Bolthole Index

Erie County, Pennsylvania

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

North East Township in Erie County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance, run by a township Zoning Officer1. Building permits for new homes come from the township's North East Area Code Administration under the state Uniform Construction Code23. Septic approval comes from the Erie County Health Department and/or Pennsylvania DEP, and the ordinance requires it before a zoning permit issues4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new homes, additions and structural alterations; issued through the township's NEACA3
Zoning
Township ordinance applies throughout North East Township, run by a Zoning Officer1
Septic
Erie County Health Department and/or PA DEP approval before a zoning permit issues4
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, administered by NEACA2
RV living
Campgrounds and RV parks are a conditional use; living in an RV on a private lot is unconfirmed5
Minimum lot (A-2 Agricultural)
1 acre for a single-family dwelling6
Property tax
Erie County effective rate 1.6%7

Who to call

Building permits

North East Township Office (North East Area Code Administration, building and zoning)

Building permits under the Uniform Construction Code and zoning permits for North East Township; ask for the Building Code Official

814-725-8606

Septic permits

Erie County Department of Health

Countywide environmental health; the first call for on-lot septic permits and to confirm which local agency serves a North East Township address

814-451-6700

[email protected]

606 West Second Street, Erie, PA 16507

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 North East Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in North East Township, PA?

Yes, for most construction. North East Township lists structural alterations, additions, new homes and outbuildings over 1,000 square feet among the work that needs a building permit38. Normal maintenance such as shingle replacement, siding and hot-water tanks needs no permit or inspection, and a fence needs a building permit only when it is over 6 feet high3.

The permit rests on Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which builders statewide must follow2. Pennsylvania's statewide code also requires a certificate of occupancy before a residential building is used9. We could not confirm a township-specific occupancy certificate process, so ask the Building Code Official.

Inspections are limited for small outbuildings: the township does not require inspections for accessory buildings under 1,000 square feet, while decks need post-hole and final-framing inspections10.

The township's permit fee schedules are posted on its building-code page, but we could not confirm the amounts; call the township office for current fees11.

Who issues building permits in North East Township, and how do you reach them?

The North East Area Code Administration (NEACA) is the township's own building-permit office, led by the Building Code Official28. The township office answers permit questions at 814-725-8606, and the township website posts the applications for residential, plumbing, mechanical, pool and zoning permits8. The township says the department was created to keep building permits easy to obtain locally12.

Building permits and zoning approval are separate steps. The township's zoning permit application goes in alongside the building permit application, and the township's own materials ask for a site plan showing the structure relative to property lines12. The Erie County planning office reviews subdivision plans but does not issue building permits for land inside the township13.

Does North East Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. North East Township's zoning ordinance applies throughout the township, and the Zoning Officer may not permit nonconforming construction, use or change of use1. The ordinance divides the township into districts including A-1 Preservation, A-2 Agricultural, R-1 Rural Residential, R-2 Suburban Residential, MU Mixed Use and two business districts14. Rules differ by district, so confirm your parcel's district with the Zoning Officer before you buy.

Lot size. A single-family dwelling in A-2 Agricultural needs at least 1 acre6. In R-1 Rural Residential, the minimum is 30,000 square feet without public water or sewer and 20,000 square feet with either one15.

Setbacks. In both A-2 and R-1, a single-family lot needs a 50-foot front yard measured from the street right-of-way line, a 40-foot rear yard for the principal building, and side yards totaling 24 feet with at least 10 feet on one side1617.

We could not confirm minimum dwelling size, lot coverage, height limits, accessory dwellings or manufactured-home rules; the Zoning Officer at 814-725-8606 can answer them8.

How do septic permits work in North East Township?

The township ordinance requires written confirmation that the Erie County Health Department and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has approved the sewage disposal system before a zoning permit issues for a use not on public sewer4. Pennsylvania leaves on-lot sewage permitting to local agencies, and the local agency can differ by municipality18. Erie County's Department of Health is the first office to call, and it can confirm which agency serves your address1920.

Soils matter here: USDA rates none of Erie County's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system rather than a simple trench21.

Where a public sewer is available, connection is mandatory: an owner whose principal building is within 150 feet of a sewer on an abutting street must connect at their own expense within 60 days of official notice22. We could not confirm a septic inspection rule or a private-well permit rule for the township.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in North East Township?

We could not confirm that living in an RV or tiny home on a private lot is allowed or prohibited in North East Township. The ordinance rules we found cover campgrounds and recreational-vehicle parks, which are conditional uses in the listed districts, with each campsite at least 200 feet from a pre-existing single-family dwelling5. That rule governs commercial campgrounds, not a single RV on your own land.

Pennsylvania's state park camping limits do not answer the question either, since they apply only to state park campgrounds23. Ask the Zoning Officer at 814-725-8606 about your specific parcel and district before buying with an RV or tiny home in mind8.

Building a home in North East Township: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district your parcel is in and what lot size and setbacks apply148.
  2. If you are splitting land, note that no lot in a subdivision may be sold and no building permit may issue until the plan is approved and recorded, and plans go to the County Planning Department for review before township approval13.
  3. Contact the Erie County Department of Health about septic approval, which the ordinance requires before a zoning permit issues420.
  4. Submit the zoning permit application and the building permit application with a site plan to the township128.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, a PennDOT highway-occupancy permit is needed before access is permitted24.
  6. Build, schedule the inspections the code official requires, and obtain the certificate of occupancy before using the home9.

What stays with Erie County, and what should you check before buying in North East Township?

Septic and public-health questions stay with the Erie County Department of Health and Pennsylvania DEP, not the township building office4. For land outside the township, see the Erie County page.

Before you buy, check floodplain status: Pennsylvania requires the municipality to issue a floodplain development permit before development in a mapped flood hazard area25. We could not confirm North East Township's own floodplain procedure, so ask the township office8. Also check driveway access to state roads24.

Erie County's effective property tax rate is 1.6% and its median property tax bill is $2,754 a year726.

Watch-outs

  • Zoning rules differ by district, so a lot-size or setback figure for one district does not carry over to another14.
  • We could not confirm whether RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes are allowed on private lots in North East Township; ask the Zoning Officer before you buy8.
  • Septic approval comes first: the ordinance requires Erie County Health Department and/or DEP approval before a zoning permit issues4.
  • Building permit fee amounts are not confirmed here; the township posts its fee schedules on its building-code page11.

Sources

  1. North East Township Planning & Zoning (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. North East Area Code Administration (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. North East Area Code Administration (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  8. North East Township Office (North East Area Code Administration, building and zoning) (northeasttwp.org)
  9. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  10. North East Area Code Administration (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. North East Area Code Administration (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. North East Area Code Administration (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Township of North East Code, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. North East Township Zoning Ordinance (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  19. Erie County Department of Health 3-Year Plan 2025-2027, quoted and re-checked
  20. Erie County Department of Health (eriecountypa.gov)
  21. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Township of North East Code, Article IV: Requirement of Sewage Disposal (North East Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  25. Pennsylvania Floodplain Development Guide, quoted and re-checked
  26. 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 North East Township

North East Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Examples of work in North East Township include structural alterations, additions, new homes, outbuildings over 1,000 square feet, and commercial construction.

    • Normal home-maintenance projects such as shingle replacement, siding, and hot-water tanks do not require a permit or inspection.
    • A fence over six feet high requires a building permit.

    outbuilding area threshold: > 1000 square feet (The Township lists outbuildings over this size among work needing a permit.) · fence height threshold: > 6 feet (Any fence over this height requires a building permit.)

    “Some examples of things that need a permit are: structural alterations, additions, new homes, out buildings over 1000 square feet and all commercial construction.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Deck and accessory-building work in North East Township administered by NEACA.

    • Deck-post holes must be inspected before posts are set, and final deck framing requires inspection.
    • No inspections are required for accessory buildings under 1,000 square feet.
    • Other inspections for accessory buildings over 1,000 square feet depend on individual building characteristics.

    accessory building area: < 1000 square feet (No inspections are required below this threshold.)

    “The holes will need to be inspected prior to setting the posts. Final framing of the deck will require inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land throughout North East Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania.

    • The Zoning Officer administers the ordinance and may not permit nonconforming construction, use, or change of use.
    “This chapter shall apply throughout North East Township.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts throughout North East Township.

    • The ordinance map identifies FEMA Floodzone, Renewable Energy District, A-2 Agriculture, A-1 Preservation, B-2 Industrial, B-1 Commercial, MU Mixed Use, R-2 Suburban Residential, and R-1 Rural Residential.
    “For the purpose of this chapter, North East Township is hereby divided into zoning districts which shall be designated as follows: A-1 Preservation A-2 Agricultural R-1 Rural Residential R-2 Suburban Residential MU Mixed Use B-1 Business B-2 Business (High Impact)”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Campgrounds and recreational-vehicle parks in North East Township.

    • The use table classifies campgrounds and recreational-vehicle parks as conditional uses in the listed districts.
    • Each campsite must be at least 200 feet from a pre-existing single-family dwelling.
    • Areas abutting residential uses or districts must be screened with a Type 3 buffer yard.

    minimum campsite area: >= 2000 square feet (Excludes rights-of-way.) · minimum campsite width: >= 30 feet · distance from pre-existing single-family dwelling: >= 200 feet

    “Individual recreational vehicle lots and campsites shall be designed to accommodate a minimum width of thirty (30) feet and shall not be less than two thousand (2,000) square feet in total area, excluding rights-of-way.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Sewage disposal approval for uses in North East Township that are not served by public sewer.

    • The zoning ordinance identifies approval by the Erie County Health Department and/or Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as necessary before a zoning permit issues.
    “submits written confirmation that the Erie County Health Department and/or Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) has approved the sewage disposal system which is to serve the use.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sanitation disposal on public or private property within North East Township.

    • Unsanitary placement or deposit of human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste is unlawful.
    • A sewage-disposal system serving a use requires the stated governmental approval before zoning-permit issuance.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within North East Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, or in any area under the jurisdiction of said North East Township, human or animal excrement, garbage or other objectionable waste.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    A house, building, or property in North East Township used for human occupancy, employment, manufacturing, or recreation, abutting a public-sanitary-sewer street, alley, or right-of-way where the principal building is within 150 feet of the sewer.

    • Connection is at the owner's expense.
    • Connection must occur within 60 days after official notice.
    • If the owner refuses or neglects to connect, Township Supervisors or their agents may construct the connection and bill the owner; unpaid bills may result in municipal liens.

    principal building distance from public sanitary sewer: <= 150 feet (Only where the property also abuts the street, alley, or right-of-way containing the sewer.) · connection deadline after official notice: <= 60 days

    “Each owner of any house, building or property used for human occupancy, employment, manufacturing or recreation, situated in North East Township and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there has been constructed a public sanitary sewer and the principal building is within 150 feet of said sewer, shall, at his own expense, install suitable sanitary facilities therein and connect such facilities and industrial waste outlets directly with the proper public sanitary sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Part 3 within 60 days after the date of official notice to do so given in the manner provided by law.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside North East Township.

    • No lot in a subdivision may be sold and no building permit may issue until the plan is approved and properly recorded and required improvements are constructed or guaranteed.
    • The governing body may allow reasonable hardship exceptions subject to conditions necessary for adequate streets and public improvements.
    • Plans must be sent to the County Planning Department for review before Township approval.
    “No subdivision or land development or any lot, tract, or parcel of land shall be effected, and no street, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water main, or other facilities in connection therewith shall be laid out, constructed, opened or dedicated for public use and travel or the common use of occupants of buildings abutting thereon, except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    NEACA permit work in North East Township.

    • The Township page links separate commercial, large-residential, normal-residential, and residential plan-review fee schedules; this record does not establish an amount because the linked schedules were not opened within the research budget.
    “Commercial Fee Schedule Commercial Permit Application Electric Permit Application Large Commercial Plan Review Large Residential Fee Schedule”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building-permit applicants in North East Township using NEACA.

    • The Township provides permit applications and directs applicants with questions about whether a permit is needed to the Township Office and Building Code Official.
    • Specific application requirements depend on the project type.
    “The new department was set into motion to better serve the North East area by still giving easy access to obtaining a building permit and securing the necessary paperwork.”

Rules another office applies inside North East Township

North East 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction administered by the North East Area Code Administration for North East Township.

    • The Township identifies the Uniform Construction Code as mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
    “The North East Area Code Administration was developed after the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania mandated the UCC “Uniform Construction Code".”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwelling in the R-1 Rural Residential District of North East Township.

    • The standard depends on whether public water or sewer is available.
    • Minimum lot area excludes the public right-of-way.

    minimum lot area without public water or sewer: 30000 square feet (Single-family dwelling in R-1.) · minimum lot area with either public water or sewer: 20000 square feet (Single-family dwelling in R-1.)

    “Minimum Lot Area (square feet) (1) No public water or sewer 30,000 1 acre 1 acre With either public water or sewer 20,000 30,000 1 acre”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwelling in the A-2 Agricultural District of North East Township.
      “Minimum Lot Area (1) 1 acre 1 1/2 acres 1 1/2 acres”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwelling in the A-2 Agricultural District of North East Township.

    • Front-yard measurement is from the street right-of-way line.
    • Side-yard setbacks apply to all buildings and structures, principal and accessory.

    minimum front yard: 50 feet (Measured from street right-of-way line.) · minimum rear yard for principal buildings: 40 feet · minimum total side yards: 24 feet · minimum one side yard: 10 feet

    “Minimum Rear Yard (feet) Principal buildings and structures 40 40 40 Accessory buildings and structures 10 10 10 Minimum Side Yard (feet) (4) Total, both sides 24 24 24 One side 10 10 10”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Single-family dwelling in the R-1 Rural Residential District of North East Township.
      “Minimum Front Yard (feet) (3) 50 50 50 Minimum Rear Yard (feet) Principal buildings and structures 40 40 40 Accessory buildings and structures 10 10 10 Minimum Side Yard (feet) (4) Total, both sides 24 24 24 One side 10 10 10”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside North East Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside North East Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in North East Township.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside North East Township.
  • Building height — Buildings inside North East Township.
9 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 North East Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Erie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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