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

Lackawaxen Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New homes, additions, decks, porches, finished basements, detached garages and sheds over 400 sq ft, and listed residential remodeling in Lackawaxen township

  • Permit must be issued before construction; construction may proceed after the permit is issued.
  • The page lists permit triggers for residential work and states that building permits are required for all buildings.

  “*building permits are required for all buildings.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted building, plumbing, insulation and electric/mechanical work in Lackawaxen township

  • Inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance; building, plumbing and insulation inspections are scheduled with the township at (570) 685-2990 ext. 17, electric and mechanical with (570) 493-1229.
  • A list of required inspections is printed on the laminated permit; each must be checked off before the next construction phase.
  • It is the applicant's responsibility to call for final inspections.

  “inspections must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New homes, additions and decks in Lackawaxen township

  • Occupancy is barred until all final inspections are completed and a certificate of occupancy is issued.
  • The page warns that failure to follow these instructions could result in legal action and possible fines.

  “new homes, additions, and decks can not be used or occupied until all final inspections are completed and a certificate of occupancy has been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Lackawaxen township limits, Pike County, PA. The township adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The ordinance is the Lackawaxen Township Zoning Ordinance dated February 19, 1992, revised through Ordinance #113 (revised 01/18/21). Revision stamps are not treated as effective dates.
  • Zoning permits are issued by the township zoning officer (Ron Tussel, code enforcement officer, per the township zoning page); Section 504 requires a permit before any sign is erected, altered or relocated.

  “lackawaxen township is hereby divided into four (4) basic zoning districts, as follows:”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts of Lackawaxen township, Pike County, PA

  • Four base districts: RU Rural, R-1 Low density residential, ND Neighborhood development, and RV Recreational vehicle park. Overlays: DRC Delaware River corridor, FLD Flood plain, PRD Planned residential development.
  • The official zoning map is adopted by reference in section 402.
  • Section 404 refers to 'the seven (7) zoning districts', which is inconsistent with the four base districts plus overlays; not resolved.

  “lackawaxen township is hereby divided into four (4) basic zoning districts, as follows: ru r-1 nd rv rural district low density residential district neighborhood development district recreational vehicle park district”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the RU Rural district, Lackawaxen township

  • The residential standard applies to all single-family dwellings in all districts, so the RU district single-family minimum is the same 2.0 acres.
  • The non-residential table lists 1.0 acre for RU for non-residential uses (such as RU uses under section 534), which is not the single-family rule.
  • RU uses also include agricultural uses and single-family detached dwellings as principal permitted uses.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres · minimum lot width/depth: >= 200/200 feet

  “i. residential standards - applicable to all single-family dwellings in all districts. minimum lot area (acres) minimum lot width/depth (feet) minimum yards (feet) front side rear 2.0 200/200 50 25 50”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1 Low density residential district (main single-family residential district), Lackawaxen township

    “i. residential standards - applicable to all single-family dwellings in all districts. minimum lot area (acres) minimum lot width/depth (feet) minimum yards (feet) front side rear 2.0 200/200 50 25 50”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1 Low density residential district, Lackawaxen township

  • Yard minimums apply to all single-family dwellings in all districts.
  • Section 510.6 and 510.7 set different setbacks for cluster developments; not reviewed.

  front yard: >= 50 feet · side yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 50 feet

  “i. residential standards - applicable to all single-family dwellings in all districts. minimum lot area (acres) minimum lot width/depth (feet) minimum yards (feet) front side rear 2.0 200/200 50 25 50”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the RU Rural district, Lackawaxen township

    “i. residential standards - applicable to all single-family dwellings in all districts. minimum lot area (acres) minimum lot width/depth (feet) minimum yards (feet) front side rear 2.0 200/200 50 25 50”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Residential uses in Lackawaxen township under the schedule of development standards

  • Coverage includes buildings, roads, parking areas, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces.
  • Non-residential uses carry a 40% maximum under the same paragraph.

  maximum lot coverage, residential uses: <= 20 percent

  “v. maximum lot coverage (includes buildings, roads, parking areas, sidewalks, and other impervious surfaces -- see definitions) a. residential uses: 20% b. non-residential uses: 40%”

• Building heightSpecified

  All structures in Lackawaxen township, including single-family dwellings in all districts

  • Height is measured from average elevation of finished grade to the highest part of the building.
  • Height exceptions are in section 501.2, which was not opened.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (height exceptions in section 501.2)

  “iv. maximum building height for all structures (measured from average elevation of finished grade to highest part of building –(see also definitions and section 501.2) 35 feet”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Mobile or manufactured homes placed on an individual building site outside a mobile home park in Lackawaxen township

  • Such mobile homes must meet the single-family dwelling requirements of the ordinance for living space, lot area, setbacks and height.
  • Section 518 does not apply to recreational vehicles.
  • Mobile home parks are a separate use under section 531, which was not opened.

  “such mobile homes shall comply with the living space, lot area, setbacks, height, and other requirements established by this ordinance for single-family dwellings.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage disposal for land inside Lackawaxen township

  • The township sewage department page names Ron Tussel as sewage enforcement officer and says to call for an appointment, allowing up to 48 hours.
  • The township's sewage fee schedule and sewage forms are linked from that page but were not opened. State sewage enforcement rules (25 Pa. Code ch. 72) were not opened and are not relied on here.

  “sewage enforcement officer phone: (570) 237-6454”

• Septic permitRequired

  Building permit applications for lots on township roads in Lackawaxen township

  • Building page lists a copy of an active sewage permit as a document needed to begin the building permit process for lots on a township road.
  • The page does not state a standalone sewage-permit rule for every lot; confirm the sewage permit requirement with the township sewage enforcement officer.

  “copy of active sewage permit (if you live on a township road)”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Residential building permit applicants on a township road in Lackawaxen township

  • Applies to a township driveway permit for lots on a township road; a highway occupancy permit is required instead for lots on a state road.
  • Driveway permit is listed as a document needed before a building permit is issued.

  “township driveway permit (if you live on a township road)”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Residential building permit process in Lackawaxen township

  • Plans are reviewed for code compliance; the applicant is notified of approval or denial, and a plan deficiency notice issues if not approved.
  • Applicant must come to the township to pay for the permit and obtain paperwork, and must post the permit on the property.
  • Plans must be on site and accessible to the building inspector; a sewage permit copy and an active zoning permit are listed as required items if applicable.

  “the applicant submits a completed application to the township along with all the required information as detailed in the previous pages.”

Rules another office applies inside Lackawaxen Township

Lackawaxen 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

  New construction inside Lackawaxen township limits, which the township building office administers under the Pennsylvania construction code

  • Township building page states Pennsylvania will use the 2021 I-codes for design and construction, effective January 1, 2026.
  • Where a design or construction contract was signed before that date, applications may be made under the code in effect at the time of contract if the application is made June 1, 2026 or before (that window has passed as of 2026-10-31).

  code edition: 2021 I-codes

  “effective january 1, 2026 pennsylvania will be using the 2021 i-codes for design and construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building on their own land in Lackawaxen township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area of a dwelling in Lackawaxen township
• Living in an RV — Long-term recreational vehicle occupancy on private land in Lackawaxen township
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Lackawaxen township
• Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy in Lackawaxen 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.