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

Borough of Alburtis’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy permit for new, altered or changed-use buildings inside Alburtis borough

  • Issued by the zoning officer certifying compliance with the zoning chapter
  • Granted or denied within 10 days of written application
  • Temporary permits for partial occupancy may carry conditions

  decision deadline: <= 10 days

  “an occupancy permit shall be granted or denied within ten (10) days after the zoning officer receives written application.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Alburtis borough

  • Administered by a borough zoning officer appointed by council; zoning hearing board hears appeals and special exceptions.

  “this chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the "alburtis zoning ordinance of 1975."”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Alburtis borough

  • Official zoning map is kept in the borough manager's office and governs boundaries.

  districts: R-1, R-2, R-3, C-1, L-1

  “the borough is divided into the following five (5) classes of districts: r-1 r-2 r-3 c-1 l-1 low-density residential district medium-density residential district high-density residential district commercial district light industrial-office research district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in R-1 low-density residential district

  • Applies unless DEP requires larger lots
  • R-2, R-3 not checked

  minimum lot area: >= 8000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 80 ft

  “single-family detached dwelling, sectional or modular house 8,000 ft2 80 35 35”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Principal uses in R-1 low-density residential district

  • Columns read front yard, side yard (one / both), rear yard

  front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard, one: >= 10 ft · side yards, both: >= 20 ft · rear yard: >= 25 ft

  “the following are the minimum yard requirements for principal uses in the r-1 district. front yard side yard (feet) rear yard principal use (feet) one both (feet) all uses 25 10 20 25”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in R-1 low-density residential district

  • Column order read from table header: maximum building coverage (%) then maximum building height (feet)

  maximum building coverage: <= 35 percent

  “single-family detached dwelling, sectional or modular house 8,000 ft2 80 35 35”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in R-1 low-density residential district

  • Column order read from table header

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “single-family detached dwelling, sectional or modular house 8,000 ft2 80 35 35”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  R-1 low-density residential district inside Alburtis borough

  • Single-family detached dwelling by right must not be a mobile home (sectional or modular allowed)
  • Mobile home on an individual lot is a conditional use needing planning commission review and council approval

  “single-family detached dwelling, not a mobile home, but including a sectional or modular dwelling.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  All uses in the R-1 low-density residential district inside Alburtis borough

  • Applies to the existing public centralized systems
  • Other districts (R-2, R-3, C-1, L-1) not checked

  “all uses in the r-1 district shall hook up with the existing public centralized water and sewerage systems.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning fees inside Alburtis borough

  • Schedule of fees is posted in the zoning officer's office
  • No action on an application until fees are paid
  • Hearing base fees are $425 residential and $875 other, nonrefundable, plus advertising, notice and other costs; zoning permit fee amount not read

  “the schedule of fees shall be posted in the office of the zoning officer.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits inside Alburtis borough

  • Permit issued by zoning officer only in conformity with the chapter or on a zoning hearing board order
  • Special exceptions go to the zoning hearing board; conditional uses to planning commission and council
  • Construction/UCC permit process not reviewed

  “no building, structure, or sign shall be erected, constructed, moved, added to, or structurally altered, nor shall land be put to any use, nor shall the use of such land be changed, without a permit therefor, issued by the zoning officer.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Alburtis borough
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Alburtis borough
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Alburtis borough
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Alburtis borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Alburtis borough

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.