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

Washington Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, enlargement or relocation of any building or structure inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • Ordinance No. 1-1977 exempts repairs to existing buildings with no structural changes.
  • Permit is for construction under 1,000 sq. ft. through the township building permit officer and for 1,000 sq. ft. and over through Bureau Veritas.

  “it shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake or cause to be undertaken, the construction, reconstruction enlargement, or relocation of any building or structure unless an approved building permit or exemption certificate has been obtained from the municipal building permit officer.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction under 1,000 sq. ft. inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • Ordinance states the building permit officer or other authorized official may inspect; inspection is discretionary.
  • Ordinance says no inspection is required for areas outside the flood hazard area where an exemption certificate is issued.

  “during the construction period, the building permit officer or other authorized official may inspect the premises”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA) limits: the township does not adopt or administer a zoning ordinance

  • Official township statement that it has no zoning or planning commission; no township zoning districts or ordinance were found.
  • Other rules (state law, sewage, floodplain, building code) still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts in Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • Township has no zoning or planning commission, so no zoning district map is published.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Minimum dwelling size for homes inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA); no township district (single-family or agricultural)

  • No township zoning ordinance, so no township minimum size.
  • Building code requirements still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum lot size inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA); no township residential or agricultural district

  • No township zoning ordinance, so no township minimum lot size.
  • Sewage and subdivision rules were not verified and may still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• SetbacksNone

  Building setbacks inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA); no township district

  • No township zoning ordinance, so no township setbacks.
  • Sewage and floodplain setbacks were not verified and may still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lot coverage inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA); no township district

  • No township zoning ordinance, so no township lot coverage limit.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Building heightNone

  Building height inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA); no township district

  • No township zoning ordinance, so no township height limit.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • No township zoning, so no township land-use rule restricts RV occupancy.
  • Armstrong County land-use rules were not separately verified; septic, floodplain and building-code rules still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • No township zoning, so no township land-use rule restricts temporary camping.
  • Armstrong County land-use rules were not separately verified; sanitation and building rules still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny home occupancy on private land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • No township zoning, so no township land-use rule restricts tiny-home occupancy.
  • Building code, sewage and floodplain rules still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured home occupancy on private land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • No township zoning, so no township land-use rule restricts manufactured-home occupancy.
  • Ordinance No. 1-1977 treats mobile homes and trailers used for human habitation as buildings requiring a permit.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings on private land inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • No township zoning, so no township land-use rule restricts accessory dwellings.
  • Building permit and sewage rules still apply.

  “the township has no zoning or planning commission.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage (septic) systems in Washington township (Armstrong County, PA), handled through the township-listed sewage enforcement officer

  • Township lists a sewage enforcement officer on its official contact page; state sewage law and PA DEP rules may also apply.

  “sewage enforcement officer spurgeon shilling 151 farm path road new bethlehem, pa 16242 814-229-3955 (cell)”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Construction inside the flood hazard area (100-year flood frequency) in Washington township

  • Ordinance No. 1-1977: outside the flood hazard area no regulations apply and no inspection is required.
  • Construction in the flood hazard area requires a permit, and the township uses an exemption certificate for construction outside it.

  “in areas outside the flood hazard area no regulations shall apply and no inspection shall be required.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township building permit fee for construction over 200 sq. ft. but under 1,000 sq. ft. inside Washington township

  • Fee for 1,000 sq. ft. and above is set by the Armstrong County UCC Group / Bureau Veritas fee schedule, which is not published on the township page.
  • The township page does not state an effective date for the $25 fee.

  building permit fee (under 1,000 sq. ft.): 25 USD (construction over 200 sq. ft. but under 1,000 sq. ft.)

  “building permits for construction over 200 sq. feet but under 1,000 sq. feet cost $25 and are available through the township’s building permit officer, brenda nickel.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit application process inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA)

  • Under 1,000 sq. ft.: complete the township application and submit it to the building permit officer.
  • 1,000 sq. ft. and over: PA permit application and municipal approval form to Bureau Veritas in Kittanning; a third form may be required.

  “every permit application needs a pa permit application and a municipal approval form.”

Rules another office applies inside Washington Township

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New construction and renovation inside Washington township (Armstrong County, PA), administered jointly by the township under the Pennsylvania UCC

  • Township jointly administers the UCC with its own employees (under 1,000 sq. ft.) and a third-party agency (1,000 sq. ft. and over) through the Armstrong County UCC Group.

  “washington township jointly administers the ucc using their own employees (for construction under 1,000 sq. feet) and a third party agency (for construction 1,000 sq. feet and over) through participation in the armstrong county ucc group.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit or inspection in Washington township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new construction in Washington township
• Septic permit — On-lot septic permit in Washington township
• Septic inspection — On-lot septic inspection in Washington township
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation in Washington 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.