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

Borough of Eddystone’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated inside Eddystone Borough.

  • The adopted Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.

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

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Residential, commercial, and industrial dwelling units, premises, and structures created, located, erected, changed, altered, converted, or enlarged inside Eddystone Borough.

  • A certificate is required before occupancy, rental, sale, conveyance, transfer, or permission to occupy or rent.
  • A certificate is required upon a change in ownership or structural modification/addition of a residential owner-occupied structure or commercial/industrial structure or unit.
  • Annual rental-property licensing does not apply to a residential owner-occupied individual dwelling unit or nonresidential commercial or industrial structures/units.

  “Every person, firm, corporation or any other type of entity shall not occupy, rent, lease, let out, permit, sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or permit to be occupied or rented any dwelling unit, premises or structure used for residential, commercial or industrial purposes, hereafter created, located, erected, changed, altered, converted or enlarged, wholly or partly, without first securing a certificate of occupancy therefor from the appropriate agent of the Borough.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Eddystone Borough.

  • The published code identifies Chapter 295 as the Borough's zoning ordinance; the code version states that it includes legislation adopted through 12-30-2013.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Eddystone 12-11-1995 by Ord. No. 567, approved 12-11-1995. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Subdividing landLimited

  Subdivision and land-development proposals within or adjacent to a flood-prone area inside Eddystone Borough.

  • The applicant must supply flood-prone-area information and plans with a building-permit application.
  • The Borough Official must submit applications and plans for new construction in a flood-prone area to the County Conservation District for review and comment before issuing a building permit.
  • This claim does not establish the Borough's general subdivision-review requirements outside flood-prone areas.

  “If any proposed new construction is located within or adjacent to any flood-prone area, applicants for building permits shall also provide the following specific information: A plan which accurately locates the construction proposal with respect to the flood-prone-area boundaries, stream channel and existing flood-prone developments. Included shall be all plans for proposed subdivision and/or land development to assure that:”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of a building or structure within an identified flood-prone area inside Eddystone Borough.

  • Minor repairs to existing buildings or structures require no building permit if no structural changes or modifications are involved.
  • Before issuance, the applicant must submit all necessary state and federal permits.
  • More-restrictive underlying ordinance provisions remain in force.

  “It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake or cause to be undertaken the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration or relocation of any building or structure within a flood-prone area as set forth on the attached plan prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration, which is attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference, unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the appropriate Borough Official.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Borough building permits for residential construction, alterations, additions, and repairs inside Eddystone Borough.

  • The fee is based on actual contract price, or the applicant's estimated cost if no contract price is agreed.
  • If the Building Inspector, with Borough Engineer assistance if required, finds the price or estimate unrealistic, the Inspector's estimate is final.
  • The code's posted version states it includes legislation adopted through 12-30-2013; fee changes after that date were not verified.

  residential building permit fee: per 20 USD per $1,000 of cost or fraction thereof (New construction, alterations, additions and repairs.)

  “Section 112.3.1 Residential: New construction, alterations, additions and repairs: $20 per $1,000 of cost or fraction thereof.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking residential construction inside Eddystone Borough.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Eddystone Borough.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Eddystone Borough residential districts.
• Minimum lot size — Single-family dwellings in Eddystone Borough residential districts.
• Setbacks — Single-family dwellings in Eddystone Borough residential districts.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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