Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Summit Township, Pennsylvania

Summit Township’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings/structures with a zoning permit inside Summit Township

  • Owner applies for the occupancy/use permit upon completion; zoning officer verifies facts before issuing

  “occupancy/use of the completed building or structure is expressly prohibited until an occupancy/use permit has been issued by summit township.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Summit Township, Erie County, PA

  • Ordinance 2021-02 adopted June 21, 2021; amended through #2025-05 (effective December 20, 2025)

  “zoning ordinance 2021-02 adopted june 21, 2021 #2022-03 amended june 20, 2022 effective june 25, 2022 #2025-02 amended february 18, 2025 effective february 23, 2025 #2025-05 amended december 15, 2025 effective december 20, 2025”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Summit Township, Erie County

  • Districts include RR, RN, RLD, RMD, RMF, MUN, MUR, CL, CC, IND, IP, LF and a Peach Street/I-90 overlay

  “303 zoning districts the township is divided into eleven (11) districts shown by the district boundaries on the zoning map and known as: rr rn rld rmd rmf mun mur cl cc ind ip lf”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Dwellings in all districts inside Summit Township

  • Unless otherwise permitted by the International Building Code, as amended

  minimum heated living space per dwelling: >= 720 sq ft (unless otherwise permitted by the international building code, as amended)

  “dwellings must have a minimum of seven hundred twenty (720) square feet of heated living space unless otherwise permitted by the international building code, as amended.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Minimum lot area by district inside Summit Township

  • Values are in Table 313.02; not extracted reliably

  “the minimum lot area per family, maximum coverage by buildings and structures, minimum depth of front yard, minimum depth of rear yard, side yard requirements and maximum height of structures for each district shall be as specified in table 313.01 and table 313.02.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Yard setbacks by district inside Summit Township

  • Values are in Table 313.01; extracted table text was garbled, so per-district numbers are not recorded

  “the minimum lot area per family, maximum coverage by buildings and structures, minimum depth of front yard, minimum depth of rear yard, side yard requirements and maximum height of structures for each district shall be as specified in table 313.01 and table 313.02.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum lot coverage by district inside Summit Township

  • Values are in Table 313.02; not extracted reliably

  “the minimum lot area per family, maximum coverage by buildings and structures, minimum depth of front yard, minimum depth of rear yard, side yard requirements and maximum height of structures for each district shall be as specified in table 313.01 and table 313.02.”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Maximum structure height by district inside Summit Township

  • Values are in Table 313.01; not extracted reliably

  “side yard requirements and maximum height of structures for each district shall be as specified in table 313.01 and table 313.02.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Individual mobile homes on private lots inside Summit Township

  • Minimum 720 sq ft heated living area
  • Full perimeter masonry/poured concrete foundation, or permanent installation on piers/foundation per manufacturer recommendations, with skirting if on piers
  • Lot must meet all area and yard requirements of the district
  • Installation must comply with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code
  • Which districts permit them was not confirmed

  minimum heated living area: >= 720 sq ft

  “mobile homes may be constructed upon private lots provided that the proprietor complies with the following: a. each mobile home shall contain a minimum of 720 square feet of heated living area.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Summit Township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Summit Township
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Summit Township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Summit Township
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Summit 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.