Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Pitcairn, Pennsylvania

Borough of Pitcairn’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of any premises in Pitcairn borough upon change in occupancy, ownership, occupants, tenants or use

  • Application to building code official with fee set by resolution
  • Premises inspected and must be livable and habitable before permit issues

  “no entity(ies) or person(s) shall be permitted to occupy any premises(s) until the issuance of an occupancy permit following submission of all data reasonably requested by the building code official.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Pitcairn borough, Allegheny County; borough zoning ordinance (Chapter 27) administered by a zoning officer

  • Compliance permit from the zoning officer required before erecting, altering, moving or converting structures or changing land use

  “to determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter, no person shall erect, alter, move or convert any structure or building, or part thereof, nor alter the use of any land, subsequent to the adoption of this chapter, until a compliance permit has been issued by the zoning officer.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in the R-1 Residential District, Pitcairn borough

  • R-2 district single-family minimum is also 4,000 sq ft with 25 ft width
  • §27-603 existing lots of record provisions not reviewed

  minimum lot area: >= 4000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 40 ft

  “r-1 residential district minimum lot area (sq. ft.) width (feet) front (feet) side (feet) rear (feet) single-family dwelling 4,000 40 20 25 percent of frontage 5 ft. min. 20”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwelling in the R-1 Residential District, Pitcairn borough

  • Table columns read front, side, rear; side yard is 25 percent of frontage with a 5 ft minimum

  front yard: >= 20 ft · side yard: 25 percent of frontage, 5 ft minimum · rear yard: >= 20 ft

  “r-1 residential district minimum lot area (sq. ft.) width (feet) front (feet) side (feet) rear (feet) single-family dwelling 4,000 40 20 25 percent of frontage 5 ft. min. 20”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Residential District, Pitcairn borough

  • Maximum dwelling unit density 4 units per acre

  maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent

  “maximum lot coverage = 60 percent maximum dwelling unit density 4 unit per acre maximum height = 25 feet (2 stories)”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Residential District, Pitcairn borough

  • R-2 district maximum is 40 feet (3 stories)

  maximum height: <= 25 ft (2 stories)

  “maximum lot coverage = 60 percent maximum dwelling unit density 4 unit per acre maximum height = 25 feet (2 stories)”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Pitcairn borough

  • Mobile home parks must be at least 3 acres, sites at least 1,500 sq ft, 35 ft from adjacent property, 10 percent of gross area for recreation
  • Borough Ord. 1024 amended zoning for industrialized and manufactured homes; its text was not opened

  “§27-802. 1. mobile homes and mobile home parks. mobile homes shall be permitted only in approved trailer parks.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Property in Pitcairn borough abutting a street or alley with a public sewer

  • Connection under written permit from code enforcement officer, per Allegheny County plumbing code
  • If owner fails to connect within 45 days after notice, borough connects and collects cost

  time to connect after notice: <= 45 days

  “in case any owner of any property as provided in §18-201 of this part fails to connect with said sewer as aforesaid within 45 days after notice of this part requiring them to make said connection, then the borough shall make the connection and collect the cost thereof from the owner as provided by law.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Occupancy permit fees in Pitcairn borough

  • Fee amount set by borough resolution, not in the code text opened

  “the application for the permit shall be accompanied a fee as set forth by resolution”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Pitcairn or Allegheny County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Pitcairn borough
• Building code adopted — Building code in Pitcairn borough
• Inspections — Building inspections in Pitcairn borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Pitcairn borough
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy in Pitcairn borough

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.