Zoning, building permits and septic rules in South Union Township, Pennsylvania

South Union Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of buildings in South Union township

  • Permit is required before the listed work; the listing gives no fee or exemption detail.

  “adopting an amendment to the south union township ordinance requiring all persons, partnerships, businesses and corporations to obtain a building permit for the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of any building or structure”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction within South Union township limits

  • Listing describes Ordinance 2-04 as conforming the township code to the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and the regulations promulgated under it; the adopted text itself was not opened.

  “ordinance 2-04 download to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the citizens of this municipality and to conform to the requirements of the pennsylvania construction code act and regulations to the act promulgated by the pennsylvania department of labor and industry (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the "code")”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside South Union township limits: the township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (amended by township ordinances, e.g., Ordinance 7-2021).

  • The township's codified zoning ordinance text and district map were not located in this research pass; see dimensional and zoning_districts claims.

  “an ordinance of the township of south union, fayette county, pennsylvania, amending its zoning ordinance, to provide for the regulation of solar photovoltaic systems within the township.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Premises in South Union township that are accessible to public sanitary sewers

  • Privy vaults, cesspools and septic tanks are prohibited on such sewer-accessible premises per the 1966 ordinance title; off-sewer premises are not addressed here.

  “prohibiting the erection and construction of privy vaults, cesspools and septic tanks in and upon such premises;”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Occupied buildings on premises accessible to public sanitary sewers in South Union township

  • Connection is required where public sanitary sewers are accessible to the premises (1966 ordinance); currency of this 1966 ordinance was not confirmed.
  • No water-connection rule was located.

  “an ordinance of the township of south union directing and requiring the connection of all occupied buildings with public sanitary sewers in the township on premises accessible thereto;”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in South Union township
• Inspections — Building inspections in South Union township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in South Union township
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts of South Union township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in South Union 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.