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

Walker Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Zoning permit for any construction or change to property inside Walker township. This is the township's zoning permit; a separate state Uniform Construction Code building permit was not verified.

  • The township FAQ states zoning permits must be obtained before any construction or change to a property.
  • Zoning permit forms are linked from the township zoning page (Zoning_Permit PDF).

  “permits yes we require zoning permits; they must be obtained prior to any construction or change to your property.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Walker township's limits (Centre County, PA). Walker township administers its own zoning ordinance, the Walker Township Zoning Ordinance of 2003.

  • The ordinance PDF on the township site shows blank adoption/amendment lines on its map page (dated 2021 by the Centre County planning office); later amendments were not checked and the current consolidated text was not verified.
  • Zoning-only topics are answered from this ordinance; the zoning permit requirement is recorded separately.

  “this ordinance shall be known and be cited as the "walker township zoning ordinance of 2003" and is intended to serve as a comprehensive amendment of the walker township zoning ordinance enacted and ordained by the township board of supervisors in september 1995.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Walker township

  • The ordinance lists RR, SR, UR, V, C, LI, ME, A, W/C and FP districts in Article 3 and Article 2 (zoning map, Appendix G).

  “walker township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts: rr sr ur v c li me a w/c fp”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family detached dwelling lot in the RR Rural Residential district in Walker township

  • Minimum depends on sewage system: on-lot sewage 1 acre; public or community sewer 1/2 acre.
  • All lots must also meet the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.

  minimum lot area, on-lot sewage: 1 acre (43,560 sq ft per dwelling unit) · minimum lot area, public or community sewer: 0.5 acre (21,780 sq ft per dwelling unit)

  “a) on-lot sewage - 1 acre (43,560 sq.ft.) per dwelling unit. b) public or community sewer - 1/2 acre (21,780 sq.ft.) per dwelling unit.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family detached dwelling lot in the SR Suburban Residential district in Walker township

    “a) on-lot sewage- 30,000 sq.ft. per dwelling unit. b) public or community sewer- 15,000 sq.ft. per dwelling unit.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential uses in the RR Rural Residential district in Walker township

  • Front yard is measured from the road right-of-way or centerline, whichever is greater.
  • Side yards 15 feet each side for residential uses (25 feet for other uses); rear yard 15 feet for residential uses (25 feet for other uses).
  • Variances go to the zoning hearing board.

  front yard: >= 30 feet from road right-of-way (or 55 feet from road centerline, whichever is greater) (whichever is greater) · side yard, residential uses: 15 feet each side (25 feet for other uses) · rear yard, residential uses: 15 feet (25 feet for other uses)

  “1. front yard: 30 feet from edge of road right-of-way or 55 feet from road centerline, whichever is greater. 2. side yards: a. residential uses - 15 feet each side. b. all other uses - 25 feet each side. 3. rear yard: a. residential uses - 15 feet. b. all other_ uses - 25 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles placed on a site in Walker township

  • An RV placed on a site for more than 180 consecutive days is treated as a mobile home under the ordinance and must meet mobile-home rules.
  • Within any identified floodplain area, mobile homes are prohibited within 50 feet landward of the top-of-bank of a watercourse.
  • Commercial campgrounds and RV parks are a special-exception use (see temporary_camping claim).

  RV placement period before mobile-home treatment: > 180 consecutive days

  “for the purposes of this ordinance, the term mobile home shall also include park trailers, travel trailers, recreational vehicles and other similar types of manufactured homes which are placed on a site for more than 180 consecutive days.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Mobile homes on individual lots in the RR Rural Residential district in Walker township

  • Permitted as a principal use with zoning officer approval in the RR district chart.
  • Within an identified floodplain area, mobile homes are prohibited within 50 feet landward of the top-of-bank of a watercourse.
  • Mobile home parks and other districts were not verified.

  “permitted principal uses & structures (zoning officer) permitted accessory uses & structures (zoning officer) special exception uses & structures (zoning hearing board) 1. single-family detached dwellings. 1. uses & structures customarily (see 402) incidental to an approved principal use. 2. mobile homes on individual lots.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage (septic) review for land inside Walker township

  • Township FAQ names the township's sewage enforcement officer as the on-site sewage contact.
  • Lots must also meet the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act under the ordinance's lot standards.

  “sewage enforcement officer stan wallace is the current sewage enforcement office.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development inside the general floodplain district (overlay) in Walker township

  • Mobile homes are prohibited within 50 feet landward of the top-of-bank of any watercourse in an identified floodplain area.
  • Floodplain management provisions are in Article 6 (special permits, elevation and floodproofing), not opened.
  • Floodplain district boundaries are set under Article 2.

  “a. within any identified floodplain area, all mobile homes and any additions thereto shall be prohibited within the area measured 50 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Walker township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Walker township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Walker township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy or compliance inside Walker township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Walker 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.