Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Beaver Falls’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Beaver Falls city; city enforces the PA Uniform Construction Code and the International Property Maintenance Code

  • City page lists 2018 I-Codes; the state UCC edition may since have been updated, so confirm the current edition with the city.

  “minimum standards of the pennsylvania uniform construction code for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the environment are enforced along with the international property maintenance code.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Beaver Falls city, Beaver County, PA

  • Enacted under Article VI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code; the ordinance text is dated November 2017.

  “a. this ordinance shall be known as the "beaver falls city zoning ordinance".”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1B Residential District (medium density single family), Beaver Falls city

  • Duplex 8,500 sq ft; place of assembly/worship etc. 8,500 sq ft.
  • Section 1614 gives alternative standards for existing single-family dwellings on lots of record.
  • R-1A (7,000 sq ft), R-2 (6,000 sq ft) and CON (15,000 sq ft) districts have different standards; R-1B chosen as main medium-density single-family district.

  minimum lot area, single-family: 6000 square feet (see Section 1614 for lots of record)

  “minimum lot area 6,000 square feet 8,500 square feet for duplex 10,000 square feet for first three units in multiple family dwelling plus 1,500 square feet per each unit thereafter 8,500 square feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1B Residential District, Beaver Falls city

  • Duplex side yard 20 ft, rear 30 ft; other uses side/rear 30 ft.
  • See Section 1614 for alternative standards for existing single-family dwellings on lots of record.

  minimum front yard: 20 feet · minimum side yard: 12 feet · minimum rear yard: 20 feet · minimum lot width: 40 feet

  “minimum lot width 40 feet 40 feet 40 feet minimum front yard 20 feet 20 feet 20 feet minimum side yard 12 feet 20 feet 30 feet minimum rear yard 20 feet 30 feet 30 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the R-1B Residential District, Beaver Falls city

  • Duplex 70 percent; other uses 70 percent.
  • See Section 1614 for existing single-family dwellings on lots of record.

  maximum coverage, single-family: <= 80 percent

  “maximum height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet maximum coverage 80 percent 70 percent 70 percent”

• Building heightSpecified

  All principal uses in the R-1B Residential District, Beaver Falls city

  • Same 35 ft limit for single-family, duplex and other listed uses in R-1B; other districts differ (e.g., 50 ft in a commercial district).

  maximum height: <= 35 feet

  “maximum height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet maximum coverage 80 percent 70 percent 70 percent”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Recreational vehicles and recreational equipment parked or stored inside Beaver Falls city

  • Applies to travel trailers, pickup coaches, motorized homes, tent trailers, boats and boat trailers and the like.
  • Section 1613 also sets other parking and storage requirements not fully reviewed.

  “b. occupancy: no such equipment shall be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Beaver Falls city

  • City page lists a subdivision/land development application; the subdivision ordinance text was not opened.

  “the department also administers subdivision, land development, and zoning ordinances in addition to administering all applications pertaining to land development and zoning.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit applications inside Beaver Falls city, handled by the Department of Code Enforcement

  • City page links UCC building, zoning permit, zoning hearing, demolition, curb cut, subdivision/land development and other application forms; forms themselves not opened.

  “department personnel is available to answer your questions and to provide assistance to residents and other applicants seeking permit information.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Beaver Falls or Beaver County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Beaver Falls city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Beaver Falls city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Beaver Falls city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Beaver Falls city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Beaver Falls city

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.