Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Highland Township, Pennsylvania

Highland Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Highland Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania.

  • Uses and development are subject to the applicable zoning district and ordinance provisions.

  “For the purpose of this Zoning Ordinance, Highland Township is divided into zoning districts which shall be designated as follows.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Highland Township.

  • The ordinance lists Agricultural Preservation, Land Conservation, Rural Residential, Single Family Residential, Commercial-Mixed Dwelling Residential, Village, Industrial, Industrial Overlay, and Floodplain Overlay districts.

  “AP Agricultural Preservation LC Land Conservation RR Rural Residential SFR Single Family Residential C-MDR Commercial-Mixed Dwelling Residential V Village I Industrial IO Industrial Overlay FO Floodplain Overlay”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Occupancy of a recreational vehicle on a lot inside Highland Township.

  • Occupancy is limited to 30 days in a calendar year unless approved within a campground with suitable central water and sewage service.

  maximum occupancy: <= 30 days per calendar year (May be approved within a campground with suitable central water and sewage service.)

  “No recreational vehicle shall be occupied on a lot for more than thirty (30) days in a calendar year, except as may be approved within a campground with suitable central water and sewage service.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Sewage-enforcement matters inside Highland Township.

  • The Township identifies KPI Technology's Gil Picarelli as its Sewage Enforcement Officer.

  “Sewage Enforcement Officer Gil Picarelli, KPI Technology Ph: (717) 339-0612”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  New principal buildings served by on-lot septic systems inside Highland Township.

  • Every plan for subdivision or land development and every zoning-permit application for a new principal building served by septic must designate primary and alternate septic locations.
  • Proposed locations must meet PA DEP minimum isolation distances.
  • A revised septic location needs Zoning Officer and Sewage Enforcement Officer approval before zoning-permit issuance.

  “Every plan for a subdivision or land development and every application for a zoning permit for a new principal building that will be served by a septic system shall designate the proposed primary and alternate septic system locations.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lot-averaging developments involving subdivision inside Highland Township.

  • A unified, coordinated development must be approved with one development plan; subsequent transfers must maintain compliance.
  • The rule applies after final subdivision approval and within an approved development agreement and phasing plan.

  “A lot averaging development shall be designed as a unified, coordinated residential development, and shall be approved with a single development plan proposed by a single development entity. After final subdivision approval and within an approved development agreement(s) and phasing plan, portions of the development may be transferred to different entities for construction, provided that compliance with the lot averaging development approval is maintained.”

Rules another office applies inside Highland Township

Highland Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in the Land Conservation (LC) District inside Highland Township.

  • Principal building width excludes unenclosed structures.

  minimum principal building width: >= 18 feet (Principal building width shall not include unenclosed structures.) · minimum principal building length: >= 18 feet

  “All dwellings shall have a minimum principal building width and length of eighteen (18) feet. Principal building width shall not include unenclosed structures.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the Land Conservation (LC) District inside Highland Township.

  • Lot-averaging development minimum is two acres; all other uses require three acres.
  • A specified child-transfer exception has a one-acre minimum and requires the parent lot to retain at least three acres.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (Lot Averaging Development.) · minimum lot area: >= 3 acres (All other uses.)

  “Minimum Lot Area. a. Lot Averaging Development: Two (2) acres. b. All Other Uses: Three (3) acres.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in the Land Conservation (LC) District inside Highland Township.

  • Side-yard setback differs for existing lots under three acres and all other lots.

  minimum front yard setback: >= 30 feet · minimum side yard setback: >= 15 feet (Existing lots less than three acres.) · minimum side yard setback: >= 30 feet (All other lots.) · minimum rear yard setback: >= 30 feet

  “1. Minimum Front Yard Setback: 30 feet. 2. Minimum Side Yard Setback. a. Existing Lots, less than three (3) acres in size: Fifteen (15) feet. b. All Other Lots: Thirty (30) feet. 3. Minimum Rear Yard Setback: Thirty (30) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the Land Conservation (LC) District inside Highland Township.

  • The cited maximum building-coverage limits apply both to existing lots less than three acres and all other lots.

  maximum building coverage: <= 20 percent (Existing lots less than three acres and all other lots.)

  “3. Maximum Building Coverage. a. Existing Lots, less than three (3) acres in size: Twenty percent (20%). b. All Other Lots: Twenty percent (20%).”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured/mobile-home parks in the Commercial-Mixed Dwelling Residential (C-MDR) District inside Highland Township.

  • The Township Supervisors may apply reasonable conditions, and the use is subject to Sections 1813, 1814, and Section 1502.B.7.

  “1. Manufactured/Mobilehome Park, in accordance with Section 1502.B.7.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units accessory to a permitted principal use in the Land Conservation (LC) District inside Highland Township.

  • Maximum two occupants, all relatives of permanent principal-dwelling residents.
  • At least one accessory-unit resident must need accommodation because of illness, old age, or disability.
  • An on-lot septic system must be re-certified if sewage flows increase.

  maximum occupants: <= 2 persons (Occupants must be relatives of permanent residents of the principal dwelling unit.)

  “The Accessory Dwelling Unit shall be occupied by a maximum of two (2) persons, who shall be relatives of the permanent residents of the principal dwelling unit. At least one (1) resident of the second dwelling unit shall need such accommodations because of an illness, old age, or disability.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Highland Township or Adams County directly.

• Building permit — Residential building work inside Highland Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing residences inside Highland Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Highland Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for residential construction inside Highland Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Highland Township.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.