Manheim Township Stormwater Requirements
What triggers a stormwater plan for a home project in Manheim Township, and what to expect.
Manheim Township, just north of the City of Lancaster, requires stormwater management for many residential projects that add impervious surface. For homeowners in Neffsville and throughout the Township, that can include an addition, garage, pool, patio, or driveway expansion. This page gives a general overview so you know what to expect before you apply for a permit.
When a Stormwater Plan Is Required
Like most Pennsylvania municipalities, Manheim Township bases its stormwater requirements primarily on new impervious area, meaning roofs, pavement, patios, pool decks, and other surfaces that do not absorb rainwater. Small projects may be exempt from a submission, while projects above the ordinance’s thresholds need a stormwater management plan, and larger projects carry additional requirements.
The exact thresholds, and how existing and proposed impervious area are counted, are set by the ordinance, so it is worth checking before the design is finalized.
Erosion and sediment control is required for any earth disturbance, even when a project is exempt from stormwater management.
Common Residential Projects
Manheim Township has many established neighborhoods where renovations, additions, and outdoor improvements are common.
Earlier improvements such as patios, sheds, or driveway expansions may have already used part of a property’s exemption, so a modest addition can cross the threshold and put a renovation on hold if it is not identified early.
What the Review Involves
When a plan is required, the submission typically includes an application, a stormwater management plan and report, and the required fees, which the Township’s engineer reviews. Approval can also involve recorded documents, such as an operation and maintenance agreement, before a permit is issued. In Lancaster County, those documents are recorded with the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds.
It helps to start early, particularly if a contractor is waiting to begin.
How Elsa Associates Helps
On one Manheim Township residential addition, Elsa Associates prepared a complete stormwater submission within one week of authorization, and the Township approved it without comments or revisions. Elsa Associates determines whether your project triggers the requirement and, when it does, designs a practical solution and prepares the plan, report, and supporting documents for submission.
Not sure where to start? Read Do I Need a Stormwater Plan? or learn more about civil engineering in the Lancaster area.
Refer to the Ordinance
This page is a general overview, not a substitute for the ordinance, which the Township can amend. Refer to the Township’s Stormwater Management Ordinance page for current requirements, or contact the Township directly.
Planning a Project in Manheim Township?
Before you apply for a permit, an early conversation can clarify whether stormwater management applies to your project and what the Township will need to see.