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

Borough of Turbotville’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Turbotville borough, Northumberland County

  • Ordinance is enacted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code
  • The borough's ordinance page lists it among the current borough ordinances; the posted copy is titled 2014 and may have later amendments not reviewed

  “below are the current borough ordinances for your convenience burning ordinance soliciting ordinance vehicle restriction parking street excavation ordinance grass ordinance zoning ordinance”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Turbotville borough

  • Districts per the table of contents: Residential Urban (RU), Residential Town (RT), Downtown Commercial (CD), Highway Commercial (HC), Commercial/Manufacturing (CM), Open Space (OS)
  • Traditional neighborhood development is a conditional use; open-space/conservation subdivision in Article VII

  “section 401 -residential urban (ru) section 402 - residential town (rt) section 403 - downtown commercial (cd) section 404 - highway commercial (hc) section 405 - commercial/manufacturing (cm) section 406 - classification of commercial uses section 407- open space (os)”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the district whose section precedes Section 402 (Residential Urban, Section 401 per the table of contents) inside Turbotville borough

  • Central water and sewage is required
  • Net lot area
  • Other types differ: single family attached 4,000 sq ft; two family 7,000 sq ft; public/semi-public 20,000 sq ft
  • RT and other districts not extracted

  minimum lot area, single family detached: 5000 square feet · minimum lot width: 50 feet · minimum lot depth: 100 feet

  “a. single family detached dwellings. (1). minimum lot area - 5,000 square feet. (2). minimum lot width - 50 feet. (3). minimum lot depth - 100 feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings in the district whose section precedes Section 402 (Residential Urban, Section 401) inside Turbotville borough

  • Measured from the edge of the public right of way, or the property line if none
  • Front yard is the greater of 25 feet or the average of buildings on the two adjoining lots

  front yard: >= 25 feet (or average of adjoining buildings if greater) · each side yard: 8 feet · rear yard: 30 feet

  “1. front yard - the greater of 25 feet or the average of the buildings on the two adjoining lots. 2. each side yard - 8 feet. 3. rear yard - 30 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the district whose section precedes Section 402 (Residential Urban, Section 401) inside Turbotville borough

  • 45% if on-lot stormwater management is utilized

  maximum impervious coverage: <= 40 percent of gross lot area (45% with on-lot stormwater management)

  “1. maximum impervious coverage - 40 per cent of total gross lot area. (45% if on lot storm water management is utilized.)”

• Building heightSpecified

  Residential structures in the district whose section precedes Section 402 (Residential Urban, Section 401) inside Turbotville borough

  • Measured above natural grade
  • Church structures 80 ft; public/semi-public 50 ft; inns/B&Bs 35 ft

  maximum height, residential structures: <= 35 feet

  “2. maximum building height above natural grade. a. residential structures - 35 feet. b. church structures - 80 feet. c. inns or bed and breakfast establishments - 35 feet. d. public or semi-public uses - 50 feet.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage disposal for any dwelling or other building inside Turbotville borough

  • Facilities must meet Pennsylvania DEP minimum requirements

  “shall be provided with a safe and sanitary means of collection and treatment or disposal of sewage. such facilities shall conform to the minimum requirements set forth by the pennsylvania department of environmental protection.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New lots in the residential district whose section precedes Section 402 (Residential Urban, Section 401 per the table of contents) inside Turbotville borough

  • Other districts' water/sewer rules (e.g. CM requires central sewer and water for all uses) were not fully reviewed
  • No distance-to-main rule was found

  central water and sewage: required

  “1. minimum lot requirements (central water and sewage is required). - all minimum lot areas refer to net lot area as defined in this ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Turbotville borough
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Turbotville borough
• Building code adopted — Building code in Turbotville borough
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Turbotville borough
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Turbotville 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.