Environmental Rules in Upper Darby, PA (2026)
5 verified environmental rules for Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Upper Darby Township requires an approved Stormwater Management (SWM) site plan under Chapter 465 before any regulated land development, redevelopment or earth-disturbance activity begins. The Township reviews the plan against watershed-wide design criteria, and impervious surface added in phases counts cumulatively back to the ordinance's original adoption.
Upper Darby Stormwater Management Site Plans
Some RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 465-14
Applicants proposing regulated activities in the municipality which do not fall under the exemption criteria shown in § 465-6 shall submit a stormwater management site plan consistent with this chapter and the applicable watershed stormwater management plan to the municipality for review. The stormwater management criteria of this chapter shall apply to the total proposed development even if de...
Erosion Control
Before any earth disturbance begins, Upper Darby Township requires a PADEP-approved erosion and sediment control plan under Title 25 Chapter 102 plus a municipal grading and erosion control permit. Larger sites also need NPDES construction coverage, and the approved plan must stay on site at all times.
Upper Darby Erosion & Sediment Control Permit
Some RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 465-16
No regulated earth disturbance activities within the municipality shall commence until the municipality receives an approval from the PADEP in compliance with Title 25 Chapter 102 of the Pennsylvania Code of an erosion and sediment control plan for construction activities if applicable. In addition, no earth disturbance activities shall commence until the applicant has secured a grading and ero...
Flood Zones
Upper Darby requires a Floodplain Administrator permit before any construction or development begins inside a mapped floodplain, under Chapter 305 implementing the state's 1978 Flood Plain Management Act. Work that isn't a "substantial improvement" can skip the permit but still must be reviewed and logged by the Township Engineer acting as Administrator.
Upper Darby Floodplain Development Permit
Significant RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 305-3
A. It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within a floodplain in Upper Darby Township unless a permit has been obtained from the Floodplain Administrator. B. A permit shall not be required for work that is not considered a substantial improvement. Work within a floodplain that ...
Vehicle Idling Restrictions
Upper Darby's noise chapter bars a commercial motor vehicle from idling unnecessarily while loading or unloading, or standing in anticipation of it, regardless of decibel level, with an exception for refrigerated trucks running adjunct cooling units for food delivery.
Upper Darby Commercial Vehicle Idling Limit
Light RestrictionsUpper Darby Code § 373-6M(1)
Operating or permitting the operation of a commercial motor vehicle engaged in the process of loading or unloading (or standing or parked in anticipation thereof or following the same) and allowing the engine of the motor vehicle to idle or otherwise run unnecessarily when vehicle is standing motionless (even though the noise generated may measure less than provided by § 373-8 Table II. An exce...
Flood Elevation Requirements
New construction or substantial improvement inside an Upper Darby floodplain is prohibited outright unless a variance is granted, and even then Section 305-24 requires the lowest floor to sit at or above the "regulatory flood elevation," which Section 305-36 defines as the base flood elevation plus a 1.5-foot freeboard safety factor.
Upper Darby Flood Elevation Freeboard Rule
Significant RestrictionsUpper Darby Code §§ 305-24, 305-36
§ 305-24. Elevation and floodproofing requirements. Within any identified floodplain area any new construction or substantial improvements shall be prohibited. If a variance is obtained for new construction or substantial improvements in the identified floodplain area in accordance with the criteria in Article VII, then the following provisions apply: A. Residential structures. (1) In AE, A1-30...
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