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

Ontelaunee Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Ontelaunee township limits: the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code is adopted as the township building code.

  • Section 103 says administration and enforcement may be done by a township employee, a contracted construction code official or third-party agency, an intermunicipal agreement, or an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures other than one-family or two-family dwelling units, as determined by township resolution.
  • Section 102 adopts the code as amended from time to time; this is the township's own adoption (ord. 2004-5, 7/1/2004).

  “the uniform construction code, contained in 34 pa.code, chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of ontelaunee township.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Ontelaunee township limits: the township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 27 Zoning) and zoning map.

  • Zoning ordinance PDF carries revision stamps (e.g., 10/13/2016) that are not treated as effective dates.
  • Ordinances index lists Chapter 27 Zoning and a zoning map and states the ordinances are updated through December 31, 2025; the current codified text was not opened and later amendments (2024-2025 minutes) were not verified.

  “click on the link below to view the zoning ordinance: chapter 27 zoning 1641”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Ontelaunee township under Chapter 27 Zoning

  • Classes of districts: R Rural, A-1, A-2, A-3 Agricultural, R-1 Low Density Residential, R-2 Medium Density Residential, C General Commercial, HC Highway Commercial, IC and IC-2 Industrial Commercial, LI Light Industrial, GI General Industrial; the official zoning map is referenced in Article III.
  • Overlay and village/hamlet standards also apply (conservation subdivision overlay district, section 425 hamlets and villages).

  “for the purpose of this ordinance, the municipality is hereby divided into classes of districts which shall be designated as follows:”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 Low Density Residential district in Ontelaunee township: single-family detached dwelling without both public or community sewage disposal and water supply (section 405.5 table)

  • Column pairing is taken from the table order in the PDF text; confirm against the printed table.
  • Section 405.5 also lists a separate column for single-family detached dwellings with both public or community sewage disposal and water supply, with lot size 20,000 sq. ft.
  • Section 405.4 allows some uses by conditional use approval.

  minimum lot size: 1 acre (single family detached dwelling without both public or community sewage disposal and water supply)

  “lot size 1 acre 20,000 sq. ft. 1 acre lot width at street line 100 feet 75 feet 150 feet”

  2 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-1 Low Density Residential district in Ontelaunee township: single-family detached dwelling with both public or community sewage disposal and water supply (section 405.5 table)

    “lot size 1 acre 20,000 sq. ft. 1 acre lot width at street line 100 feet 75 feet 150 feet”

  • Specified — A-1 Agricultural district in Ontelaunee township, agricultural uses and other buildings (Chapter 27 Article IV, Section 402 table)

    “minimum requirements lot size 1 acre lot width at street line at building setback line 100 feet 150 feet front yard 50 feet each side yard 20 feet rear yard 50 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  A-1 Agricultural district in Ontelaunee township, agricultural uses and other buildings (Chapter 27 Article IV, Section 402 table)

  • Table gives yard values for agricultural uses and all other buildings together; confirm the column split against the printed table.
  • Agricultural-use outbuildings other than a dwelling must be at least 75 feet from any property line under the A-1 use standards.

  front yard: 50 feet (A-1 agricultural district) · side yard (each): 20 feet (A-1 agricultural district) · rear yard: 50 feet (A-1 agricultural district)

  “minimum requirements lot size 1 acre lot width at street line at building setback line 100 feet 150 feet front yard 50 feet each side yard 20 feet rear yard 50 feet”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Low Density Residential district in Ontelaunee township (section 405.5 table, single-family detached dwelling without both public or community sewage disposal and water supply column)

  • Building coverage shown in the first column is 15 percent; the impervious-surface limit is in a separate table row not quoted here and was not confirmed.
  • For the with-both-utilities single-family column building coverage is 25 percent.

  maximum building coverage: 15 percent (single family detached dwelling without both public or community sewage disposal and water supply)

  “maximum permitted building height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet lot area covered by buildings 15 percent 25 percent 20 percent”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 Low Density Residential district in Ontelaunee township (section 405.5 table)

  • The table lists 35 feet as the maximum permitted building height for the R-1 columns shown; confirm the column split against the printed table.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (R-1 district, single family detached dwelling column)

  “maximum permitted building height 35 feet 35 feet 35 feet lot area covered by buildings 15 percent 25 percent 20 percent”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Code enforcement and building permit fees charged by Ontelaunee township

  • Fees are set by township resolution from time to time, not in the code text; the current resolution fee schedule was not located.
  • Property maintenance fees follow a fee schedule adopted by the township by resolution.

  fee basis: set by resolution (amounts not published in opened material)

  “fees assessable by ontelaunee township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this ordinance and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning and building permit applications for land inside Ontelaunee township limits

  • Process is partially published: the page gives submission steps and the permit form, but not review timelines, the zoning officer's approval steps, or inspection steps.
  • Appointments are required with the zoning officer and code enforcement officer; the page states no regular office hours are held for applications.

  “appointments will be made to meet with him no regular office hours will be held at this time for applications”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits or inspections in Ontelaunee township
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Ontelaunee township limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new buildings inside Ontelaunee township limits
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Ontelaunee township
• Living in an RV — Occupancy of RVs or travel trailers on private land in Ontelaunee 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.