Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Jefferson, Pennsylvania

Borough of Jefferson’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, removing, or demolishing a building, structure, dwelling, or dwelling unit within Jefferson Borough.

  • No renovation/demolition permit is required for maintenance or repair costing less than $500; Council may change that threshold by resolution.
  • When the UCC requires a building permit for the same work, that building permit satisfies the renovation/demolition-permit requirement.

  maintenance-or-repair cost threshold: < 500 USD (No permit required below this amount; Council may change the threshold by resolution.)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, remove or demolish any building, structure, dwelling, or dwelling unit within the limits of the Borough unless a permit therefor shall be first secured from the Zoning Officer.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction code administration within Jefferson Borough.

  • The referenced Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.

  “The Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Jefferson Borough Building Code (hereinafter "Code").”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Jefferson Borough, York County, Pennsylvania.

  • The official Borough site identifies eCode360 as its Codification of Ordinances.

  “The Borough is divided into zones enumerated below and shown on the map entitled "Zoning Map of Jefferson Borough," which map is part of this chapter.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Single-family and two-family dwelling units inside Jefferson Borough.

  • Multifamily dwellings and two-family conversions have a 600-square-foot-per-dwelling-unit minimum under the same section.

  minimum habitable floor area: 800 square feet per dwelling unit (Single-family and two-family dwellings.)

  “All dwelling units must conform to the minimum habitable floor area as follows: A. Single-family and two-family dwellings: 800 square feet per dwelling unit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land-development plans inside Jefferson Borough.

  • The Borough Planning Commission reviews plans and makes recommendations; Borough Council has final authority.
  • Plans must also be submitted to York County Planning Commission for advisory review before Borough Council final approval.

  “All plans for subdivision and land development within the Borough shall first be submitted to the Borough Planning Commission, which shall be empowered to review said plans either alone or jointly with the Borough Council, and shall make recommendations to the Council as to its approval (whether conditional or final) or rejection of any plan.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Borough construction-code administration and enforcement fees.

  • Fees are established by Borough Council resolution from time to time.

  “Fees assessable by the Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the Code shall be established by the Borough Council by resolution from time to time.”

• Permit processPartial

  Borough zoning and subdivision/land-development applications.

  • The page addresses applications referring to the zoning and subdivision/land-development ordinances; it does not provide a complete construction-code permit workflow.

  “The Jefferson Borough applications that refer to our Zoning and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinances are listed below. Our ordinances can be found on our tab “Codification of Ordinances” for any reference you may need. Click the appropriate application below and print for your convenience. All applications are to be sent to:”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Jefferson or Greene County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Jefferson Borough.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Jefferson Borough.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of residential construction inside Jefferson Borough.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Jefferson Borough.
• Setbacks — Residential development inside Jefferson Borough.

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.