Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Connellsville, Pennsylvania

Connellsville’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Connellsville city limits (Fayette County, PA)

  • Administered by the city zoning officer and zoning hearing board; the city site lists a 2012 ordinance and a 2022 version, and the PDF cited is undated in the extract.

  “this chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "city of connellsville zoning ordinance" and the zoning map attached and adopted as part of this ordinance shall be known as the "city of connellsville zoning map."”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Connellsville city

  • Districts seen: R-1, R-2, C-1 downtown commercial, C-2 highway commercial, C-3 corridor commercial, I industrial, M mixed use.

  “c-1 downtown commercial zoning district (current zoning ordinance) c-2 highway commercial zoning district (current zoning ordinance) c-3 corridor commercial zoning district (current zoning ordinance)”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential dwelling units in all districts inside Connellsville city

  minimum gross floor area: >= 720 sq ft

  “the minimum gross floor area of a residential dwelling unit shall be seven hundred twenty (720) square feet.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-1 district, single-family detached or duplex, inside Connellsville city

  • Table 2 conventional residential development; special exception uses may have other standards under Article VI.
  • Minimum lot width 40 ft.

  minimum lot area: >= 4000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 40 ft

  “r-1 district single-family detached 4000 40 10* 4 4*** 35 35 or duplex”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-2 district, single-family detached or duplex, inside Connellsville city

    “r-2 district single-family detached 3000 30 10* 4 4*** 35 35 or duplex”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-1 district, single-family detached, inside Connellsville city

  • Front setback may be the average of two neighboring structures, not exceeding 15 ft.
  • Rear setback is 1 ft if the property abuts an alley.
  • Column order read from the flattened table: front, side, rear.

  front setback: >= 10 ft (or average of neighbors, max 15 ft) · side setback: >= 4 ft · rear setback: >= 4 ft (1 ft if abutting an alley)

  “* or average set back of two neighboring structures, but not exceeding 15 feet. ** where attached residential units share a party wall, the side building setback shall be 0' at the party wall. *** shall be 1 foot if property abuts an alley.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 district, single-family detached, inside Connellsville city

  • Value read from flattened Table 2 (maximum lot coverage percent).

  maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

  “r-1 district single-family detached 4000 40 10* 4 4*** 35 35 or duplex”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-1 district, single-family detached, inside Connellsville city

  • Value read from flattened Table 2 (maximum building height in feet).
  • Church spires, monuments, flagpoles and similar structures are exempt from height limits if not an airport hazard.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “c. exceptions. the following shall not be considered buildings or structures within the intent of this section and may be erected to any height, provided that they do not constitute a hazard to an airport: church spires, belfries, monuments, water and fire towers, smokestacks, and flagpoles.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Individual manufactured (mobile) homes inside Connellsville city

  • Must meet HUD standards and bear a Pennsylvania manufactured housing label (12 Pa. Code ch. 143).
  • Must meet Article VII if in a floodplain.
  • Must look like a single-family detached dwelling with at least a 4:12 pitched roof.
  • Must be on a permanent foundation.
  • Manufactured home parks are a separate special exception (§6-117), minimum 2 acres.

  “a manufactured (mobile) home shall be a permitted special exception subject to the following conditions and/or standards:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Connellsville or Fayette County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Connellsville city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Connellsville city
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Connellsville city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Connellsville city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Connellsville city

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.