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

Caernarvon Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA (not the county's unincorporated area and not the separate Caernarvon Township in Berks County). The township administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The township's Policies & forms page lists the zoning ordinance as adopted 1991 with amendments through Ordinance #85 (February 6, 2006), and later amendments listed separately (2010 amendment, 2013 agricultural uses, 2023 short-term rental, 2018 floor area update).
  • Dimensional standards and use tables were not opened; see the unknown dimensional claims.
  • Some agenda documents refer to an R-1 Residential district and an AG Agricultural district; those names were seen only in search snippets and are not verified here.

  “zoning ordinance caernarvon township zoning ordinance adopted 1991, with amendments through ordinance #85, adopted february 6, 2006”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

  • The township publishes a zoning map as PDF and PNG download; the district boundaries were not opened.

  “zoning map download zoning map pdf, png zoning ordinance caernarvon township zoning ordinance adopted 1991”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot (septic) sewage systems for land inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

  • The township handles on-lot sewage through its Sewage Enforcement Officer, whose monthly reports go to the township Board of Supervisors (2020 reports reviewed).
  • The township's Act 537 plan and its septic pumping/sewage management ordinance (adopted December 16, 2013 per the township page) govern on-lot systems.
  • The state (PA DEP, Sewage Facilities Act) is the underlying framework; this claim names the township as the local administrator as shown by the 2020 SEO reports. The current SEO and current contact were not verified.

  “re: monthly sewage enforcement officer (seo) report”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

  • Governed by the township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance adopted December 21, 2015 (per the township page; text not opened).

  “108 subdivision and land development ordinance adopted december 21, 2015”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township fees for storm water, on-lot sewage disposal, and subdivision/land development work in Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

  • The fee schedules are linked from the township page but were not opened; amounts are not stated here.
  • Building permit fees not separately identified on the page.

  “fees storm water management fees on-lot sewage disposal system fees saldo and land development fees”

• Permit processPartial

  Permit applications for land inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

  • The township posts downloadable application forms (stormwater, sign, trash, demolition, home occupation, farm occupation, sewage disposal, short-term rental) but the page does not give the step-by-step process.
  • Zoning hearing board application listed separately.

  “stormwater management plan application stormwater management plan application (appendix c) trash program permit application”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building on their own land in Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA
• Building code adopted — Whether Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-1 Residential and AG Agricultural districts inside Caernarvon township, Lancaster County, PA

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.