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

Oley Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  New one- and two-family dwellings inside Oley township limits: the township-adopted residential code.

  • Adopts the International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings, 2003 edition, with the township revisions in section 5-102, under section 5-101 of Chapter 5.
  • The Chapter 5 table of contents also lists adoption of the Uniform Construction Code (sections 5-1101 to 5-1105) and a 2015 International Property Maintenance Code; this record does not verify the UCC provisions, which were not opened.
  • The ordinance cited for section 5-101 is Ord. 311, dated 6/14/2004 as stated in the source.

  “is hereby adopted as the residential code for one and two family dwellings of oley township in berks county, pennsylvania, for the control of buildings and structures as herein provided”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Oley township limits. The township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 27 Zoning of the Oley Township Code.

  • Zoning is district-based; Part 4 (AP Agricultural Preservation), Part 5 (RU Rural), Part 6 (RA Residential) and Part 7 (RMH Residential-Mobile Home) are the districts named in the chapter table of contents.
  • Chapter 27 is the ordinance cited on the township ordinances index as Zoning; the ordinances index also lists Chapter 28 Historic District.

  “the ap-agricultural preservation district is designed to protect and promote agriculture as a major component of the economy of the township and of berks county.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts of Oley township inside Oley township limits, as set out in Chapter 27.

  • The chapter table of contents lists Part 4 AP Agricultural Preservation, Part 5 RU Rural, Part 6 RA Residential, Part 7 RMH Residential-Mobile Home and further parts through Part 11; a zoning map is listed on the ordinances index.
  • District-by-district use rules for Parts 6 through 11 were not opened.

  “part 4 ap – agricultural preservation district §27-401. ap – agricultural preservation district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling lots in the RU Rural district (Chapter 27, Part 5) inside Oley township limits.

  • Section 27-503 sets the single-family detached minimum at 66,000 sq ft and minimum lot width at 150 feet; the lot width figure is not part of this claim.
  • Cross-check: the RU lot area is 66,000 sq ft in section 27-503 as read; the RU district's other uses are not recorded here.

  minimum lot area, single-family detached dwelling: >= 66000 sq ft (other uses in RU not recorded)

  “minimum lot area. single-family detached dwelling - 66,000 sq. ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal buildings in the AP Agricultural Preservation district (Chapter 27, Part 4) inside Oley township limits.

  • Front yard is measured from the street right-of-way line.
  • Parking area setbacks differ (front: no closer than the ultimate right-of-way under chapter 22; side 25 ft; rear 50 ft).
  • Non-agricultural uses may carry additional requirements; the RU district yard setbacks were not extracted and are not recorded here.

  front yard minimum: >= 50 ft (measured from street right-of-way line) · side and rear yard minimum: >= 25 ft (none stated)

  “front yard. a minimum of fifty (50) feet from street right-of-way line. (4) side and rear yards. a minimum of twenty five (25) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the RU Rural district (Chapter 27, Part 5, section 27-503) inside Oley township limits.

  • The excerpt limits building coverage to 15 percent of the lot.
  • The companion paved-area limit in section 27-503.b.(2) begins with 'five (5' in the text as extracted and was not confirmed in full; it is not recorded as a value here.

  maximum building coverage of lot: <= 15 percent (paved-area limit not confirmed)

  “maximum area of a lot which may be occupied by buildings and structures fifteen (15) percent.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Non-agricultural buildings and structures in the AP Agricultural Preservation district (Chapter 27, Part 4) inside Oley township limits.

  • Agricultural buildings and structures have no height limit under the same section.
  • RU district height was not extracted and is not recorded here.

  maximum height, nonagricultural building: <= 35 ft (agricultural buildings and structures: no limitation)

  “maximum of thirty-five (35) feet for nonagricultural buildings or structures.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Onlot sewage systems on land inside Oley township limits: the township sewage enforcement officer issues and reviews permits.

  • The Chapter 18 definition makes the sewage enforcement officer the official for Oley township under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act; state (PA DEP) standards are referenced in the township's own rules but are not separately recorded here.
  • The Chapter 18 onlot permit text (section 18-402) requires a township permit before any onlot system is installed or a building it serves is occupied or used.

  “the official having jurisdiction within the township of oley to issue and review permit applications and conduct such investigations and inspections as are necessary to implement the pennsylvania sewage facilities act.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installing an individual or community onlot sewage system inside Oley township limits.

  • Permit is issued by the township sewage enforcement officer, per Chapter 18 section 18-402; the permit must be obtained before the system is installed and before a building it serves is occupied or used.
  • Application procedure, fees and any state (PA DEP) permit steps are not recorded in this claim; section 18-402 continues with a carbonate-geology determination and percolation/test-pit requirements that were not fully extracted.

  “no person may install or construct an individual or community onlot sewage system or install, construction, occupy or use a building to be served by that system without first obtaining a permit from the township.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Holding tanks used for sewage on improved property inside Oley township limits. Inspection rules for conventional onlot systems were not established.

  • The quoted annual inspection applies to holding tanks; section 18-308 also requires the owner to permit inspection by the governing body or its agent and to provide pumping receipts.
  • Conventional onlot system inspection requirements were not opened and are not stated by this claim.

  “permit only the governing body or its agent to inspect the holding tank on an annual basis.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Oley township limits, including AP district tracts.

  • Subdivision and land development are regulated by the township subdivision and land development ordinance (Chapter 22), which Chapter 27 cross-references.
  • In the AP district, subdivision is permitted only in listed cases (including a lot for a dwelling unit under section 27-405 and farm tracts of at least 75 acres).

  “subdivision of land shall be permitted only: (1) when necessary to permit the location of a lot for a dwelling unit pursuant to §27-405 of this chapter.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new construction inside Oley township limits
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Oley township limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Oley township limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Oley township limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Oley township limits

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.