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

Southampton Township’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Structures subject to the Township land-use application process.

  • Occupancy or use must wait until the Occupancy Permit is issued after the final inspection.

  “The structure may not be occupied or used in any way until the issuance of an Occupancy Permit upon completion of the final inspection.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Southampton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

  • The Township's official forms page identifies subdivision/land-development and zoning forms and a Planning Zoning Officer.

  “All Subdivision/Land Development and Zoning Forms can be submitted to Planning Zoning Officer, Maria Misner:”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage disposal systems inside Southampton Township.

  • The Township states that Ordinance 2003-02 divides the Township into pumping zones.

  “JWP Environmental | Sewage Enforcement Officer | 717-328-5769”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Buildings served by on-lot sewage disposal systems inside Southampton Township.

  • The septic tank must be pumped by a licensed pumper/hauler every three years according to the Township pumping-zone schedule.

  pumping interval: per 3 years

  “The ordinance basically states; any person owning a building served by an on-lot sewage disposal system shall have the septic tank pumped by a licensed pumper/hauler every three years following schedule below.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Paving of driveways that were not paved within five years of the Township driveway-permit date.

  • A second permit is required before paving when the driveway was not paved within five years; the Township must be notified 24 hours before paving.

  unpaved period before second permit: > 5 years (before paving)

  “If the driveway is not paved within five years of the above date, a second permit will be required prior to paving. The township must be notified 24 hours prior to any paving.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township land-use permits for single-family homes.

  • The posted fee is a $35 base fee plus living and non-living square-foot charges.

  single-family-home base fee: 35 USD (plus square-foot fee) · living-area fee: per 0.1 USD per square foot · non-living-area fee: per 0.05 USD per square foot

  “Single Family Home Base Fee $35.00 Plus square foot fee $.10 Living $.05 Non-living”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Township land-use permit applications.

  • The application requires complete submission; applicants must contact the Township when setback flags are in place; issuance has a minimum 24–48-hour period.

  minimum issuance period: 24-48 hours

  “All Permits are subject to a minimum of 24-48 hours before they will be issued. We will contact you when the permit is ready.”

Rules another office applies inside Southampton Township

Southampton Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• InspectionsRequired

  Structures using the Township land-use and occupancy process.

  • The source makes occupancy contingent on issuance of an Occupancy Permit after completion of the final inspection.

  “The structure may not be occupied or used in any way until the issuance of an Occupancy Permit upon completion of the final inspection.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building construction inside Southampton Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Southampton Township.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside Southampton Township.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Southampton Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Southampton 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.