Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Borough of Oakdale, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Zoning

Borough zoning ordinance applies to all land in Oakdale; districts R-1, R-2, B-1, B-2 and I-1¹⁵

Building permit

Required under the state Uniform Construction Code before work starts²

Who handles building and zoning

Borough's code and zoning official, United Code Consultants³

Septic

Allegheny County Health Department Sewage Enforcement Officers⁴

Minimum lot (R-1)

8,000 sq ft, 60 ft wide⁶

Maximum height

45 ft unless the zoning hearing board approves more⁷

Driveway on a state road

PennDOT highway occupancy permit⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Does Oakdale, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Borough of Oakdale enforces its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 375 of the borough code, and it applies to all land inside the borough¹. The borough has five districts: R-1 single-family residential, R-2 multiple-family residential, B-1 business, B-2 neighborhood commercial and I-1 industrial⁵.

In the R-1 district a lot needs at least 8,000 square feet and 60 feet of width; in R-2 the minimums are 6,000 square feet and 50 feet⁶. Side yards are at least 10 feet in R-1 and 8 feet in R-2, and the front yard generally has to match neighboring building lines, with 30 feet in R-1 or 25 feet in R-2 applying only where there are no nearby neighbors⁹. No structure may exceed 45 feet unless the zoning hearing board approves it⁷.

Do you need a building permit in Oakdale, and who issues it?

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction or building work starts². Inside Oakdale, the borough's own directory lists United Code Consultants as the building code and zoning official³. Zoning approval and building permits are separate steps, and both are local to the borough, not the Allegheny County government¹.

We could not confirm the borough's construction-code chapter or its building permit fees, so call the Oakdale Borough Office before you plan a budget¹⁰. Allegheny County itself only receives municipal permits for assessment and tells applicants to file in the municipality where the work happens¹¹.

Do you need an occupancy permit in Oakdale?

Oakdale requires an occupancy permit for dwellings and places of business, including at sale or transfer of ownership and on conversion to rental¹². Rental units need a new occupancy permit every three years, and an occupancy inspection by the code enforcement officer happens before a tenant moves in¹³. Separately, the state's building code requires a certificate of occupancy before a newly built or altered building can be used¹⁴.

How do septic permits work in Oakdale?

Permitting for on-lot sewage systems in Allegheny County is carried out by the Health Department's Sewage Enforcement Officers under Pennsylvania's Act 537⁴. A permit from the Department is needed before any construction of an on-lot system¹⁵. Pennsylvania also requires a permit before occupying or using a building served by an onlot system¹⁶.

We could not confirm whether any part of Oakdale relies on a septic system rather than public sewer, since the borough has its own sewer chapter. Ask the Allegheny County Health Department before assuming a parcel can host an on-lot system¹⁷. Where public sewer is available, Allegheny County rules can require connecting rather than using an on-lot system¹⁸.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Oakdale?

We could not confirm an answer. Oakdale's zoning use table lists trailer parks only in one district, but the borough's definitions and RV rules were not confirmed, so living in an RV or tiny home on a lot should be treated as unconfirmed until the borough says otherwise⁵. Ask the Oakdale Borough Office before parking an RV for occupancy¹⁰. State park campground stay limits do not answer this question for private land¹⁹.

Building a home in Oakdale: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the lot's district and dimensional rules with the borough's zoning ordinance and the Oakdale Borough Office⁵¹⁰.
2. Contact the borough's building code and zoning official about the construction permit and inspections³.
3. Get septic approval from the Allegheny County Health Department if the lot will not tie into public sewer¹⁵.
4. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply for a PennDOT highway occupancy permit⁸.
5. Check floodplain status; construction in a flood plain needs documentation prepared and sealed by a registered design professional²⁰.
6. Finish with required inspections and the certificate of occupancy²¹¹⁴.

What stays with Allegheny County, and what to check before you buy in Oakdale?

Allegheny County's Health Department handles septic permits, and the county's own planning division administers a subdivision ordinance only for municipalities without their own⁴²². Inside Oakdale, zoning is the borough's¹. For rules on land outside the borough, see the Allegheny County page.

Allegheny County's effective property tax rate is about 1.6%, with a median bill of $3,399 a year²³²⁴. Pennsylvania does not require a state contractor license for most construction, but municipalities may add their own²⁵.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Oakdale's construction-code chapter, permit fees, driveway rules or floodplain rules, so ask the borough office¹⁰.
• Zoning variances and special exceptions go through the borough's zoning hearing board⁷.
• Search results often mix Oakdale, PA with other places named Oakdale, so confirm the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania address on any page you rely on¹.

Sources

1. Chapter 375 Zoning, Article I General Provisions - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
3. United Code Consultants (Building Code & Zoning Official) (oakdaleborough.com)
4. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
5. Chapter 375 Zoning, Article II District Regulations - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
6. Chapter 375 Zoning, Article II District Regulations - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
7. Chapter 375 Zoning, Article II District Regulations - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
8. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Chapter 375 Zoning, Article II District Regulations - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
10. Oakdale Borough Office (oakdaleborough.com)
11. Allegheny County - Building Permits (2026 county census)
12. Chapter 222 Occupancy Permits - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
13. Chapter 222 Occupancy Permits - Borough of Oakdale, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Oakdale), quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
15. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
16. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program (alleghenycounty.us)
18. Article XIV Sewage Management, quoted and re-checked
19. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
21. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
22. Land Use Planning, quoted and re-checked
23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
25. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.