Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Deer Lake, Pennsylvania
Borough of Deer Lake is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Borough of Deer Lake adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Borough of Deer Lake’s rules apply, not the county’s. 4 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on November 12, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Schuylkill County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Deer Lake
Borough of Deer Lake’s own rules
Building permitRequired
Construction or development inside Deer Lake borough
Ordinance text not read; only the borough's own ordinance index title was quoted
Borough FAQ directs residents planning additions, improvements, tree removals, pools or fences to contact the borough's municipal services contractor to see whether a permit is needed
“ordinance 81 all persons, partnerships, businesses and corporations to obtain a permit for any construction or development.”
Local zoningPresent
Land inside Deer Lake borough (Schuylkill County, PA)
Borough Ordinance 28 is the original zoning ordinance; amended by Ordinances 40, 49, 53, 71, 80 and 87 and map amendments in 1987 and 1989; the ordinance texts themselves were not read
The borough site also lists a 2022 zoning map and ordinance and a zoning ordinance amendment
“an ordinance establishing a zoning ordinance for the borough regulating and restricting the height, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures”
Zoning districtsPartial
Zoning districts inside Deer Lake borough
Only R-1 and C-1 districts confirmed by map amendments; the full district list was not read
Ordinance PDFs and the 2022 zoning map are listed on the borough site but could not be opened
“it is for the official zoning map of deer lake to be hereby amended to change a the described area from r-1 district to a c-1 district.”
Permit processPartial
Permit inquiries inside Deer Lake borough
Only a contact instruction is published on the page read; no application steps, forms or timelines seen
“you will need to call or email nick hazlett (570) 573-7195 nickbh@hazlettmunicipalserv.com to see if you need a permit.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Deer Lake or Schuylkill County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Deer Lake borough
Building code adopted — Building code inside Deer Lake borough
Inspections — Inspections inside Deer Lake borough
Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Deer Lake 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.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Borough of Deer Lake publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Schuylkill County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Borough of Deer Lake means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
