Bolthole Index

Fulton County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Union Township, Pennsylvania

Union Township in Fulton County, Pennsylvania requires a UCC building permit before covered construction begins, although the township has no local zoning.12 The township is an opt-in UCC municipality, and its Sewage Enforcement Officer handles local on-lot sewage administration.34

At a glance

Building permit
Required before work covered by Pennsylvania's UCC1
Zoning
No local zoning in Union Township2
Septic
On-lot sewage permits go through the local Sewage Enforcement Officer54
Subdivision
Union Township approval and county planning review can apply67
Minimum home size
No zoning-based minimum dwelling size8
RV or tiny home
Occupancy rules could not be confirmed; ask the township and sewage officer24

Who to call

Building permits

Union Township Building Code Official

UCC building-code administration for opt-in Union Township

(717) 262-0081

Planning & zoning

Union Township Municipal Office

Township subdivision, land-development, floodplain, stormwater and municipal questions

717-375-5446

6093 Buck Valley Road, Warfordsburg, PA 17267

Septic permits

Union Township Sewage Enforcement Officer — JWP Environmental, Inc.

On-lot sewage permitting and enforcement inside Union Township

(717) 328-5769

9885 Reeder Rd., P.O. Box 240, Mercersburg, PA 17236

Planning & zoning

Fulton County Planning & Mapping Department

County subdivision review, planning, mapping and parcel-orientation questions

717-485-3717

[email protected]

116 West Market Street, Suite 203, McConnellsburg, PA 17233

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Union 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 Union Township, Pennsylvania?

Yes. Union Township requires a UCC building permit before construction or building work covered by Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code begins.1 Pennsylvania's statewide code applies even though Union Township has no local zoning.92

Pennsylvania lists Union Township as an opt-in UCC municipality and provides the Building Code Official's phone number.3 Call that office for the current application, fee, plans and inspection schedule before covered work begins.3

Covered construction and changes to residential buildings and regulated systems require inspections in several cases.10 A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a covered building or facility is used.11

Does Union Township have zoning, lot-size or setback rules?

Union Township has no local zoning; Fulton County identifies McConnellsburg Borough as the county municipality with zoning.2 Union Township therefore has no zoning-based minimum dwelling size, general minimum lot size, general setback, lot-coverage cap or building-height limit.812131415

No zoning does not mean no land rules. Union Township regulates subdivision and land development, and plans must receive township approval and be recorded before covered sales, building or grading proceeds.16 The township also publishes stormwater and floodplain ordinances through its county-hosted municipal page.17

An agricultural land division into parcels larger than 10 acres is exempt from the subdivision definition only when it involves no new street or access easement; that exemption does not waive other rules.18

How do septic permits work inside Union Township?

Union Township's Sewage Enforcement Officer is the local contact for on-lot sewage permitting and enforcement.419 Local agencies issue permits for retaining tanks and individual or community on-lot sewage systems, subject to the stated large-volume exception.5

An on-lot sewage system may not be covered until the local agency conducts a final inspection and gives written approval.20 Only 3.9% of Fulton County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so confirm parcel-level feasibility before fixing a homesite.21

For a subdivision, mobilehome park or land development, the township ordinance requires connection when public sanitary sewer is available within 1,000 feet and has capacity; separate alternatives apply when connection is not feasible.22

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Union Township?

Union Township has no local zoning, but we could not confirm a township rule resolving long-term RV occupancy or temporary camping.2 Ask the Township Municipal Office how the proposed use is treated and ask the Sewage Enforcement Officer what sewage approval is required before using an RV as living quarters.1719

A site-built tiny home has no zoning-based minimum dwelling size in Union Township.8 A tiny home treated as a building or dwelling can still require a UCC building permit, inspections, a certificate of occupancy and approved sewage disposal.110115

Building a home in Union Township: what are the steps?

  1. Call Union Township's Building Code Official for the current UCC building-permit application, fee and plan requirements.3
  1. Contact the Sewage Enforcement Officer before fixing the house location and confirm the on-lot sewage application, testing and inspection path.419
  1. Ask the Township Municipal Office whether the proposal triggers subdivision, land-development, stormwater or floodplain review.617
  1. If the project is a subdivision, mobilehome park or land development, determine whether the public sewer and water connection provisions apply.23
  1. Obtain the UCC building permit before covered work begins and arrange the required inspections.110
  1. Obtain the UCC certificate of occupancy before using the completed building.11

What should you check before buying land in Union Township?

Confirm whether a parcel split or development proposal requires Union Township approval and Fulton County Planning Commission review.67 Fulton County Planning & Mapping can answer county-review and mapping questions, while final municipal approval remains with the township.724

Check sewage feasibility early because Fulton County's soil rating is unfavorable for conventional drain fields.21 Ask the Sewage Enforcement Officer for the parcel-level testing and permit path.19

For a private homeowner well, the state driller-license and rig-permit requirement does not apply when a homeowner drills on owned or leased land, but we could not confirm a separate Union Township well rule.25 Ask the Township Municipal Office before drilling.17 A driveway connecting to state-highway land requires a PennDOT highway-occupancy permit.26

Watch-outs

  • No Union Township zoning does not mean no approvals: UCC building permits, sewage permits and subdivision review still apply.2156
  • Only 3.9% of Fulton County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so make sewage feasibility an early parcel-level check.21
  • Long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping and tiny-home-on-wheels rules remain unconfirmed; ask the Township Municipal Office and Sewage Enforcement Officer before relying on those uses.1719
  • The absence of zoning setbacks does not override subdivision, floodplain, stormwater, sewage or building-code requirements.13161759

Sources

  1. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Union Township Building Code Official (pa.gov)
  4. Union Township (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Union Township (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Union Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - June 1982 (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Fulton County Planning Commission Subdivision/Land Development Review Policy, quoted and re-checked
  8. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Uniform Construction Code (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Planning Commission - Frequently Asked Questions (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. The Union Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - June 1982 (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Union Township Municipal Office (co.fulton.pa.us)
  18. The Union Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - June 1982 (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Union Township Sewage Enforcement Officer — JWP Environmental, Inc. (co.fulton.pa.us)
  20. 25 Pa. Code § 72.30 Inspection (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  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. The Union Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - June 1982 (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. The Union Township Subdivision, Mobilehome Park, and Land Development Ordinance of 1982 (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Fulton County Planning & Mapping Department (co.fulton.pa.us)
  25. Private Water Wells (Union Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, quoted and re-checked

Written October 9, 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 Union Township

Union Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningAbsent

    Land inside Union Township, Fulton County.

    • The Fulton County official FAQ identifies McConnellsburg Borough as the municipality with zoning; the conclusion is applied to Union Township.
    • Subdivision, floodplain, septic, building-code, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeNone

    Dwelling size inside Union Township; no zoning district applies.

    • No zoning-based minimum dwelling-size rule was located; building-code minimums and other safety requirements may still apply.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • Minimum lot sizeNone

    Minimum lot size from zoning inside Union Township; no zoning district applies.

    • The Union Township SALDO may impose subdivision and development standards even though zoning is absent.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • SetbacksNone

    Zoning setbacks inside Union Township; no zoning district applies.

    • Subdivision, road, floodplain, building-code, or other non-zoning setbacks may still apply.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • Lot coverageNone

    Zoning lot-coverage limits inside Union Township; no zoning district applies.

    • Non-zoning stormwater, subdivision, and building requirements may apply.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • Building heightNone

    Zoning building-height limits inside Union Township; no zoning district applies.

    • Building-code, floodplain, airport, and other non-zoning restrictions may apply.
    “Q: Is there zoning in any of the municipalities? A: McConnellsburg Borough”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage permitting and enforcement inside Union Township.

    • Union Township's official county page identifies a Sewage Enforcement Officer for the township.
    • Pennsylvania's Act 537 framework treats a municipality or joint agency as the local agency responsible for on-lot permitting and enforcement.
    “Sewage Enforcement Officer Jonathan Piper JWP Environmental, Inc.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Retaining tanks and individual or community on-lot sewage systems inside Union Township.

    • Local agencies issue permits for retaining tanks and individual or community on-lot sewage systems.
    • The source states an exception for large volume on-lot systems.
    • The township's listed Sewage Enforcement Officer administers local sewage enforcement services.
    “local agencies are responsible for issuing permits for retaining tanks”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Proposed subdivisions, mobilehome parks, and land developments inside Union Township.

    • If a public sanitary sewer system is available within 1,000 feet of the proposed subdivision, mobilehome park, or land development, the developer must design and install a system connected to the public system serving every property.
    • Plans and installations must be inspected and approved by the service authority or company and/or the Engineer.
    • The requirement is waived if the public sewer/water system lacks sufficient capacity.
    • If connection is not possible, private-system feasibility must be investigated; if neither public nor private alternatives are possible or feasible, an individual sewage disposal system is required.
    • If a public sewer is planned for extension within 1,000 feet, sewer lines and laterals must be installed and capped, with on-site disposal facilities also provided; that requirement is also waived for insufficient capacity.
    • The cited rule addresses subdivisions, mobilehome parks, and land developments rather than every standalone new home.

    public sewer availability distance: <= 1000 feet (The requirement is waived if the public sewer/water system does not have sufficient capacity to serve the proposed project.)

    “If a public sanitary sewer system is available (within one thousand feet (1000'0") of the proposed subdivision, mobilehome park, or land development) the subdivider or developer shall design and install a system which shall be connected to the public system and which shall serve every property. All plans and installations shall be inspected and approved by the authority or company providing the service and/or the Engineer.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Conditional — Subdivision, mobilehome park, or land development inside Union Township.
      “If a public sanitary sewer system is available (within one thousand feet (1000'0") of the proposed subdivision, mobilehome park, or land development) the subdivider or developer shall design and install a system which shall be connected to the public system and which shall serve every property.”
    • Conditional — Subdivision, mobilehome park, or land development within Union Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania.
      “If a public sanitary sewer system is available [...] shall be connected to the public system and [...] shall serve every property.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Division of land for agricultural purposes within Union Township under the 1982 subdivision ordinance.

    • The exemption applies only to parcels of more than ten acres.
    • The division must not involve a new street or easement of access.
    • This is an exemption from the ordinance's subdivision definition/control and is not a general exemption from other applicable laws or permits.

    parcel size: > 10 acres (Agricultural-purpose division without a new street or easement of access.)

    “Provided, however, that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than ten (10) acres, not involving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Available (with conditions) — Division of land for agricultural purposes inside Union Township.
      “Provided, however, that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than ten (10) acres, not involving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.”
    • Conditional — Division of land for agricultural purposes under Union Township's 1982 subdivision ordinance.
      “Provided, however, that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than ten (10) acres, not involving any new street or easement of access, shall be exempted.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Union Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania.

    • Plans must be approved by the Township Board and recorded.
    • Required improvements must be constructed or guaranteed as required by the ordinance.
    • The ordinance permits reasonable exceptions based on an approved preliminary plan when not contrary to the public interest and subject to conditions ensuring adequate streets and public improvements.
    • Agricultural divisions into parcels of more than 10 acres that involve no new street or access easement are exempt from the ordinance's subdivision definition.

    agricultural division exemption threshold: > 10 acres (The division must not involve a new street or easement of access.)

    “no subdivision or development of any lot, tract, or parcel of land within the Township shall be made”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Rules another office applies inside Union Township

Union 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 permitRequired

    Construction or building work inside Union Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

    • A property owner or authorized representative must obtain a UCC building permit before beginning construction or building work.
    • Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may proceed without a permit if an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.
    “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work. Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs. Additionally, manufactured and industrialized housing projects require inspections for site preparation, foundation construction, repairs, and changes in occupancy. A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used. However, emergency repairs or equipment replacements can be made without a permit as long as an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Required — Construction and building work in Union Township regulated by the Pennsylvania UCC.
      “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work. Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs.”
    • Required — Construction and building work in Union Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.
      “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction in Union Township under Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code.

    • Local enforcement may be by the municipality or certified third-party agencies; Pennsylvania states that over 90% of municipalities administer and enforce the UCC locally.
    • The 2018 I-Code revisions have an effective date of February 14, 2022.
    • Pennsylvania's 2025 triennial UCC update has an effective date of January 1, 2026.
    “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Adopted (with conditions) — Construction in Union Township subject to Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.
      “The Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC) regulates the codes and standards of building projects in the Commonwealth.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction and changes to commercial or residential buildings and regulated building systems in Union Township.

    • The state page identifies inspections as necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and swimming pools or hot tubs.
    • The source does not establish that every possible project requires the same inspection sequence.
    “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Covered construction and building-system work in Union Township.
      “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of a building or facility inside Union Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

    • A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.
    • The cited page provides an emergency-repair exception to the permit requirement, but does not state an exception to the certificate-of-occupancy requirement.
    “must be issued before a building or facility can be used”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Individual or community on-lot sewage systems in Union Township.

    • The system must be inspected, approved, and covered before the structure is occupied.
    • The applicant must notify the local agency when installation is complete and ready for inspection.
    • After 72 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, the applicant may cover the system unless written approval to cover has been refused.

    notice period before possible covering without written approval: 72 hours (Excludes Sundays and holidays)

    “No part of an individual or community onlot sewage system may be covered until a final inspection is conducted and final written approval is given by the local agency.”
  • Well permitNot required

    Private homeowner water wells inside Union Township, to the extent no separate local rule applies.

    • Pennsylvania DEP states it does not regulate private wells.
    • Pennsylvania's water-well driller licensing and rig-permit requirement does not apply to farmers or homeowners who drill their own wells on their own or leased land.
    • Public water-supply wells and commercial drilling are treated differently.
    “This does not apply to farmers or homeowners who drill their own water wells on their own or leased land.”
  • Permit processPartial

    UCC construction-permit applications inside Union Township, subject to the applicable municipal, third-party, or Department administration arrangement.

    • For one-family and two-family dwelling units and utility or miscellaneous-use structures, applications generally must be granted or denied within 15 business days.
    • If plans are prepared by a licensed or registered design professional and include the required certification, the period is 5 business days.
    • Applications for certificates of occupancy for one-family and two-family dwelling units and miscellaneous-use structures generally must be granted or denied within 5 business days after receipt of a compliant final inspection report.
    • Other construction permits generally must be granted or denied within 30 business days.
    • The statute permits municipal, joint municipal, contracted, third-party, or Department administration in specified circumstances; the source does not identify Union Township's actual administrator.

    standard residential permit decision period: 15 business days (Five business days when the plans are prepared by a licensed or registered design professional and include the required certification.) · certified residential permit decision period: 5 business days (Plans must be prepared by a licensed or registered design professional and include certification.) · other construction permit decision period: 30 business days (Municipalities may establish different time limits for historic districts.)

    “within 15 business days of the filing date”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work in Union Township.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Union Township.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Union Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Union Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Union Township.
7 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Union Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Fulton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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