By Stone Ridge Landscaping LLC — Emmaus, PA | May 2026
Buying land and building in the Lehigh Valley means navigating lot clearing before ground can be broken. Done right, clearing is straightforward. Done poorly or out of sequence, it creates regulatory problems, erosion issues, and expensive delays. Here is what to expect.
What Lot Clearing Involves
A full lot clearing for construction typically includes:
- Tree removal — all trees within the building envelope and setback areas
- Stump grinding or extraction to below-grade (12 inches minimum for construction sites)
- Brush and debris removal
- Grubbing — removal of root systems and organic material from the soil surface
What clearing does not include: grading, fill work, foundation excavation, or erosion control installation. Those are separate from the tree service scope.
Permits You May Need
Erosion and Sediment Control Permit: Pennsylvania’s Chapter 102 requires an E&S permit for any earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more. For most new residential construction this threshold is easily exceeded. Your municipality or Lehigh/Northampton County Conservation District administers these.
Municipal grading permits: Most Lehigh Valley townships require a grading permit from the local municipality before clearing begins. Check with your township’s engineering or building department.
Right-of-way trees: If any clearing-boundary trees fall within the municipal right-of-way, a tree permit from the city or township is required separately.
Spotted Lanternfly Compliance
Both Lehigh and Northampton Counties are inside Pennsylvania’s SLF quarantine. Tree services moving wood, brush, mulch, or logs off-site need a PDA SLF compliance permit. Ask your tree service about this directly — we handle it correctly.
Tree-of-heaven is extremely common on undeveloped Lehigh Valley lots. Do not simply cut it down — it resprouts aggressively from roots. The correct approach is herbicide treatment first, wait 30 days, then cut. We follow this process.
Timing the Clearing
Coordinate clearing with your builder to happen after permits are obtained but far enough before foundation work that any soil stabilization issues can be addressed. Most Lehigh Valley construction timelines call for lot clearing 2 to 4 weeks before excavation. Winter and early spring clearing has the advantage of firm ground — less rutting and soil disturbance from equipment.
Getting an Accurate Quote
Land clearing prices vary significantly. The cheapest quote often reflects excluded services — no stump grinding to construction depth, no hauling, slash left on-site. Get at least three written, itemized quotes and confirm each one covers the same scope.