Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Three Springs, Pennsylvania

Borough of Three Springs’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, enlargement, alteration, moving, demolition, or occupancy change of a building inside Three Springs borough.

  • Residential work listed in the borough-hosted UCC notice is exempt only if the work does not violate a law or ordinance.
  • The borough directs applicants to Bureau Veritas for permit applications.

  “A building permit is required for any individual who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, move, demolish or change the occupancy of any building. A building permit is NOT required for the following residential construction, repair or replacements, if the work does not violate a law or ordinance:”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Three Springs borough, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

  • The county's April 2024 municipal land-use table identifies Three Springs Borough as having no zoning ordinance adopted.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts inside Three Springs borough.

  • The county's official municipal land-use table states that Three Springs Borough has no zoning ordinance adopted.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwellings inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning standards.

  • No borough zoning ordinance is adopted; construction remains subject to the UCC and other applicable law.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Residential lots inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning standards.

  • No borough zoning ordinance is adopted; subdivision and sewage requirements may still constrain lot creation.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• SetbacksNone

  Structures inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning standards.

  • No borough zoning ordinance is adopted; subdivision, floodplain, building-code, and other requirements may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lots inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning standards.

  • No borough zoning ordinance is adopted; subdivision, floodplain, building-code, and other requirements may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Building heightNone

  Buildings inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning standards.

  • No borough zoning ordinance is adopted; UCC, floodplain, and other requirements may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning controls.

  • This finding addresses the absence of a borough zoning ordinance only; building, sewage, floodplain, and other laws may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary private-land camping inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning controls.

  • This finding addresses the absence of a borough zoning ordinance only; other applicable laws may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny-home occupancy inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning controls.

  • This finding addresses the absence of a borough zoning ordinance only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other laws may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured-home occupancy inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning controls.

  • This finding addresses the absence of a borough zoning ordinance only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other laws may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings inside Three Springs borough, as to borough zoning controls.

  • This finding addresses the absence of a borough zoning ordinance only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other laws may still apply.

  “Zoning Ordinance Adopted [...] Three Springs Borough NO NO YES NO NO NO NO”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionConditional

  Existing detached uninhabitable residential accessory structures inside Three Springs borough.

  • The borough-hosted notice lists only detached uninhabitable accessory structures under 1,000 square feet, carports, greenhouses, and historical buildings as general UCC exemptions.
  • The notice identifies these as residential-only exemptions.

  accessory structure area: < 1000 square feet (Must be detached and uninhabitable; residential only.)

  “General UCC Exemptions: • Existing buildings, detached uninhabitable accessory structures under 1,000 sq. ft., carports, greenhouses and historical buildings. (Residential only)”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development of lots, tracts, and parcels inside Three Springs borough.

  • The Borough Council's authority is stated as Article V of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
  • The borough SALDO requires compliance with the ordinance, and separate local, county, state, and federal requirements remain applicable.

  “As a result, no subdivision or land development of any lot, tract or parcel of land shall be made, no streets, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water main or other improvements in connection therewith shall be laid out, constructed, opened or dedicated for public use or travel, or for the common use of occupants buildings abutting thereon, except in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land-development applications inside Three Springs borough.

  • Applications must be submitted at least 10 days before a regular Borough Council meeting to be considered at the next meeting.
  • Incomplete applications are not considered further.
  • Borough Council action is subject to the timeframes and review procedures stated in the SALDO.

  submission lead time: >= 10 days (Before a regularly scheduled Borough Council meeting when consideration at the next meeting is sought.)

  “Applications shall be submitted to the Subdivision Administrator no less than ten (10) days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Borough Council if the application is to be considered at the next meeting. The entire packet shall be subject to a completeness evaluation by the Subdivision Administrator. Incomplete applications will not be considered for further review.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Three Springs

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Three Springs borough is subject to Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code.

  • The source identifies the UCC as statewide and states that builders in Pennsylvania must follow it.
  • Three Springs Borough's official ordinances page states that it uses Bureau Veritas for permits.

  “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”

• InspectionsRequired

  UCC-regulated construction inside Three Springs borough.

  • Inspections are necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to residential buildings and building systems.
  • The precise inspections depend on the permitted 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.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or facility subject to the UCC inside Three Springs borough before it can be used.

  • The certificate must be issued before use of the building or facility.

  “A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Individual or community sewage systems installed inside Three Springs borough.

  • The applicant may cover the system if 72 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, pass after notification of completion and the issuing body has not refused permission.

  time after notice of completion before system may be covered absent refusal: >= 72 hours (Sundays and holidays excluded.)

  “No system or structure designed to provide individual or community sewage disposal shall be covered from view until approval to cover the same has been given by the body which issued the original permit or its authorized representative. If seventy-two hours have elapsed, excepting Sundays and holidays, since the body issuing the permit received notification of completion of construction, the applicant may cover said system or structure unless permission has been refused by the issuing body.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Three Springs borough.
• Who permits septic — Individual or community sewage systems inside Three Springs borough.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Three Springs borough.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New dwellings inside Three Springs borough.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or uses inside Three Springs 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.