Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Penn Lake Park, Pennsylvania

Borough of Penn Lake Park’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Building work inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • A building permit application is posted; the borough links a list of PA UCC exclusions and exemptions for work that needs no building permit.

  “pa uniform construction code exclusions and exemptions lists the type of work or improvements which would not require a person to secure a building permit”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Penn Lake Park borough; borough lists a UCC amendment ordinance and building inspectors

  • Only a link title was seen; ordinance text not opened.

  “ordinance_number 3 - amendment ucc building inspectors zoning officer is: barry jacobs”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • Borough page lists a zoning officer and a zoning hearing board for appeals; ordinance text itself was not opened.

  “download zoning documents: penn lake park borough zoning ordinance”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • District table and map are downloads linked from the borough page; contents not opened.

  “zoning district regulations table zoning map zoning fee schedule wetlands ordinance”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • Ordinance text not opened; only the posted ordinance and fee schedule titles seen.

  “subdivision and land ordinances schedule of fees subdivision and land development ordinance”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • Borough posts annual short-term rental permit applications (2024-2026) and a short term rental ordinance; terms not opened.

  “short term rental permit application - 2026 short term rental permit application - 2025 short term rental permit application - 2024”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning and subdivision fees inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • Amounts not opened; a 2025 ordinance increased the zoning permit application fee.

  “ordinance #2 of 2025 - increase zoning permit application”

• Permit processPublished

  Permit applications inside Penn Lake Park borough

  • Zoning hearing board appeals take about 3-4 weeks to a hearing after submission.

  “once the application is submitted, it usually takes 3 - 4 weeks to the actual hearing date.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Penn Lake Park or Luzerne County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Penn Lake Park borough
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Penn Lake Park borough
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Penn Lake Park borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Penn Lake Park borough
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Penn Lake Park 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.