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

Cooke Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, restoration or structural alteration of any building or structure in Cooke township

  • Construction may proceed only after a building permit, or a township valuation permit where applicable, is issued.
  • A township valuation permit is required for residential, utility and miscellaneous structures (such as garages, carports, greenhouses and sheds accessory to a detached single-family home) over 500 square feet that the UCC otherwise exempts from inspection; no valuation permit is required when estimated cost does not exceed $500.
  • Permits are issued only with approved access to a street or highway, and no permit is issued for new construction or additions unless a valid sewage permit adequate for the final structure has been issued.

  valuation permit threshold: > 500 square feet (accessory structures exempt from UCC inspection; no permit if cost does not exceed $500)

  “no building or structure in the township shall be constructed, erected, reconstructed or restored, or structurally altered (hereafter, “constructed” and “construction”) without either a building permit, or if applicable a township valuation permit as defined in this ordinance, duly issued upon application to the township”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New construction, alteration and occupancy of buildings inside Cooke township

  • The township adopts the statewide Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Act 45 of 1999) and UCC for construction it covers; the ordinance also regulates construction the UCC exempts through township valuation permits.
  • Ordinance 2005-1 says it repeals conflicting ordinances; the township also has a 1985-10 building permit ordinance (amended 1992-26) that was not reviewed for conflict.

  “in order to comply with the provisions of the pennsylvania construction code act, act 45 of 1999, 35 p.s. 7210.101 - 7210.1103, as amended from time to time, and its regulations of construction”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction covered by the statewide Uniform Construction Code inside Cooke township

  • Applies to UCC-covered construction; township valuation-permit structures exempt from UCC inspection are not inspected under this clause.
  • Inspections are performed by the UCC official(s) designated by the township.

  “construction that is covered under the statewide uniform construction code will require a building permit and inspection by the uniform construction code official(s) designated by the township.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy or change of use of buildings and land in Cooke township covered by the UCC

  • Certificate of compliance from the UCC official must be presented before the certificate of occupancy issues.
  • Occupancy of a new or altered building is unlawful until a certificate of occupancy is applied for and issued.
  • Certificate of occupancy is also required for initial occupancy and continuing occupancy and change of use; a $10 occupancy permit fee appears in the 2007 fee schedule (superseded status not verified).

  occupancy permit fee (2007 schedule): 10 USD (2007 resolution; current fee not verified)

  “for ucc-regulated activities, a certificate of compliance issued by the uniform construction code official(s) must be presented prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage (septic) permitting for land inside Cooke township

  • The township appoints its own Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) and sets SEO rates by resolution; the 2019 resolution names the SEO and cites resolution 2018-07 for the rate schedule (2018-07 not yet opened).
  • Underlying sewage permit standards come from Pennsylvania sewage law administered through the township SEO; the state rule is not separately cited here.

  “seo – vince c. elbel. rates established under resolution 2018-07.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New construction or additions on lots inside Cooke township

  • A building permit for new construction or additions is not issued unless a valid sewage permit adequate for the final structure has been issued.
  • Sewage permit fees are set by the township resolution (2007 schedule shown; current schedule under 2018-07 not verified).

  “a. no permit will be issued for new construction or additions unless a valid sewage permit adequate for the final structure has been issued.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural land divisions exempt from Cooke township subdivision regulations (exemption from subdivision rules only; no building-permit exemption found)

  • Exemption applies only to parcels of more than ten acres with no new street or easement of access.
  • Exemption is from the township subdivision ordinance; it does not exempt construction from the building ordinance.

  minimum parcel size: > 10 acres (agricultural division exemption; no new street or easement of access)

  “provided, however, that divisions of land for agricultural purposes in parcels of more than ten acres, not invloving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempt.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of land inside Cooke township

  • Agricultural divisions of parcels over 10 acres with no new street or easement of access are exempt (see agricultural_exemption claim).
  • No lot in a subdivision may be sold and no building may be erected in a subdivision until a subdivision plan is approved and recorded.
  • Subdivision plans are filed with the supervisors two weeks before the meeting; the 1972 filing fee is $1.00 per lot with a $25 minimum; the 2019 resolution sets residential review at $350 and commercial at $450 plus engineer, SEO, solicitor and county planning fees.
  • The 2004-04 sub-division amendment was listed on the index but not opened and may change these rules.

  “section 33. no lot in a subdivision may be sold and no building may be erected in a subdivision unless and until a subdivision plan has been approved and recorded.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New or relocated driveways entering a Cooke township road

  • A new culvert pipe is required before new or relocated driveway construction, with size and depth set by the township roadmaster.
  • Driveways onto PennDOT highways require a state highway occupancy permit, which must be presented to obtain a township building permit.
  • No permit is issued for construction or alteration of a building without approved access to a street or highway.

  “a. prior to the new construction (or relocation) of any driveway that enters or exits to a township road, or any inadequate existing driveway, a new culvert pipe shall be installed.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New construction and substantial improvements in identified floodplains and within 50 feet landward of a watercourse top-of-bank in Cooke township

  • Construction within 50 feet of a watercourse top-of-bank requires a permit from the Pennsylvania DEP regional office.
  • Residential structures in an identified floodplain must have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or above the regulatory flood elevation.
  • The opened floodplain PDF does not show its ordinance number; the township index lists floodplain ordinances 2009-01 and 2023-01. Which is current was not confirmed.

  setback from watercourse top-of-bank: >= 50 feet (unless DEP regional office permit obtained)

  “c. no new construction or substantial improvements to existing structures shall be located within the area measured fifty (50) feet landward from the top-of-bank of any watercourse, unless a permit is obtained from the department of environmental protection regional office.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building and township valuation permit fees for construction inside Cooke township

  • Fee schedules are set annually by resolution (building ordinance section 4); the most recent schedule opened is the 2019 resolution, which cites the 2005-07 resolution for building fees. Later schedules were not located.
  • Occupancy fee of $10 appears in the 2007 schedule and is not repeated in the 2019 resolution.

  building/valuation permit fee, projects over $500 to under $1,000: 20 USD (small projects; 2019 resolution) · building/valuation permit fee, projects at $1,000: 25 USD (2019 resolution) · building/valuation permit fee, each additional $1,000: 5 USD (2019 resolution)

  “twenty ($20.00) dollars for small projects costing greater than five hundred ($500.00) dollars, but less than one thousand ($1000.00) dollars.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit application process in Cooke township

  • Applications are filed in triplicate with a plot plan (or survey) and the required fee; permit applications need approved street access.
  • Permits expire if work does not start within six months or is not complete within 18 months (under $1,000,000 cost), extendable six months in writing.
  • A certificate of occupancy for UCC-regulated work goes through the UCC official, who issues it within fifteen days of a complete application for vacant land or change of use.

  decision deadline: 10 working days (after filing a complete and properly prepared application)

  “h. the township shall, within ten working days after the filing of a complete and properly prepared application, either issue or deny a permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permit or licensing rules in Cooke township
• Local zoning — Whether Cooke township inside its limits has adopted and administers its own zoning ordinance
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and district schedule for Cooke township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Cooke township
• Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in Cooke 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.