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

Scott Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Additions and new construction inside Scott Township.

  • The Township calls the required approval a Structure Site Permit.

  “Structure Site Permits are required for additions and new construction.”

• Building code adoptedNot adopted

  Township adoption of a building code for land inside Scott Township.

  • This finding concerns Township adoption; it does not determine any separate state-administered construction requirement.

  “Structure Site Permit Ordinance X Building Code X”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Building lots inside Scott Township.

  • The official Township page states this rule for a building lot; it does not identify districts or exceptions.

  minimum building-lot area: >= 1 acre

  “A building lot needs to be at least one acre.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage permitting and enforcement for land inside Scott Township.

  • Pennsylvania's program assigns permits for covered on-lot systems to the local agency through its sewage enforcement officer.
  • parameters omitted

  “Sewage Officer: Mourice Waltz 724-962-9848”

• Septic permitRequired

  Individual or community on-lot sewage systems and buildings to be served by them inside Scott Township.

  • The rule excepts circumstances in 25 Pa. Code § 72.22(c)-(e).
  • Large-volume on-lot systems are excluded from this local-agency permitting provision and require Department permits.
  • Scott Township's listed sewage enforcement officer administers the local-agency function.

  “No person may install, award a contract for construction or construct an individual or community onlot sewage system [...] without first obtaining a permit”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Individual or community on-lot sewage systems installed inside Scott Township.

  • No part of the system may be covered before final inspection and final written local-agency approval.
  • The system must be inspected, approved, and covered before structure occupancy.

  “No part of an individual or community onlot sewage system may be covered until a final inspection is conducted”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Water-conservation toilets used with an existing on-lot system inside Scott Township.

  • A permit is not required only where the existing on-lot system will not be altered.
  • This does not authorize construction or alteration of an on-lot sewage system without the otherwise-required local permit.

  “A permit is not required for the installation of a recycling toilet, incinerating toilet, composting toilet or other type of water conservation device”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land-development proposals inside Scott Township.

  • Lawrence County states that municipalities with their own subdivision and land-development ordinance have approval power.
  • Scott Township is included in the County's official list of municipalities that adopted such an ordinance.

  “Scott Township, Shenango Township, Slippery Rock Township, Taylor Township, Union Township, Wayne Township, and Wilmington Township”

• Permit processPartial

  Structure-site permits for additions and new construction inside Scott Township.

  • The official page establishes the permit prerequisite but does not publish a complete application, review, inspection, or issuance process.

  “Structure Site Permits are required for additions and new construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking residential construction inside Scott Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Scott Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Scott Township.
• Living in an RV — Long-term recreational-vehicle occupancy on private land inside Scott Township.
• Well permit — Private wells inside 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.