Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Highspire, Pennsylvania

Borough of Highspire’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, alteration, demolition inside Highspire borough

  • Application filed with code enforcement officer; no work may commence until permit issued
  • Workers compensation form must accompany applications
  • Contractors doing more than $5,000 of work per year must register with PA Attorney General

  “permits are required to repair, construct, enlarge, alter, or demolish a building or structure”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction inside Highspire borough

  • Adopted in accordance with Act 45 (PA Uniform Construction Code)

  “highspire borough has passed an ordinance adopting the uniform construction code (ucc) as the standard for building, construction, remodeling, and repairs.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Highspire borough (Dauphin County)

  • Zoning ordinance enacted November 15, 2011 (Chapter 27); administered by zoning officer, special exceptions by zoning hearing board, conditional uses by borough council

  “the borough of highspire is hereby divided into zoning districts and overlay districts which shall be designated as follows”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Highspire borough

  • Base districts: R-L, R-M, MN/C, CBD, C-G, I, PR/OS; overlays: floodplain, neighborhood compatibility standards, airport zoning

  “the borough of highspire is hereby divided into zoning districts and overlay districts which shall be designated as follows”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-L Residential Low Intensity district, single-family detached dwelling, Highspire borough

  • Other dwelling types and uses have different minimums (semi-detached 3,500 sq. ft., two-family 4,000 sq. ft., other uses 6,000 sq. ft. per table)
  • R-M district not researched

  minimum lot area per unit, single-family detached: >= 5000 sq ft · minimum lot width, interior: >= 50 ft (corner lot 65 ft)

  “singlefamily detached dwelling 5,000 sq. ft. 50 ft. corner 65 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-L district, single-family detached dwelling, Highspire borough

  • Table reads front 20 ft min / 30 ft max, side 10 ft, rear 20 ft for first row (single-family detached)
  • Accessory structures 3 ft side and rear
  • Oversized lot side setback rule in Section 704

  front setback: 20-30 ft · side setback: >= 10 ft · rear setback: >= 20 ft

  “minimum/ maximum front minimum side minimum rear 20 ft. / 30 ft. 10 ft. 20 ft. 35 ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-L district, single-family detached dwelling, Highspire borough

  • Other uses allow 45-60% impervious

  maximum impervious coverage: <= 40 percent · minimum vegetative coverage: >= 20 percent

  “maximum permitted impervious lot coverage / minimum vegetative coverage 40% impervious / 20% vegetative”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-L district, single-family detached dwelling, Highspire borough

  • 35 ft is the last value in the first row of the dimensional table; other uses up to 40 ft; accessory structures 15 ft or not higher than principal building

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “minimum/ maximum front minimum side minimum rear 20 ft. / 30 ft. 10 ft. 20 ft. 35 ft.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartment to owner-occupied single-family detached dwelling in R-L and R-M districts, Highspire borough

  • Conditional use decided by borough council
  • Must meet Part 14 specific criteria (Section 1403), not opened
  • In R-L and R-M both columns show c

  “accessory apartment to owner occupied single-family detached dwelling 1403 c c”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO) inside Highspire borough

  • Not a listed permitted use; requires special exception approval as a use not provided for
  • Existing unauthorized operators will be cited for zoning violation

  “short-term rentals, including properties operated through airbnb, vrbo, or similar online platforms, are not a permitted use within the borough of highspire.”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit applications inside Highspire borough

  • Application forms linked on the codes page (building, zoning permit); fee schedule not found

  “an application for a permit is to be filed with the code enforcement officer and no work shall commence until a permit is issued.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Highspire or Dauphin County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Highspire borough
• Inspections — Construction inspections inside Highspire borough
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Highspire borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Highspire borough
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Highspire borough

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.