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

Clearfield Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, relocation, enlargement, alteration, or demolition of residential dwellings and commercial buildings inside Clearfield Township.

  • The Township FAQ separately identifies buildings and describes a building as including a mobile home or trailer when it has utility service and public or private water and sewerage service.

  “A permit is required whenever an owner or agent intends to construct, move, re-locate, enlarge, alter, or demolish any residential dwelling. This includes Commercial buildings.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Work inside Clearfield Township that triggers PA UCC inspection requirements.

  • The cited trigger concerns any change of trusses when replacing shingles; the FAQ also lists particular projects for which a UCC permit is required.

  “No, but any change of trusses requires UCC inspections.”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Clearfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

  • The Township states that it follows a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

  “No, but there is a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance we follow.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Township zoning districts inside Clearfield Township.

  • The Township reports that it follows a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, which is not a zoning-district schedule.

  “No, but there is a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance we follow.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings and structures inside Clearfield Township.

  • The Township says fences do not have required setbacks, while recommending a two-foot separation from the property line for maintenance.

  property-line setback: 20 feet (All buildings or structures.) · right-of-way setback: 40 feet (All buildings or structures; applies to all rights of way and road rights of way.)

  “All buildings or structures are required to be 20’ from all property lines and 40’ from all Right of Ways and Road Right of Ways.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Sewage-system questions and applications for land inside Clearfield Township.

  • The Township directs applicants to call the Township Office for a sewage application and provides its Sewage Enforcement Officer contact.

  “To obtain a sewage application, call the Township Office at 724-283-7701. For questions regarding sewage, call Sewage Enforcement Officer: Patrick West: 724-996-4753”

• Septic permitRequired

  New sewage testing and repairs to existing sewage systems inside Clearfield Township.

  • The Township's stated trigger is all new testing and repairs to existing systems.

  “Sewage applications are required for all new testing and repairs to existing systems.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Clearfield Township.

  • The source does not provide the substantive ordinance text or application standards.

  “No, but there is a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance we follow.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Construction, development, or location of a driveway providing access to a public street inside Clearfield Township.

  • The FAQ defines driveway as a vehicular access route serving one parcel or lot and providing access to a public street, including roadside parking areas.

  “Any person desiring to construct, develop or locate a driveway shall first obtain a permit from the Township.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township building, UCC, occupancy, driveway, sewage, and listed permit applications inside Clearfield Township.

  • Additional UCC fees apply to listed UCC permits; the driveway application fee is non-refundable and expires in one year; other sewage rates are per the SEO schedule.

  residential house/modular/mobile UCC building permit: 100 USD (Additional UCC fee may apply.) · residential occupancy permit: per 100 USD (Per application.) · driveway permit: per 85 USD (Per application.) · single-family-residence sewage permit: 1035 USD (Other rates are per SEO schedule.)

  “Driveway Permit $85.00 - per application (Application fee is non-refundable and expires 1 year) Sewage Permits $1,035.00 Single Family Residence Other rates as per SEO schedule”

• Permit processPartial

  Sewage-permit application process inside Clearfield Township.

  • The source only provides a telephone contact for obtaining the application; it does not state the complete application, review, or approval process.

  “To obtain a sewage application, call the Township Office at 724-283-7701.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Clearfield Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for land inside Clearfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Clearfield Township.
• Septic inspection — Sewage-system inspections inside Clearfield Township.
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation systems inside Clearfield 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.