Environmental Rules in Lower Merion, PA (2026)
4 verified environmental rules for Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Chapter 121 requires every land development, subdivision, new building, or added impervious surface in Lower Merion Township to comply with a stormwater management and erosion control permit before work starts. Violations carry a fine of up to $1,000 per offense, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Lower Merion Stormwater Management Rules
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code §§ 121-2, 121-28
§ 121-2. Compliance required. ... A. Hereafter, no land shall be used, no earth shall be stripped or moved and no structure shall be built or extended without full compliance with the terms of this chapter and other applicable regulations. ... ... C. Regulatory activities. (1) The following activities are defined as "regulated activities" and shall be regulated by this chapter, except those tha...
Erosion Control
Lower Merion Township caps bare, unvegetated ground during construction at 25% of the site and requires stabilization within 20 days under Township Code § 121-5. Any grading, excavation, fill or tree clearing needs a runoff and erosion control permit from the Township Engineer before work starts, enforced under Chapter 121, Stormwater Management and Erosion Control.
Erosion Control Rules in Lower Merion Township
Some RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 121-5
§ 121-5. Erosion control requirements. ... ... A. General requirements. ... (1) Minimum grading. The maximum bare area (without vegetative cover) shall not exceed 25% of the total area at any one time. This requirement shall apply only if the total area, before subdivision or land development, is greater than four acres. (2) The maximum time of exposure for bare areas shall be 20 days before st...
Flood Zones
Lower Merion Township overlays a Floodplain Overlay District on every lot subject to the base flood, mapped from FEMA's Flood Insurance Study. Section 155-7.3 limits the district to a short list of open-space and agricultural uses and specifically bars freestanding structures, retaining walls, and substantial improvements outside that list.
Floodplain Development Rules in Lower Merion Township
Heavy RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 155-7.3
§ 155-7.3. Floodplain Overlay District. ... ... B. Applicability. ... (1) The Floodplain Overlay District is defined and established to include areas subject to the base flood, designated on the Lower Merion Township Floodplain Overlay District Map and prepared by the Township of Lower Merion. It is based on the Flood Insurance Study for the Township of Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Pennsylv...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Lower Merion Township defines base flood elevation as the 100-year flood elevation, and in the Schuylkill River floodway fringe it requires two feet of freeboard: every room, including basements, must sit at least 24 inches above that elevation, and utility lines must be floodproofed to the same 24-inch height.
Freeboard and Base Flood Rules in Lower Merion
Significant RestrictionsLower Merion Township Code § 155-2.1; § 155-7.3H
BASE FLOOD ELEVATION The 100-year flood elevation. ... ... H. Schuylkill River Floodway Fringe. ... (4) Sewer, water and electric lines shall be floodproofed to a height of 24 inches above the base flood level. ... (5) Structures shall be constructed with all portions of all rooms, including basements, at least 24 inches above the base flood level. Exceptions include nonresidential structures i...
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