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

Buffalo Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

  • The official township ordinances page identifies Zoning Ordinance No. 135, updated August 29, 2022, and separately lists later amendments.

  “Zoning Ordinance #135 with Amendments Updated (August 29, 2022)”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Parcel zoning inside Buffalo Township.

  • The published 2026 township application identifies the selectable parcel-zoning categories; parcel-specific zoning must be confirmed on the official zoning map.

  “Parcel Zoning: ☐R-1 Single-Family Residential ☐R-2 General Residential ☐A-1 Agricultural ☐RA Rural Residential ☐Conservation ☐ CB-1 Business ☐ TND / PRD / TCD ☐B-1 Business ☐B-2 Central Business ☐ B-3 Business District ☐M-1 Light Manufacturing ☐M-2 Manufacturing ☐A-2 Access Overlay”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage matters inside Buffalo Township.

  • The Township publishes a Sewage Enforcement Officer; the opened page does not state the officer's permit or inspection rules.

  “Sewage Enforcement Officer Spurgeon Shilling 151 Farm Path Road New Bethlehem, PA 16242”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural lease subdivision inside Buffalo Township.

  • The exemption applies only to subdivision by lease for agricultural purposes into parcels over 10 acres, with no new street or access easement and no residential dwelling.

  agricultural lease parcel size: > 10 acres (No new street or easement of access and no residential dwelling may be involved.)

  “the subdivision by lease of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than ten (10) acres, not involving any new street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be exempted.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Accessory buildings, including farm buildings, subordinate to an existing principal building in Buffalo Township, for SALDO land-development classification.

  • This is an exclusion from the SALDO definition of land development; it does not establish an exemption from zoning, UCC, or other permit requirements.

  “In accordance with Section 503(1.1) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended, the following activities shall be excluded from the definition of land development: [...] The addition of an accessory building, including farm buildings, on a lot or lots subordinate to an existing principal building.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development of land inside Buffalo Township.

  • No subdivision, land development, associated street, sewer, storm sewer, water main, or other improvement may proceed before approval of plats under Ordinance No. 136.
  • The ordinance may be modified for undue hardship arising from peculiar land conditions when not contrary to the public interest.
  • Agricultural lease subdivision into parcels over 10 acres is exempt only when it involves no new street or access easement and no residential dwelling.

  ordinance effective date: 2018-09-12

  “No subdivision or land development of any lot, tract, or parcel of land shall be made; no street, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water main or other improvements in connection therewith shall be laid out, constructed, opened or dedicated for public use or travel, or for the common use of occupants of buildings abutting thereon, except after approval of plats in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Buffalo Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Buffalo Township.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Buffalo Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Buffalo Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts in Buffalo 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.