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

Shenango Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Placement, erection, construction, qualifying exterior alteration, addition, relocation, or removal of a principal or accessory building or structure inside Shenango Township.

  • No building permit is required for normal maintenance activities or alterations that do not change exterior dimensions, including new facing of structures.
  • Before issuance, applicable state, erosion-control, subdivision/land-development, water/sewer, on-site sewage, right-of-way, and other approvals must be obtained.

  “A Building Permit shall be required prior to the: a. Placement, erection or construction of a principal or accessory building or structure. b. Exterior alteration that changes the exterior dimensions of a building or structure or the reconstruction of a building or structure. c. Addition to a building or structure. d. Relocation or removal of a building or structure.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Permit-required work inside Shenango Township.

  • Only inspections required by permit are addressed by the Township FAQ.
  • Required inspections must be scheduled and performed by Richardson Inspection Services, LLC.

  “No. All inspections that are required by permit must be scheduled and performed by Richardson Inspection Services, LLC, at 724-406-0031.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.

  • Uses and structures must comply with the Township zoning ordinance and required permits and certificates.

  “The Building & Zoning Department administers and enforces the Township Zoning Ordinance to help ensure orderly development, protect property values, and promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the community.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-site sewage disposal associated with construction inside Shenango Township.

  • The zoning-administration provision applies where an on-site sewage disposal permit is applicable.

  “Also, if applicable, a permit for an on-site sewage disposal system has been obtained from the Township's Sewage Enforcement Office in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and all fees connected therewith, have been paid in full.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A building project inside Shenango Township for which an on-site sewage disposal system is applicable.

  • A building permit cannot be issued until the applicable on-site sewage permit has been obtained from the Township Sewage Enforcement Office and associated fees have been paid in full.

  “Also, if applicable, a permit for an on-site sewage disposal system has been obtained from the Township's Sewage Enforcement Office in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and all fees connected therewith, have been paid in full.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  A new driveway accessing a public road inside Shenango Township.

  • No permit is needed to resurface an existing driveway.

  “Yes. Any driveway that accesses a public road requires prior approval from Shenango Township’s Zoning Department. No permit is needed to resurface an existing driveway.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Shenango Township.

  • The fee varies with estimated construction value and is payable when the permit is picked up.
  • The zoning ordinance also says building-permit applications are accompanied by a fee based on the Township fee schedule unless waived by the Board of Supervisors.

  “It varies with the estimated value of the construction, and it is payable when you pick up your permit.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Shenango Township.

  • Requests must be in writing by the owner or authorized agent on the Township form and include intended use, site plan, building plan, and required agency permits.
  • The Township FAQ states that two printed plan sets are needed for residential applications and three for nonresidential applications.

  residential plan sets: 2 printed sets · nonresidential plan sets: 3 printed sets

  “All requests for Building Permits shall be made in writing by the owner or his/her authorized agent on a form furnished by the Township and shall include a statement of the intended use of the building; a Site Plan and a Building Plan, both prepared in triplicate and drawn to scale; and copies of all required County, State and/or Federal permits as approved by the appropriate agency”

Rules another office applies inside Shenango Township

Shenango Township 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)

  Structures inside Shenango Township to which Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code applies.

  • The Township states that the Uniform Construction Code exempts some structures; Township Type II permits apply to certain structures exempt from the state code for zoning purposes.

  “Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code applies to certain types of structures and requires building permits for them, while exempting others; the ones that are required are called Type I permits.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Shenango Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of residential buildings inside Shenango Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Shenango Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Shenango Township.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy on individual lots inside Shenango 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.