Bolthole Index

Butler County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clinton Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Clinton Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance, so zoning approval comes from the township, not the county1. The township adopted Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code as its building code2. Septic permits come from a Sewage Enforcement Officer appointed by the township's supervisors34.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Clinton Township adopted its own zoning ordinance1
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the township2
Building permits
Call the township office to confirm the permits your project needs5
Septic permits
Township Sewage Enforcement Officer34
Front/side/rear yard (R-1 single-family)
At least 75 ft / 25 ft / 50 ft6
Max building height (R-1 and AC homes)
35 ft78
RV or tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the Zoning Officer5

Who to call

Zoning

Clinton Township Municipal Office (Manager / Zoning Officer)

Zoning approval, building permit applications and the township's permit forms

724-352-9000

711 Saxonburg Blvd. Saxonburg, PA 16056

Septic permits

Clinton Township Sewage Enforcement Officer

Septic testing, design review, permits and final inspection inside the township

724-352-9000

711 Saxonburg Blvd. Saxonburg, PA 16056

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Clinton Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Clinton Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for setbacks?

Yes. Clinton Township adopted its own zoning ordinance, and the whole township is divided into districts19. Butler County does not zone for its municipalities; the township does10. Zoning permits for permitted uses are issued by the township's Zoning Officer after the listed standards are applied9.

Standards depend on the district. For a single-family home in the R-1 Rural Residential District, the minimum front yard is 75 feet, the minimum side yard 25 feet and the minimum rear yard 50 feet6. Maximum height is 35 feet and maximum coverage is 15%711. In the AC Agricultural Conservation District, a single-family detached home has the same 75, 25 and 50 foot yards, a 35 foot height limit and 15% coverage12813.

We could not confirm a minimum dwelling size, accessory dwelling rules, or rules for tiny homes in the township's zoning material; ask the Zoning Officer at the Clinton Township office5.

Do you need a building permit in Clinton Township, and who issues it?

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code applies to buildings statewide, and Clinton Township adopted it as its municipal building code142. A new home needs a building permit under that code15. The township says to call its office to verify you have all the correct building permits for your project5.

The township sets its building-code fees by resolution16, and chooses how the code is administered and enforced17. The township's permit page lists guidelines from a third-party inspector, so the person who reviews your plans may not be a township employee5. We could not confirm the township's general residential permit trigger, certificate-of-occupancy rule or owner-builder rule; the Zoning Officer can answer these.

Building permits and zoning approval are separate steps. Butler County's own municipality table shows that zoning varies by municipality rather than being set countywide18.

How do septic permits work in Clinton Township, PA?

Pennsylvania requires a permit for any building served by an individual or community on-lot sewage system19. Inside Clinton Township, the permit comes from the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer, who is appointed by the Board of Supervisors34. Septic permits are not handled by Butler County for the township20.

The township's instructions have you meet the Sewage Enforcement Officer for testing, call Pennsylvania One Call before any digging, and hire an excavator at your own cost. The officer issues the septic permit, and you need that permit to obtain a building permit4.

Soils matter here. Only about 1.1% of the soils in Butler County rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system21. We could not confirm a private-well permit rule for the township.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Clinton Township?

We could not confirm a long-term RV or tiny-home occupancy rule for Clinton Township. The zoning ordinance is the township's, so the answer for your parcel depends on its district; ask the Zoning Officer before you buy15. Pennsylvania's rules for RVs in state park campgrounds do not answer the question for private land22.

If you plan to rent a dwelling short-term, Clinton Township requires a zoning permit renewed every year, with an inspection by the township's Code Enforcement Officer23.

Building a home in Clinton Township: the steps, in order

  • Call the township office and ask the Zoning Officer which district your parcel is in and which permits apply5.
  • Meet the Sewage Enforcement Officer for testing and get a septic permit, which you need before the building permit4.
  • Apply for the zoning certificate and building permit with the township, following its permit guidelines5.
  • If your driveway meets a state road, add a PennDOT highway occupancy permit24.
  • If you are splitting a lot, expect Butler County subdivision review25.
  • Schedule inspections as construction proceeds, and get a certificate of occupancy before moving in26.

What stays with Butler County, and what to check before you buy

Butler County's planning office reviews subdivisions and land development under the county ordinance, but it does not run zoning, building permits or septic for the township2510. Land outside Clinton Township follows different rules; see the Butler County page.

Before you buy, check the floodplain status of the parcel, because development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a permit27. Also check the zoning map on the township website and the cost side. Butler County's effective property tax rate is 1.1%, with a median bill of $2,950 per year2829.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Clinton Township's rules for private wells, driveways onto township roads, floodplain permits or agricultural buildings; ask the township office before you buy5.
  • Do not assume Butler County rules apply here: the township, not the county, zones and runs septic permits for land inside Clinton Township13.
  • Pennsylvania exempts some agricultural buildings from the Uniform Construction Code, but a dwelling is not covered by that exemption30.

Sources

  1. Chapter 185: Zoning - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 65: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 101: Sewers and Sewage Disposal - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Clinton Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (myclintontwp.net)
  5. Clinton Township Municipal Office (Manager / Zoning Officer) (myclintontwp.net)
  6. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Butler County Planning Commission (2026 county census)
  11. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article II: Establishment of Zoning Districts - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 65: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 65: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Clinton, PA (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. 2017 Awarded Comprehensive Plan, quoted and re-checked
  19. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. PA DEP - On-lot Disposal System (Act 537) (2026 county census)
  21. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  22. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Township of Clinton, PA Conditional Uses (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Municipal Ordinances, quoted and re-checked
  26. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Clinton Township

Clinton Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Clinton Township.

    • The adopted standards are the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this municipality.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    A dwelling unit used as a short-term rental, bed-and-breakfast, or Airbnb inside Clinton Township.

    • The zoning permit must be applied for or renewed.

    inspection frequency: per 1 year (Short-term rental dwelling unit)

    “A zoning permit is required and must be renewed annually by the property owner. The Township's Code Enforcement Officer will inspect the property when a zoning permit is applied for or renewed.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Clinton Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

    • Chapter 185 was adopted by the Township Board of Supervisors and has amendments noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Clinton 11-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-01. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    All land inside Clinton Township.

    • For each district, the ordinance establishes tables of permitted and conditional uses.
    • Zoning certificates or permits for permitted uses are issued by the Zoning Officer after applying the listed standards.
    “Pursuant to § 185-8 of this chapter, the whole of Clinton Township is hereby divided into the following classes of districts with the designations and general purpose outlined within the specific tables for each district within this article.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Septic-tank installation inside Clinton Township.

    • The Sewage Enforcement Officer is appointed by the Township Board of Supervisors.
    “The person or persons duly appointed by the Board of Supervisors to inspect and approve septic tank installation.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    A holding tank at an oil and gas extraction site within Clinton Township.

    • The permit is issued by the Sewage Enforcement Officer under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.
    • parameters are limited to temporary holding tanks at oil and gas extraction sites.
    “It shall be unlawful for any individual, firm, association, corporation or other entity to install any holding tank of any kind at an oil and gas extraction site within the limits of Clinton Township, without first obtaining a permit issued by the Sewage Enforcement Officer under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Temporary holding tanks for sewage at oil and gas extraction sites in Clinton Township.

    • A permit is required before installation; the permit is issued under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.
    “The purpose of this article is to provide for the use, maintenance and regulation of temporary holding tanks for sewage at oil and gas extraction sites so as to protect the residents and inhabitants of Clinton Township from danger of a public health hazard or an otherwise unsanitary condition caused by or arising out of uncontained sewage and/or faulty holding tanks.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals, bed-and-breakfasts, and Airbnb rentals inside Clinton Township.

    • The owner must obtain and annually renew a zoning permit.
    • The Township Code Enforcement Officer inspects on application or renewal.
    • Annual inspection is required.

    maximum overnight occupants: <= 12 occupants (Also limited to renters plus four additional persons, whichever is less.)

    “A zoning permit is required and must be renewed annually by the property owner. The Township's Code Enforcement Officer will inspect the property when a zoning permit is applied for or renewed.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Township administration and enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code.

    • The governing body establishes fees by resolution from time to time.
    “Fees assessable by the municipality for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Township Uniform Construction Code administration and enforcement within Clinton Township.

    • The governing body may select any listed administration method by resolution from time to time.
    “Administration and enforcement of the code within this municipality shall be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the governing body of this municipality from time to time by resolution:”

Rules another office applies inside Clinton Township

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

  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the AC Agricultural Conservation District.

    minimum front yard: >= 75 feet (Single Family Dwellings) · minimum side yard: >= 25 feet (Single Family Dwellings) · minimum rear yard: >= 50 feet (Single Family Dwellings)

    “Minimum front yard | 75 feet | 75 feet | 75 feet Minimum side yard | 25 feet | 35 feet** | 35 feet** Minimum rear yard | 50 feet | 50 feet | 50 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the AC Agricultural Conservation District.

    maximum coverage: <= 15 percent (Single Family Dwellings)

    “Maximum height | 35 feet | 45 feet | 45 feet Maximum coverage | 15% | 10% | 10% NOTES: * | See § 185-52 for additional options for property included in the Farmland Preservation Program of Clinton Township and Butler County.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the AC Agricultural Conservation District.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (Single Family Dwellings)

    “Maximum height | 35 feet | 45 feet | 45 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General new residential construction inside Clinton Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Clinton Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Clinton Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the R-1 Rural Residential District.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term occupancy in an RV on private land inside Clinton Township.
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Clinton Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Butler County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Butler County: county rules, score and offices