
| Worcester Township | 150ft | |
| Whitemarsh | 75ft | |
| Chester | ||
| Birmingham Twp | 35ft or Ten feet beyond the following environmentally sensitive areas:(1) Slopes in excess of 15%; (2) Floodplain areas; (3) Wetlands; (4) Woodland areas within and extending to 60 feet from the top of each streambank or riverbank. | Zoning Ord: Ch 122, Art. 28, 122.97.1 |
| Caln Twp | 50ft + Zone 3: 50ft n those cases where upslope areas adjacent to the RBZ are being disturbed during the land development process and where direct discharge of stormwater would otherwise occur; Zone 3 must include level spreading devices as necessary to ensure that any directly discharged stormwater flows are properly distributed as sheet flow and channelization and point source discharges are avoided | SALDO:Art 5, 137-44.1 |
| Charlestown Twp | No building or other structure shall be erected closer than one hundred (100) feet to the nearest bank of any watercourse, lake, pond or running stream. | Zoning: Art XVI, Sec 1611 |
| East Bradford Twp | The RBA consists of all of the following land areas: [1] One hundred feet on either side of perennial and intermittent streams and lakes as well as land adjacent to watercourses that drain greater than 15 acres. [2] All of the floodplain, plus an additional 50 feet of adjacent land. [3] All of a wetland greater than 20,000 square feet in area, plus an additional 50 feet of adjacent land. | Zoning Ord: Art VI, 115-45.3 |
| East Brandywine Twp | 100 | SALDO: Ch 350, Art VI, 350-53 |
| East Caln Twp | 15-100 | |
| E. Coventry | 50' from top of bank-100' in certain areas | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| East Fallowfield Twp | 50 | |
| East Goshen Twp | 100 | |
| E. Nantmeal | 100 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| East Nottingham Twp | 50 | |
| E. Pikeland | 75 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| East Vincent | 75 | SALDO:22-202 |
| Easttown Twp | 50 | |
| Franklin Twp | 50 | |
| Honey Brook boro | 100 | |
| HoneyBrook Twp | 75ft | |
| Kennett Twp | 75ft | |
| London Britain Twp | 100ft | |
| London Grove Twp | 75 | |
| Londonberry Twp | 100 | |
| Malvern boro | 50 | |
| New Garden | 100ft | |
| Newlin Twp | 100 | |
| North Coventry | 100 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| Parkesburg boro | 50 | |
| Phoenixville | site specific | |
| Pocopson Twp | 100 | |
| Sadsbury Twp | 100 yr fp; 25-100ft | |
| Schuylkill Twp | 100 | |
| S. Coventry | 75 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| Thornbury Twp | reviewed, not set | |
| Tredyffrin Twp | 95ft | |
| Upper Uwchlan Twp | 70ft | |
| Uwchlan Twp | 15-100 | |
| Warwick | 100 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| Wallace | 100 | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| West Bradford Twp | 70 | |
| West Brandywine Twp | 100-200 | |
| West Goshen Twp | 50-100 | |
| West Nantmeal Twp | 100 | |
| West Pikeland Twp | 150 | |
| West Whiteland Twp | 150 | |
| W. Vincent | 50'+ 4' for every 1% of slope. could be 100' or more depending on site conditions. | Info from John Hoekstra @ Green Valleys Association |
| Westtown Twp | 75 | |
| Willistown Twp | 15-100 | |
| Worchester Twp | 25-75 | |
| Monroe | ||
| Barrett Township | 150 | |
| Chestnuthill Twp | 150 | |
| Coolbaugh Twp | Considering 150' | |
| Delaware Water Gap Borough | pending | |
| East Stroudsburg Borough | Wetlands-50', lakes 50'; Streams-brodhead/sambo 150'; Little sambo etc 75' | |
| Eldred Township | 75 | |
| Hamilton Township | 75 | |
| Jackson Township | 75 | |
| Mount Pocono Borough | 150 | |
| Middle Smithfield Twp | 35 | |
| Paradise Township | site specific | |
| Pocono Township | 50'wetlands, ponds. Streams — Some sort of averaging for 100' buffer where slope is a concern.75' for Pocono crk. and cranberry bog | |
| Polk Township | Considering 50'-75' | |
| Price Township | 300' 30% impact-structures allowed Or site specific | |
| Ross Township | 100 | |
| Smithfield Twp | 150 | |
| Stroud Township | 150'E.V. stream,50'inner,100 outer; 100'stream 50'inner, 50'outer | |
| Stroudsburg Borough | 50- 75' being discussed | |
| Tobyhanna Twp | Planning Commission discussing model ordinance | |
| Tunkhannock Twp | 65 | |
| Bucks | ||
| Bristol | 50ft | Zoning Ord:ch205,art2,205-16,D,31/35 |
| Bridgeton Township | 75' Delaware Canal, 50' major waterways, 50' avg water level of lake or pond | |
| Bristol Township | does not have riparian buffer requirements. They do have a wetland margin requirement that is consistent with the county recommendation (for wetlands 1 acre or greater in size, a wetland margin shall be provided. Such margin shall extend 100 feet from the wetland boundary or to the limit of the hydric soils, whichever is less. At least 80% shall remain undisturbed in which no alteration, regrading, filling or development shall be permitted | |
| Doylestown Township | Min 75ft or =100yr floodplain. Some exceptions | Zoning Ord: Ch 175,Art XIXA, 175-103.3A#12 |
| Doylestown | 75ft | Zoning Ord: Art XIX19, 175-103.3 |
| Dublin | 50ft | 25-304 |
| Durham Twp | 75ft | Stormwater mang, plan |
| East Rockhill Township | 75ft | Zoning Ord: P19, 27-1900,j |
| Ivyland | 75ft | Heritage conservancy Little Neshaminy Creek watershed |
| Lower Makefield Township | Minimum wetland/watercourse buffer shall be 50 feet. Where the 300 feet of land adjacent to a wetland or watercourse boundary has an upland slope greater than 5%, the minimum buffer width shall be increased by 4 feet for each degree of slope above 5% [a] Shrub-shrub buffer where greater than 2/3 of a contiguous minimum wetlands/watercourse buffer as calculated in [1] above consists of vegetation between 12 inches and 20 feet in height, the minimum wetlands/watercourse buffer shall be extended to not less than 75 feet. [b] Herbaceous buffer where greater than 2/3 of a contiguous minimum wetlands/watercourse buffer as calculated in [1] above consists of vegetation less than 12 inches in height or no vegetation, the minimum wetlands/watercourse buffer shall be extended to not less than 100 feet. | |
| Lower Southampton Township | 50ft | Zoning Ord:17-407 |
| Middletown Township | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Zoning Ord: 5-03, Sec 506G |
| Milford Township | 75ft or = 100yr floodplain | Zoning Ord: Sec650 |
| Morrisville | 150ft | Zoning Ord: Ch370, 370-2 |
| New Britain Township | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Code of Ords:Ch26, Pt1,D,26-135,2g |
| Newtown Township | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Zoning Ord: 26,221(E) |
| New Britain | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Zoning Ord 26-136G |
| Newtown | 50ft or 25ft+entire 100yr floodplain | Zoning Ord:Art IX, 903 13d 1&2 |
| New Hope | 50ft | Zoning Ord: Art 4, 275-13, C6I |
| Nockamixon Twp | 75ft | Stormwater Ord: Art III, Sec 304P |
| Northampton Township | 100ft | Zoning Ord: Art XI, 140-58.2, D |
| Perkasie | 50ft | Zoning Ord Ch 158, Art 3158-15J |
| Plumstead Township | 75' | zoning: ch 27, pt3, 27-304, 4, F11 |
| Richland Township | 50ft | Zoning: 25-304 |
| Solebury Twp | 75ft | ZO: 150-7, b, 100:9, development |
| Springfield Township | 125ft-intermittent and perennial streams, 75' wetlands, 50'natural ephemeral streams | |
| Tinicum Township | 75' min or =100yr floodplain | ZO: Art VIII, Sec 806 C5 |
| Tullytown | 50ft | Zoning Ord: Art IV, 185-19, Kf9 |
| Upper Makefield Township | Zone 1 — 25 feet from edge of a stream channel on each side. If the land within the 25 feet has an upland slope of greater than 10%, zone one shall include the land from the stream channel edge and the upland slope and shall further extend outward 25 feet from the edge or top of such upland slope.Zone 2 — Extends 25 feet beyond Zone 1. Where the 100-yr floodplain extends greater than 50 feet from the waterway, Zone 1 shall remain at 25 feet, and Zone 2 shall extend from the outer edge of Zone 1 to the outer edge of the 100 yr floodplain. | |
| Upper Southampton Township | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Stormwater Mang Ord: Art IV, Sec 406G |
| Warwick Township | 75ft | ZO: Ch 195, Act XVII, 195-59L |
| West Rockhill Township | updating zoning ordinances | |
| Wrightstown Township | Zone 1 — 25 feet from edge of a stream channel on each side. If the land within the 25 feet has an upland slope of greater than 10%, zone one shall include the land from the stream channel edge and the upland slope and shall further extend outward 25 feet from the edge or top of such upland slope. Zone 2 — Extends 25 feet beyond Zone 1. Where the 100-yr floodplain extends greater than 50 feet from the waterway, Zone 1 shall remain at 25 feet, and Zone 2 shall extend from the outer edge of Zone 1 to the outer edge of the 100 yr floodplain. | ZO: 25A-201 |
| Yardley | mentioned in Comp. Plan, not an ordinance | |
| Berks | ||
| Albany Twp | 50 ft. and 150 ft. | |
| Bern Twp | 125ft | |
| Bethel Township | 25 ft. | |
| Colebrookdale Twp | 150 ft. and 75 ft. | |
| Cumru Twp | 50ft new non construction/development | Article 5 Sec 502&505 |
| District Twp | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | Article 4 406.6 Stormwater Mang. Ord. |
| Exeter | 50ft | |
| Greenwich Twp | 50 ft. | |
| Heidelberg Twp | 50 ft. and 100 ft. | |
| Kenhorst Borough | 50ft | 25-37 #6 Stormwater Mang. Ord. |
| Lenhartsville | 75ft | |
| Lower Heidelberg Twp | 75 ft. | |
| Maxatawny Twp | 50ft for any perennial/intermittent stream; 10ft if yard is >50ft | |
| Muhlenberg | 50ft | |
| Robesonia | 75ft. And 50 ft. | |
| South Heidelberg | 75ft | |
| Spring Twp | 35ft | Zoning Ord Chap 27,Sec 519 |
| Washington Township | 25ft min | |
| Wernersville | 75 ft. | |
| Womelsdorf | 100 ft. and 50 ft. | |
| Union | 75ft+ | |
| Lehigh Valley | ||
| Bethlehem Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Bushkill Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| East Allen Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| East Bangor | yes, minor streams (50ft) | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Easton City | 70 | ecode 595-164 |
| Emmaus | 20-50ft | Emmaus borough newsletter |
| Forks Township | 70% protected within 50 ft of shoreline of lake or pond (not reallyriparian buffer) | zoning ord 200-22 |
| Fountain Hill | yes, minor streams (50ft) | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Lower Milford Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Lower Nazareth Twp | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Lower Saucon Twp | 100 | twp zoning ord 180-95 |
| Palmer Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Salisbury Township | 50 | 27-192 twp zoning ord |
| Stockertown | yes, major streams (100ft) | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Tatamy | yes, major streams (100ft) | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Upper Milford Township | major-100; minor-50 | twp zoning ordinance 505-E |
| Upper Mount Bethel Twp | need development permit within 100' of river | |
| Upper Nazareth Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Upper Saucon | 75-100ft | Physical and Vegetative Characteristics of a Relocated Stream Reach, Constructed Wetland, and Riparian Buffer, Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, 2000–04 |
| Washington Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Wilson Borough | 100ft | twp zoning ord 170-24 |
| Williams Township | major-100; minor-50 | LVPC greenways plan 130-131 |
| Allegheny County | ||
| Bradford Woods Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Etna Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Fox Chapel Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Franklin Park Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Frazer Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Hampton Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Harmar Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Indiana Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Marshall Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Middlesex Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Town of McCandless | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Millvale Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| O'Hara Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Pine Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Reserve Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Richland Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Ross Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Shaler Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Sharpsburg Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| West Deer Township | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| West View Borough | min 50; max150 pervious, 75 impervious | |
| Butler County | ||
| Buffalo Twp | slope 0-8%=25ft, 10-15%=50ft, 16+%=75ft | 532.6 |
| Cranberry Twp | 25ft | Zoning ord 96-287 |
| Dauphin | ||
| East Hanover | A streamside buffer shall only be required to adjoin a watercourse, or portion thereof, that is typically inundated throughout the year. Zone 1: The landward area located between the streambank edge under typical flow conditions and the largest combined width of all of the following:
Zone 3: at least (10') inland therefrom. Where a pasture is proposed just beyond the above-described Zone 2, no Zone 3 is required. | 327.2 Zoning Ordinance |
| Hummelstown | min 50ft, max 75 for pervious surfaces, 150 for impervious | Stormwater mang. Ch26, appendix D |
| Londonberry Twp | 25ft, not riparian buffer exactly. All streams, rivers, lakes. Frontsge preservation | Ecodes- 91-2 the rest have none |
| Westmoreland | ||
| Murrysville Borough | wetland buffer 50ft if<.25acres; 25ft if>.25acres; EV-50ft | 220-42 |
| Hempfield Twp | 50-150 or impervious | 72-18 |
| Cumberland | ||
| Lower Allen Twp | 100ft, along Yellow Breeches Creek | 220-161 |
| Upper Allen Twp | zone 1-35ft, zone 2-45ft, zone 3-20ft | 214-12 |
| Adams | ||
| Huntington Twp | 50ft | Zoning ord 1011 Section B |
| Latimore Twp | 15ft | Zoning ord IV-20 |
| Mount Joy Twp | 60ft of vegetated buffer; not really riparian | zoning ord Article 7 110-114 rest have nothing |
| York County | ||
| Carroll Twp | 15ft+35ft or to 100yr floodplain+50ft where upslope areas are being disturbed during the land development process and where direct discharge of stormwater would otherwise occur | Stormwater Mang Ord: Art 4, Sec 403, #23-1 |
| Conewago Twp | no development w/in 100yr floodplain | Zoning Ord: Art 3, Sec 308 |
| East Manchester Twp | no development w/in 100yr floodplain | SALDO: Art 8, sec 8.1, 2f |
| Newberry Twp | 25ft | Zoning Ord: 402.4A |