Zoning, building permits and septic rules in East Hanover Township, Pennsylvania

East Hanover Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County. The township's own zoning ordinance is in force and is amended by township action; the 2024 comprehensive rewrite is still an unadopted draft.

  • The township website lists zoning ordinance amendments for small wireless facilities and for data centers and BESS, and a proposed agritourism and short-term rentals amendment.
  • The township's own page says the proposed comprehensive zoning ordinance, zoning map and SALDO documents 'have not been adopted by the board of supervisors'; the adopted text was not retrieved in this research.

  “zoning ordinance: small wireless facilities amendment zoning ordinance: data centers and bess amendment”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Zoning districts of East Hanover township. Only the unadopted 2024 draft district list was found; the adopted district map and list were not confirmed.

  • The township says the draft zoning ordinance, zoning map and SALDO have not been adopted.
  • The draft lists rural agricultural (RA), rural residential (RR), and other districts; these names are not confirmed for the adopted ordinance.

  “note: the documents been below are still in draft form and have not been adopted by the board of supervisors”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot (septic) sewage systems on land inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County

  • The township's sewage enforcement officer handles on-lot system permits and complaints.
  • Ordinance 1998-06 governs pumping and inspection.

  “for on-lot disposal system permits, or to register system complaints or concerns, please contact the township's sewer enforcement officer, brian mcfeaters at 717-813-6492.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-lot sewage disposal systems on land inside East Hanover township

  • A pumping exemption can be requested; the request is acted on by the board of supervisors, and a township licensed pumper/hauler must still inspect the system.
  • Haulers must be licensed and registered with the township.

  pumping and inspection interval: 3 years (pumping exemption possible, township pumper inspection still required)

  “ordinance 1998-06 requires you to have your system pumped and inspected once every three years by a licensed pumper/hauler registered with the township”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside East Hanover township

  • The township's subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO) is referenced on the township site; the SALDO text was not retrieved.

  “the east hanover township board of supervisors established a committee to review the zoning ordinance, zoning map, and subdivision and land development ordinance (saldo)”

Rules another office applies inside East Hanover Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  Construction and building work inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County, under the statewide UCC

  • Emergency repairs or equipment replacements can be made without a permit as long as an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days, per the same DLI page.
  • The township's own permit application page was not retrieved, so which office issues the permit in East Hanover township is unconfirmed.

  “the ucc requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County, under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code

  • Adoption is statewide. Which agency enforces the UCC inside East Hanover township (the township building code official or a third-party agency) was not confirmed.

  “the pennsylvania uniform construction code (ucc) regulates the codes and standards of building projects in the commonwealth.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction and alteration work inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County, under the statewide UCC

  • The DLI page lists inspection cases including new construction and changes to residential buildings and electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems.
  • Township scheduling rules were not retrieved.

  “inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings and facilities inside East Hanover township, Dauphin County, under the statewide UCC

  • Applies before a building or facility is used.

  “a ucc certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building in East Hanover township
• Minimum dwelling size — Main single-family residential district (rural residential, RR) and rural agricultural district (RA) in East Hanover township; districts named in the unadopted 2024 draft
• Minimum lot size — Rural residential (RR) and rural agricultural (RA) districts in East Hanover township; districts named in the unadopted 2024 draft
• Setbacks — Rural residential (RR) and rural agricultural (RA) districts in East Hanover township
• Lot coverage — Rural residential (RR) and rural agricultural (RA) districts in East Hanover 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.