Bolthole Index

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Parkside Borough, Pennsylvania

Parkside Borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania adopted its own zoning chapter, and the borough's Zoning Officer issues zoning and occupancy permits12. Construction follows the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which the borough has adopted as its building code3. Septic and well permits for Delaware County come from the county Health Department, not the borough4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, borough-adopted Chapter 182 with R-1, R-2, RM, C-1, C-2 and OS districts15
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the borough3
Occupancy permit
Required for initial and continued occupancy6
Permit fees
Set by Borough Council resolution7
Septic and wells
Delaware County Health Department (on-lot systems and wells)4
RV living
Storage only; sleeping limited to four days a year, no cooking8
Owner-builder
No state contractor license for most work; borough rule not confirmed9

Who to call

Zoning

Parkside Borough Zoning Officer

Zoning permits and occupancy permits inside Parkside Borough

Septic permits

Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health

Permits, inspections and enforcement for on-lot sewage systems and private wells in Delaware County

(484) 276-2100

[email protected]

1400 N Providence Road Suite 212, Media, PA 19063

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Parkside Borough have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Parkside Borough has its own zoning: Borough Council adopted Chapter 182 by ordinance in 20141. The chapter names R-1 and R-2 residential districts, an RM multifamily district, C-1 and C-2 commercial districts, an OS open-space district, and airport and floodplain overlays5. Delaware County does not zone for the borough; the county points residents to municipal officials for current zoning10.

For RVs, the borough treats recreational-vehicle parking in Parkside as storage only8. Overnight sleeping is capped at four days in any one calendar year, and cooking is never permitted8. Living in an RV while you build is therefore not an option inside the borough. We could not confirm the borough's rules on tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, lot sizes or setbacks; ask the Zoning Officer before you buy.

Do you need a building permit in Parkside Borough, and who issues it?

Yes. Parkside Borough adopted the Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code3, and Pennsylvania's UCC requires an owner to obtain a permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing or moving a residential building11. Delaware County does not issue building permits; the county sends building-permit questions to the municipality's code-enforcement officials11.

Parkside also requires a zoning permit, applied for with the Zoning Officer on borough forms2. The Zoning Officer must grant or refuse it within 30 working days, and a refusal can be appealed to the Zoning Hearing Board2. Fees are set by Borough Council resolution, and no application moves until fees are paid7. Ask the borough office for the current fee schedule and the name of its building code official.

What is an occupancy permit in Parkside Borough?

Parkside requires an occupancy permit for both initial and continued occupancy of a building or land6. Occupying a building after new construction or a change of use is unlawful until the permit has been applied for and issued, and a change in ownership of a residential property triggers the same requirement6. After you apply, the Zoning Officer inspects within 15 days and either certifies compliance or denies certification12. Buyers of an existing home should ask the seller whether an occupancy permit is in order before closing.

How do septic permits work in Parkside Borough?

Delaware County Health Department issues on-lot sewage permits and well permits for the county4. A permit is required for new systems, repairs and modifications that need digging equipment13. Inside Parkside, the borough requires improved property abutting a street or alley with a sanitary sewer to connect to it14. Most lots therefore will not need a septic system at all. We could not confirm whether any Parkside lot relies on an on-lot system; the Health Department and the borough office can tell you which applies to a given parcel. Pennsylvania's 10-acre owner-residence exemption is unlikely to matter in a built-up borough15.

Building a home in Parkside Borough: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district the parcel is in and whether your use is allowed5.
  2. Apply for a zoning permit on borough forms2.
  3. Obtain the UCC building permit from the borough's code official3.
  4. Schedule the required inspections: foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard, and final16.
  5. Connect to public sewer where a sewer line serves the street14.
  6. Obtain the occupancy permit before moving in6.
  7. If a driveway will open onto a state highway, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required first17.

What stays with Delaware County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits stay with the Delaware County Health Department4. Subdivision plans also go through Delaware County Planning Commission review before recording18. Construction in a floodplain needs design documentation sealed by a registered design professional19, and Parkside's zoning includes a Floodplain Overlay District5. Delaware County's effective property tax rate is20%, with a median bill of $21 a year2021. For land outside the borough, see the Delaware County page.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Parkside's minimum lot sizes, setbacks, height limits, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rules; ask the borough Zoning Officer before buying5.
  • Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most work, but we could not confirm whether Parkside offers an owner-builder exemption from its permit rules9.
  • A change of ownership of a home can require a new occupancy permit, so confirm it with the borough early in a purchase6.

Sources

  1. Chapter 182: Zoning - Borough of Parkside, PA (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Parkside, PA Administration, Enforcement and Amendment (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 61: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Parkside, PA (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 182: Zoning - Borough of Parkside, PA (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  6. Borough of Parkside, PA Administration, Enforcement and Amendment (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  7. Borough of Parkside, PA Administration, Enforcement and Amendment (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 50: Boats, Recreational Vehicles and Utility Trailers - Borough of Parkside, PA (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  9. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. delcopa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. Borough of Parkside, PA Administration, Enforcement and Amendment (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  13. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  14. Borough of Parkside, PA Sewers and Sewage Disposal (Borough of Parkside), quoted and re-checked
  15. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  17. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  18. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  19. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Parkside

Borough of Parkside’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Parkside Borough.

    • The incorporated UCC is amended from time to time.
    “is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of Parkside Borough.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Premises seeking an occupancy permit inside Parkside Borough.

    • The Zoning Officer inspects within 15 days of filing an occupancy-permit application and certifies compliance or denies certification.

    inspection deadline: <= 15 days (Measured from application filing.)

    “The Zoning Officer shall, within 15 days of the application filing, inspect the premises and either certify their compliance with the previously approved plans and all conditions and safeguards stated upon issuance of the occupancy permit or deny such certification.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Initial and continued occupancy and use of buildings or land inside Parkside Borough.

    • Occupancy and use after listed construction or a use change, and a residential ownership change, are unlawful until the permit has been applied for and issued.
    “required for both initial and continued occupancy”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Parkside Borough.

    • Chapter 182 was adopted by Borough Council on April 23, 2014, by Ordinance No. 509.
    “Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Parkside”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning classifications for land inside Parkside Borough.

    • The Zoning Officer maintains or oversees maps showing the current zoning classification of all Borough land.

    districts identified in published chapter: R-1 Residential, R-2 Residential, RM Residential Multifamily, C-1 Commercial, C-2 Commercial, OS Open Space, Airport District Overlay, and Floodplain Overlay District (Overlay districts apply as provided in Chapter 182.)

    “R-1 Residential District [...] Floodplain Overlay District”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Recreational vehicles parked or stored inside Parkside Borough.

    • RV parking is only for storage.
    • Overnight sleeping is limited to four days in one calendar year.
    • Cooking is prohibited at all times.

    maximum overnight sleeping: <= 4 days per calendar year (Applies to recreational vehicles parked or stored under Chapter 50.)

    “overnight sleeping for a maximum of four days in any one calendar year. Cooking is not permitted at any time.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Improved property inside Parkside Borough abutting or adjoining a street, road, or alley containing a sanitary sewer.

    • Connection must follow applicable rules and regulations.
    • Surface or stormwater is not allowed in the sanitary sewer.
    “all improved property in the Borough of Parkside abutting on or adjoining any street, road or alley in which is a sanitary sewer”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building, zoning, occupancy, sign, and fence permits and related zoning matters inside Parkside Borough.

    • The Borough Council establishes the schedule by resolution from time to time.
    • No application action occurs until applicable fees, charges, and expenses are paid in full.
    “The Parkside Borough Council shall establish from time to time by resolution, a schedule of fees, charges, expenses and collection procedures for building, zoning and occupancy permits, sign and fence permits, special exceptions, conditional use permits, variances, and appeals, amendments and other matters pertaining to this chapter.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning-permit applications inside Parkside Borough.

    • Applications are made to the Zoning Officer on Borough forms.
    • Zoning permits must be granted or refused within 30 working days.
    • If refused, the applicant is informed of the right to appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board.

    zoning permit decision period: <= 30 working days (Measured after the application date.)

    “Application for zoning permits. Application for zoning permits shall be made to the Zoning Officer on such forms as may be furnished by the Borough. Each application shall contain all information necessary to ascertain whether the proposed erection, alteration, use or change in use complies with the provisions of this chapter.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Parkside Borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Parkside Borough.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside Parkside Borough.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside Parkside Borough.
  • Lot coverage — Residential zoning districts inside Parkside Borough.
15 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Borough of Parkside publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Delaware County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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