Zoning, building permits and septic rules in South Manheim Township, Pennsylvania

South Manheim Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside South Manheim township, Schuylkill County, PA, under the township's own Zoning Ordinance of 2006.

  • Ordinance text states it applies to the township of South Manheim, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania; the ordinance is cited as the South Manheim township zoning ordinance of 2006 (section 120).
  • Effective date not legible in the OCR text (section 1500 garbled), so effective_at is null.

  “the south manheim township zoning ordinance of 2006”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside South Manheim township under its Zoning Ordinance of 2006.

  • Districts named in the ordinance: C conservation, A agricultural, R rural, LDR low density residential, HOR high density residential, NC neighborhood commercial, HC highway commercial, I industrial. Official zoning map is referenced (Zoning Map 2006 on the township ordinances page; not opened).

  “for the purposes of this ordinance, the township is hereby divided into the following”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's agricultural (A) district.

  • Table is printed after section 330 and before section 400 (rural district) in the 2006 ordinance; the OCR text is column-garbled, so the single-family column was read by position. Verify against the printed table.
  • Table footnote: '* unless otherwise specified'.

  minimum lot area: >= 2 acres (unless otherwise specified (table footnote))

  “single family detached dwellings height 35 feet 35 feet lot coverage 25 percent 25 percent 2 acres* 2 acres 150 feet 150 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's rural (R) district (section 420.01).

    “maximum permitted building height 35 ft lot coverage 10 percent minimum requirements lot area 2 acre setback line 50 ft”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's rural (R) district (section 420.01).

  • Rural district table lists setback line 50 ft; lot width at street line 100 ft; lot width at setback line 150 ft (text order as printed).
  • Agricultural accessory structures and uses have a 10 ft yard exception per footnote.

  setback line: 50 feet · rear yard: 40 feet (agricultural accessory structures 10 ft) · side yard, total: 60 feet (agricultural accessory structures 10 ft) · side yard, one side: 30 feet (agricultural accessory structures 10 ft)

  “setback line 50 ft lot width at street line 100 ft at setback line 150ft rear yard 40ft- side yard total 60 ft •• one side 30 ft** - except agricultural accessory structures and uses, which shall be 1 o ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's agricultural (A) district.

  • Table column read by position from OCR text; verify against printed table.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

  “single family detached dwellings height 35 feet 35 feet lot coverage 25 percent 25 percent 2 acres* 2 acres 150 feet 150 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's rural (R) district.

    “maximum permitted building height 35 ft lot coverage 10 percent minimum requirements lot area 2 acre setback line 50 ft”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's agricultural (A) district.

  • Table column read by position from OCR text; verify against printed table.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “single family detached dwellings height 35 feet 35 feet lot coverage 25 percent 25 percent 2 acres* 2 acres 150 feet 150 feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in South Manheim township's rural (R) district.

    “maximum permitted building height 35 ft lot coverage 10 percent minimum requirements lot area 2 acre setback line 50 ft”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage disposal for land inside South Manheim township.

  • The township page lists township-appointed sewage enforcement officers (three named SEOs) under its Zoning & Sewage section.
  • The page does not state the permit rule itself; septic permit and inspection requirements remain unknown.

  “sewage enforcement officer wayne bowen phone: (570) 292-2916 sewage enforcement officer”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land subdivision and land development inside South Manheim township.

  • Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance with amendments is listed by the township; its text was not opened, so its requirements are not stated here.

  “subdivision and land development ordinance with amendments”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning and building permit intake for land inside South Manheim township.

  • Zoning permits go to the township office; building permits go to light-heigel per the township page. Full process steps and timelines were not found on the official pages read.

  “zoning permits should be submitted to the township office, with the applicable fees for processing”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for building work inside South Manheim township.
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside South Manheim township.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside South Manheim township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside South Manheim township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside South Manheim 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.