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

Borough of Orwigsburg’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Construction and renovation inside Orwigsburg borough

  • Page says building permits 'may be required'; UCC permits needed for numerous projects; zoning permits required for fences, pools and other projects
  • Permits handled through borough office / contracted code consultants

  “building permits may be required before beginning renovations or new construction. zoning permits are required to install fences, swimming pools and many other projects. permits are needed for numerous projects under the uniform construction code.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Inside Orwigsburg borough

  • Adopts the Uniform Construction Code and the International Property Maintenance Code

  “borough council has adopted the uniform construction and the international property maintenance code (ipmc).”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Orwigsburg borough, Schuylkill County

  • Ordinance 400 of 2010 as amended by Ordinances 409 and 412 of 2013 (copy opened); later amendments exist per the borough's page and were not reviewed.

  “an ordinance limiting and restricting to specified zones and regulating therein buildings and structures according to their construction and the nature and extent of their use”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Orwigsburg borough (R-S, R-1, R-2, R-3, Village, C, I-1, I-2 and others); borough also posts a zoning map

  “the r-1 low density residential districts are composed of low density residential areas of the borough”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1 Low Density Residential District, Orwigsburg borough

  • Minimum is based on public sewer availability; where on-lot sewage disposal is proposed, additional lot area may be required subject to PADEP approval

  minimum lot area: >= 20000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 100 ft

  “single-family detached dwellings and permitted non-residential uses minimum lot area* 20,000 s.f. minimum lot width 100 feet setback requirements required front yard 30 feet required rear yard 30 feet required side yard 15 ft. each lot coverage (maximum) 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the R-S Residential Suburban District (agricultural and low density residential), Orwigsburg borough

    “single-family detached dwellings and permitted non-residential uses 1 acre (43,560 square feet) 150 feet minimum lot area* minimum lot width setback requirements required front yard 40 feet required rear yard 30 feet required side yard 20 feet lot coverage (maximum) 30%”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1 district, Orwigsburg borough

  • Certain uses have additional dimensional requirements

  front yard: >= 30 ft · rear yard: >= 30 ft · side yard (each): >= 15 ft

  “single-family detached dwellings and permitted non-residential uses minimum lot area* 20,000 s.f. minimum lot width 100 feet setback requirements required front yard 30 feet required rear yard 30 feet required side yard 15 ft. each lot coverage (maximum) 30%”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-1 Low Density Residential District, Orwigsburg borough

  maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

  “single-family detached dwellings and permitted non-residential uses minimum lot area* 20,000 s.f. minimum lot width 100 feet setback requirements required front yard 30 feet required rear yard 30 feet required side yard 15 ft. each lot coverage (maximum) 30%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — R-S Residential Suburban District, Orwigsburg borough

    “single-family detached dwellings and permitted non-residential uses 1 acre (43,560 square feet) 150 feet minimum lot area* minimum lot width setback requirements required front yard 40 feet required rear yard 30 feet required side yard 20 feet lot coverage (maximum) 30%”

• Building heightSpecified

  All residential districts (R-S, R-1, R-2, R-3 etc.), Orwigsburg borough

  • Greater height only if authorized as a special exception
  • Village district allows 4 stories or 45 ft; commercial 2.5 stories or 35 ft

  maximum height: <= 35 ft (special exception) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (special exception)

  “building height. no building shall exceed two and one-half (2.5) stories or thirty-five (35) feet in height, unless authorized as a special exception.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes inside Orwigsburg borough, in the residential district whose permitted-use list (sections 6.4x) includes mobile home parks

  • Parks must conform to the borough subdivision and land development ordinance
  • Section 10.02: no mobile home or other temporary structure may be established for dwelling purposes without zoning hearing board approval for temporary use

  “no cabin, mobile home, garage, basement or other temporary structure, whether of a fixed or mobile nature, may hereafter be erected or established for any dwelling purpose for any length of time unless approval for temporary use is granted by the zoning hearing board.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory apartments on single-family detached lots inside Orwigsburg borough

  • One per single-family detached dwelling or lot
  • Owner must occupy the principal dwelling
  • Lot must meet district minimum lot area
  • One additional off-street parking space
  • Plan submittal required

  maximum habitable floor area: <= 720 sq ft

  “the habitable floor area of the accessory apartment shall not exceed sevenhundred twenty (720) square feet.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  New dwellings and other buildings inside Orwigsburg borough

  • Requires a safe water supply and sanitary waste disposal meeting PA DEP minimums; does not by itself mandate connection to public water or sewer
  • Minimum lot areas in residential districts are based on availability of public sewer

  “in the interest of protecting the public health, safety and welfare, every building or structure hereafter erected, altered or moved upon any premise and used in whole or in part for dwelling, commercial or recreational business or industrial purposes shall be provided (amended october 2013) 74 with both a safe and sanitary water supply and a safe and sanitary means of collection and disposal of human excreta or domestic, commercial and industrial waste. such facilities shall conform to the minimum requirements set forth by the pennsylvania department of environmental protection.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Orwigsburg borough

  • A SALDO fee schedule resolution (2026-22) and SALDO amendment Ordinance 467 are posted

  “subdivision and land development activities are regulated through the subdivision and land development ordinance (saldo).”

• Permit processPartial

  Building, zoning, driveway and street opening permits inside Orwigsburg borough

  • Applications go to ARRO Consulting or Advanced Code Consultants depending on assignment

  “permit applications may be secured at the borough office or you may use the links below.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Inside Orwigsburg borough
• Inspections — Inside Orwigsburg borough
• Certificate of occupancy — Inside Orwigsburg borough
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Orwigsburg borough
• Camping on your land — Inside Orwigsburg 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.