Bolthole Index

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania

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

Borough of Olyphant is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Borough of Olyphant adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Borough of Olyphant’s rules apply, not the county’s. 3 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on November 12, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Lackawanna County page.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Olyphant

Borough of Olyphant’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Olyphant borough, Lackawanna County, PA

    • Source is a draft amendment (ordinance number and adoption date blank) posted on the borough website; it refers to the existing Zoning Ordinance of 2019 as amended.
    • Text of the 2019 ordinance itself was not located.
    “an ordinance amending the borough of olyphant zoning ordinance of 2019, and all subsequent amendments”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts inside Olyphant borough; only the CM-2 district is named in the located text

    • Only a draft amendment was found; full district list and map were not located.
    • Draft adds data centers as a conditional use in CM-2 (Schedule I, Article V section 504).
    “the provisions and requirements for data center(s) shall be in addition to the large scale mixed commercial/manufacturing district (cm-2)”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Olyphant

Borough of Olyphant 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

    Construction inside Olyphant borough; the state UCC applies statewide

    • Whether Olyphant borough administers the UCC itself or has opted out to third-party agencies was not confirmed.
    • County contact sheet lists Building Inspection Underwriters as building inspector, which was not opened as evidence for this claim.
    “pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the uniform construction code (ucc), has to be followed by builders in the state.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Olyphant borough
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Olyphant borough
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Olyphant borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Olyphant borough
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Olyphant borough
22 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Borough of Olyphant publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lackawanna County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Olyphant means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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