Landscaping in Chester County, PA: new-home yards, stormwater rules and deer
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What should Chester County homeowners know before hiring a landscaper?
Chester County has more new housing than most of Pennsylvania, and that shapes its yards. The Census Bureau estimates that 10.7 percent of the county's 212,491 housing units have been built since 2010, against 6.1 percent statewide, and the Chester County Planning Commission says the county has added around 1,500 new homes in most years since then. New homes bring new lawns, new beds and new drainage, and the county has its own stormwater rules that reach some of that work.
Why do new-home yards so often struggle?
Construction is hard on soil. Penn State Extension's guide to lawn establishment says the subsoil at a building site is often severely compacted by construction equipment, and that a good lawn typically needs at least 4 to 6 inches of good-quality topsoil, settled. It recommends checking compaction, topsoil depth and drainage, and taking a soil test, before planting anything.
That makes the soil the first question to put to a landscaper bidding on a yard around a newer house. Ask whether the price includes loosening compacted ground, how much topsoil it adds, and whether the plan rests on a soil test. A proposal that goes straight to sod or seed on builder's fill is skipping the step Penn State puts first.
The planning commission also notes a shift in what is being built: since 2010, new single-family detached homes have decreased while twins and apartments have increased. A twin or townhouse yard is smaller, but the soil questions above apply to it all the same.
Do Chester County's stormwater rules affect a yard project?
They can. Under the County-wide Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan adopted in 2022, Chester County municipalities must adopt the county's model stormwater ordinance, or equivalent standards, as a stand-alone ordinance. The planning commission reported that 56 municipalities had adopted the 2022 model standards as of July 2023. The ordinance is enforced by your township or borough, so the thresholds that apply to a patio, a driveway extension or a regrade are set there, and the first call is to the municipal office.
The state's erosion rules sit on top. Every earth disturbance must use erosion and sediment controls, and a written plan is required once the disturbance reaches 5,000 square feet. The planning commission says the Chester County Conservation District reviews and implements the erosion and sediment control program for construction sites on the state's behalf.
The same county page explains why the rules exist: it says many of the county's stormwater problems come from areas developed before stormwater practices were widely used, and it says new design guidance recommends green practices such as rain gardens, vegetated swales and porous pavement wherever possible.
Where can you get local gardening advice?
From the Chester County Master Gardeners. Their free Garden Hotline answers residents' questions by email at chestermg@psu.edu or by voicemail at 610-696-3500, and is staffed Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from March to November. Soil test kits are sold at the Penn State Extension office in the Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, Suite 370, West Chester, open weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm. If a plant problem stumps the hotline, Penn State's Plant Disease Clinic accepts samples, photos first.
What helps against deer?
The Chester County Master Gardeners call deer a major challenge in our area, and they say deer are hard to discourage once used to feeding in a place. Their advice:
- A fence works if it is about eight feet tall and close to the ground.
- Repellents may deter deer for a time, especially where deer traffic is light, and alternating formulations works better than sticking to one.
- Radios, lights and motion-triggered sprinklers tend to be short-term solutions, if they work at all.
- Start early and be consistent through the growing season.
When comparing planting plans, ask how the designer has allowed for deer, and which plants it would protect.
How do you check a contractor here?
For patios, walls, walkways and drainage, the Attorney General says landscapers must register as home improvement contractors. The state's contractor search can be filtered to Chester County. With owner-occupied homes in the county valued at a median of $485,600 by the Census Bureau, a hardscape job is a large purchase, and the state's contract rules for jobs over $500 apply to it.
For the state rules that apply to each kind of landscaping work, see what Pennsylvania requires. Businesses serving the county are on the Chester County landscapers page.
Sources
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
- Housing Report - Units By Type, Chester County Planning Commission
- eTools: Stormwater Best Management Practices, Chester County Planning Commission
- 25 Pa. Code § 102.4. Erosion and sediment control requirements., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
- Garden Hotline (Chester County Master Gardeners), Penn State Extension
- Large Garden Pests (Chester County Master Gardeners), Penn State Extension
- Lawn Establishment, Penn State Extension
- Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General