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

Scott Township’s own rules

• InspectionsRequired

  Property for which a Township zoning permit has been issued.

  • The Zoning Officer or duly appointed representative performs the inspections.
  • The minimum inspections occur at the beginning and completion of construction.

  “It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer, or his duly appointed representative, to make the following minimum number of inspections on property for which a permit has been issued:”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Vacant land and structures erected, structurally altered, or changed in use within Scott Township.

  • The Township calls the instrument a Certificate of Use.
  • For new buildings or alterations, application is concurrent with the building-permit application.

  “No vacant land shall be occupied or used, and no structure or part of a structure, hereafter erected, structurally altered or changed in use shall be occupied or used, until a Certificate of Use shall have been regularly issued therefore by the Zoning Officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Scott Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.

  • The Township's official zoning ordinance regulates uses and development by zoning district.

  “Scott Township has a Zoning ordinance and a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, as well as several other health and safety ordinances.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within Scott Township.

  • A Floodplain Overlay District also exists for identified floodplain areas.

  “RD - Residential District RU - Rural District NB -Neighborhood Business District DD - Development District ID - Industrial District”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Occupancy in recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds within Scott Township.

  • The rule concerns campgrounds, recreational vehicle parks, primitive camping facilities, and similar facilities.
  • Such facilities must comply with Township subdivision and land-development requirements and are required to have central water and central sewage facilities.

  “for the purpose of providing a site for travel trailers, truck campers, camper trailers, motor homes and tents, for temporary occupancy.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Campgrounds, primitive camping facilities, and similar facilities within Scott Township.

  • The cited rule covers facilities used for temporary occupancy.
  • Recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds are recreational land developments subject to Township requirements.

  “Campgrounds, recreational vehicle parks, primitive camping facilities and other similar facilities shall fall under this definition.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Assisted-care accessory dwelling units for relatives in the RU Rural District.

  • Permitted only in RU Rural Districts.
  • The unit is temporary and requires applicable zoning permits plus a renewable annual accessory-use permit.
  • Occupancy is limited to a relative of a permanent resident who needs care because of old age or illness.

  “Assisted care dwelling units as regulated by this Section 425 shall be permitted only in RU - Rural Districts.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Properties subject to Scott Township's on-lot inspection program.

  • The program is mandated by DEP.
  • The page states a $175.00 fee paid by the Township to KBA for mailings, inspections, and record keeping.

  on-lot inspection program fee: 175 USD (Paid by the Township to KBA for mailings, inspections and record keeping.)

  “The onlot inspection program is mandated by DEP. The 175.00 Fee is paid to KBA by the Township for the mailings, inspections and record keeping.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural fences within Scott Township.

  • Agricultural fences remain subject to clear-sight-triangle requirements.
  • This claim does not establish a general agricultural exemption from all permits or zoning standards.

  “The installation of all fences shall require a permit, except fences used for agricultural purposes.”

• Shed and accessory-building permit exemptionConditional

  Accessory uses within Scott Township that do not involve new structures or structural changes to existing buildings.

  • The exemption does not apply where a new structure or structural change is involved.
  • Accessory buildings over 125 square feet are expressly included in the permit requirement.

  “No Zoning Permit shall be required in cases or normal maintenance activities, minor repairs or alterations which do not structurally change a building or structure, nor in the case of accessory uses which do not involve new structures or structural changes to existing buildings.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions, land developments, and resubdivisions within Scott Township.

  • The Planning Commission receives delegated approval authority, while specified public-improvement powers remain reserved to the Board of Supervisors.

  “Without limitation, in the exercise of this power, the following are subject to the provisions hereof: A. Any subdivision. B. Any land development. C. Any resubdivision.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits, special permits, variances, and other matters under the Scott Township Zoning Ordinance.

  • Fees, charges, and expenses are established by the Board of Supervisors and posted in the Zoning Officer's office.
  • Permits, special exceptions, and variances issue only after fees are paid in full.

  “Said schedule of fees shall be posted in the office of the Zoning Officer.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Township zoning and building permit applications.

  • Applications must include a duplicate plot sketch and specified site, building, use, and dwelling-unit information.
  • Uses requiring subdivision approval cannot receive a zoning permit until preliminary subdivision approval is granted.

  “All applications for permits shall be accompanied by plot sketch in duplicate, drawn to show the actual shape and dimensions of the lot to be built upon, the exact size and location of any buildings existing on the lot, the lines within which the proposed building or structure shall be erected or altered, the existing and intended use of each building or part of a building, the number of families or dwelling units the building is designed to accommodate and such information as may be necessary to detennine compliance -with this Ordinance and all other pertinent ordinances.”

Rules another office applies inside Scott Township

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

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  RD Residential District within Scott Township.

  • Where central water supply and central sewage disposal facilities are provided, minimum RD lot size may be reduced to 30,000 square feet.

  minimum lot area: 1 acre (May be reduced to 30,000 square feet in RD where central water supply and central sewage disposal facilities are provided.)

  “A. In the RD District, if central water supply and central sewage disposal facilities are provided, the minimum lot size may be reduced to 30,000 square feet and the minimum average width and minimum depth both may be reduced to 100 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RU Rural District within Scott Township.

    “ZONING DISTRICT RU RD I DD NB ID MINIMUM LOT AREA (ACRES) 1 1 1 1 1”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  RD Residential District within Scott Township.

  • Supplementary regulations may establish additional or differing standards for specific uses.

  minimum front yard: 35 feet · minimum side yard: 20 feet · minimum rear yard: 20 feet

  “MINIMUM FRONT YARD (FT) 35 35 50 35 50 MINIMUM SIDE YARD (FT) 20 20 25 25 25 MINIMUM REARY ARD (FT) 20 20 25 25 25”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RU Rural District within Scott Township.

    “MINIMUM FRONT YARD (FT) 35 35 50 35 50 MINIMUM SIDE YARD (FT) 20 20 25 25 25 MINIMUM REARY ARD (FT) 20 20 25 25 25”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  RD Residential District within Scott Township.

  • Supplementary regulations may establish additional or differing standards for specific uses.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE(%) 25 25 50 25 50 NOTES:”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RU Rural District within Scott Township.

    “MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE(%) 25 25 50 25 50 NOTES:”

• Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

  RD Residential District within Scott Township.

  • The schedule's height exceptions apply to listed features and structures, including certain agricultural structures and limited appurtenances.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (Subject to the schedule's height exceptions.)

  “MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHr (FT) 35 35 35 35 35”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — RU Rural District within Scott Township.

    “MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHr (FT) 35 35 35 35 35”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Scott Township Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zone A) within the Floodplain Overlay District.

  • The overlay boundaries are congruent with identified Special Flood Hazard Areas on specified federal flood-hazard maps.
  • Development must completely comply with the Township Building Registration Ordinance (Floodplain Development Standards), as amended.

  “This District shall be an overlay zone in which the normal provisions of the District indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall apply except that no development shall be permitted which is not completely in accord with the provisions of the Scott Township Building Registration Ordinance (Floodplain Development Standards) as amended.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction within Scott Township.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction within Scott Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings within Scott Township zoning districts.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy within Scott Township.
• Septic permit — Installation or alteration of on-lot sewage systems within Scott 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.