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

Center Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Residential structures within Center Township.

  • The zoning chapter separately identifies listed minor residential work for which permits are not required.

  “Permits shall be required to construct, enlarge, alter, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a structure.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated inside Center Township.

  • The incorporated UCC is amended from time to time.

  “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 this Township.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted structures, renovations, additions, and changes of occupancy in Center Township.

  • All required inspections must be completed before a certificate of occupancy issues.

  “No such Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued until all inspections as required by this Article have been completed, and all associated fees have been paid to the Township.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any structure, renovation, addition, or change of occupancy in Center Township.

  • Required inspections must be completed and associated fees paid before issuance.

  “No structure, renovation to a structure, addition to a structure and/or change of occupancy to any part of a structure, whether residential, commercial or industrial shall be occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the Building Code Official designated by the Township Supervisors in accordance with this Article.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Center Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

  • Uses and structures must comply with the zoning district in which the land is located.

  “No building structure or land shall hereinafter be used or occupied, and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereinafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered unless in conformity with all of the regulations specified in this Chapter for the district in which it is located, or unless a variance has been properly granted.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land in Center Township.

  • The official zoning map and Chapter 20 determine the applicable district for a parcel.

  “Article V “R-1A” Low Density residential District Article VI “R-1” Single Family Residential District Article VII “R-2” Multi-Family Residential District Article VIII “R-3” High Density Residential District”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  New construction using a septic tank system in Center Township.

  • The Township zoning regulations may establish a different minimum; existing lots smaller than one-half acre may be used only if the system will function sanitarily and not create a health nuisance or endanger domestic water supply.

  minimum lot size: >= 0.5 acre (Unless other minimums are established by Township zoning regulations.)

  “New construction must be on a minimum one-half (1/2) acre lot to use a septic tank system unless other minimums are established by the Township's Zoning regulations.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential accessory structures in Center Township.

  • Front-yard placement is allowed only for a parcel of at least three-fourths acre; inground pools must meet the principal-structure setbacks for their district.

  side-yard setback: >= 10 feet (Residential unattached accessory structures.) · rear-yard setback: >= 10 feet (Residential unattached accessory structures.)

  “Side yard - not less than ten (10) feet from property line. Rear yard - not less than ten (10) feet from property line.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Accessory structures and agricultural outbuildings in Center Township; commercial and industrial zoning districts have a separate maximum.

  • Farm outbuildings must be on existing working farms and not intended for human habitation; listed structures may exceed district limits by up to 15 feet under §20-404(A).

  residential accessory-structure height: <= 20 feet · farm outbuilding height: <= 35 feet (Existing working farms; not intended for human habitation.) · C and M district height: <= 35 feet (Conforming structures in C and M zoning districts.)

  “Conforming structures in C and M Zoning Districts shall be a maximum of thirty-five (35) feet in height.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage systems in Center Township.

  • The Township Sewage Enforcement Officer is state licensed and appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

  “SEWAGE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: The person or persons licensed by the State and appointed by the Board of Supervisors to inspect and approve the installation of permitted on-lot sewage systems.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of an on-lot sewage system in Center Township.

  • Applicant must complete state-approved soil tests and receive the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer's permit; a public-sewer restriction applies when a sewer is within 150 feet and the area sewer authority approves connection.

  public sewer distance: <= 150 feet (Where the area sewer authority approves connection to the sewer line.)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to install or cause to be installed an on-lot sewage system on any piece or parcel of ground under his/her ownership, care or control unless said person has previously applied for an on-lot sewage system permit, completed state-approved soil tests, and received a permit to install an approved system from the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Absorption ditches and septic tanks constructed for on-lot systems in Center Township.

  • The system components must remain open until approved; inspection begins within 72 hours after notification.

  inspection commencement: <= 72 hours after notification

  “All absorption ditches and septic tanks shall be left open until passed upon and approved by the Board of Supervisors or its authorized representative. The inspection shall commence within seventy-two (72) hours after notification.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Gray-water and black-water disposal from land not connected to public sewage in Center Township.

  • The system must be a state-approved and permitted on-lot sewage system; public-sewer availability may prohibit an on-lot system.

  “Both black water and gray water must be discharged into an on-lot sewage system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Proposed on-lot sewage systems serving land in Center Township.

  • An on-lot system is prohibited if public sewer is within 150 feet and the area sewer authority approves connection.

  public sewer distance: <= 150 feet (Area sewer authority approves connection to the sewer line.)

  “It shall be unlawful to construct an on-lot sewage system where a public sewer line is within one hundred and fifty feet (150') of the residence, mobile home, building, plant or occupied piece of land and the area sewer authority approves connection to the sewer line.”

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

  Specified small detached residential sheds, greenhouses, and woodsheds in Center Township.

  • Structure must be less than 100 square feet in floor area; separate zoning compliance remains required. Floodplain structures require a permit regardless of size.

  floor area: < 100 square feet (Residential detached sheds, greenhouses, and woodsheds.)

  “Permits shall not be required for residential detached; yard and garden equipment sheds, greenhouses, woodsheds; providing that the structures are less than one hundred (100) square feet in floor area.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land development proposing multifamily residential or nonresidential structures in Center Township.

  • The development must meet applicable Chapter 20 standards and Chapter 14 application and review requirements.

  “Any developer of land proposing to construct a multi-family residential structure, or structures, or any nonresidential structure or structures, shall be required to meet all applicable standards of this Chapter [...] as well as those application and review requirements established in Chapter 14, Subdivision and Land Development regulations, as may be amended from time to time.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways constructed in Center Township.

  • The zoning/building-permit provision also contains exemptions and other listed conditions not reproduced here.

  “Permits shall be required to construct fences, above and inground pools, signs, accessory buildings more than one hundred (100) square feet in size, driveways, decks, retaining walls over four (4) feet in height.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Buildings and structures within an identified floodplain in Center Township.

  • Requirement applies regardless of structure size.

  “However, if located within an identified floodplain, all buildings and structures shall require a permit, regardless of size.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Township permits, services, certificates, and inspections authorized by Chapter 2.

  • Fees may be adopted, changed, altered, or amended by Board resolution; no current fee schedule was established by the opened material.

  “The Township Supervisors may, from time to time, by resolution adopt, change, alter, or amend fees for any permits, services, certificates, or inspections authorized by this Article.”

Rules another office applies inside Center Township

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

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  The R-1A Low Density Residential District in Center Township.

  • Subject to all applicable district and Township requirements.

  “§20-502. Principal Permitted Uses A. Single family detached dwelling used as a residence by not more than one (1) family. B. Manufactured homes.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Center Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings in Center Township.
• Lot coverage — Lots in Center Township.
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land in Center Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Center 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.