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

Clifford Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Clifford Township for which a township permit is listed, including building work.

  • No work may commence without possession of a permit from the Township Building Permit Official.
  • parameters and prerequisites vary by project scope and review.
  • For a house or large building, proof of driveway permit, sewer permit, and two blueprint copies are required; commercial buildings require three blueprint copies.

  “NO WORK IS TO COMMENCE WITHOUT POSSESSION OF A PERMIT FROM THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING PERMIT OFFICIAL.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated by Clifford Township inside its limits.

  • The ordinance list identifies an establishment ordinance for the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code dated 2004; the operative ordinance text was not machine-readable in the available official PDF.

  “Establishment of Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code 2004”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Clifford Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.

  • This finding concerns zoning; Township subdivision, setback, building-permit, floodplain, sewage, and other non-zoning rules may still apply.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts inside Clifford Township.

  • The Township does have a planning ordinance, comprehensive plan, and other ordinances; this claim addresses zoning districts only.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Minimum dwelling size inside Clifford Township, as a zoning dimensional control.

  • This finding is limited to zoning dimensional controls; building-code requirements may still apply.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum lot size inside Clifford Township, as a zoning dimensional control.

  • Subdivision and sewage rules may impose parcel-specific standards.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Construction inside Clifford Township subject to the Township's Setback Ordinance.

  • The exact numerical setbacks could not be extracted from the official linked PDF.
  • A variance process is listed on the Township ordinance page.

  “Setbacks still apply - see Ordinance Tab to the left, "Set Back Ordinance 2014." Third ordinance down from the top.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lot coverage inside Clifford Township, as a zoning dimensional control.

  • Subdivision, stormwater, floodplain, and other non-zoning rules may still apply.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Building heightNone

  Building height inside Clifford Township, as a zoning dimensional control.

  • Construction-code, floodplain, airport, and other non-zoning limitations may still apply.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  RV occupancy on private land inside Clifford Township, as a zoning matter.

  • This conclusion is limited to the absence of a Township zoning ordinance and does not displace building, sewage, setback, floodplain, subdivision, or other applicable laws.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside Clifford Township, as a zoning matter.

  • The Township separately lists an ordinance prohibiting camping or overnight parking on Township property; this claim does not apply to Township property.
  • Other non-zoning requirements may apply.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny-home occupancy inside Clifford Township, as a zoning matter.

  • This conclusion is limited to absence of zoning and does not override construction-code, building-permit, sewage, setback, floodplain, or subdivision requirements.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured-home occupancy inside Clifford Township, as a zoning matter.

  • This conclusion is limited to absence of zoning and does not override construction-code, building-permit, sewage, setback, floodplain, or subdivision requirements.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings inside Clifford Township, as a zoning matter.

  • This conclusion is limited to absence of zoning and does not override construction-code, building-permit, sewage, setback, floodplain, or subdivision requirements.

  “Driveway Permit: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: Yes Comprehensive Plan: Yes Flood Plain Management Ordinance: Yes”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Sewage permitting for land inside Clifford Township.

  • The Township directs applicants to its named Sewer Permit Officers.

  “To obtain a Sewer Permit contact one of the following Sewer Permit Officers:”

• Septic permitRequired

  Sewage work and new-home permitting inside Clifford Township.

  • A building permit for a house or large building requires proof of a sewer permit.

  “The list of permits includes [...] sewage”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Clifford Township.

  • The formal process includes Planning Commission review, forwarding materials and payments to the Susquehanna County Planning Commission, Township Planning Commission recommendation, and Township-supervisor action.
  • The Township says the process often takes 90 days or more.

  county planning review payment: 25 USD (Check made payable to the Susquehanna County Planning Department.)

  “The rules for subdivisions in Clifford Township can be found in our Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance SALDO.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access to a house or large building inside Clifford Township.

  • For a Township road, the Road Master issues the permit after inspecting the property and requested driveway location.
  • For a State road, use the State Driveway Permit form and follow its directions.
  • A building permit for a house or large building requires proof of driveway permit.

  Township-road residential driveway permit fee: 50 USD · Township-road commercial driveway permit fee: 80 USD

  “one must have proof of a driveway permit”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township permits inside Clifford Township.

  • The ordinance page identifies a 2015 fee schedule, while the permits page separately states a $50 residential and $80 commercial Township-road driveway-permit charge.
  • The current applicability and completeness of the 2015 schedule require confirmation from the Township.

  Township-road residential driveway permit fee: 50 USD · Township-road commercial driveway permit fee: 80 USD

  “$50.00 for Residential or $80.00 for Commercial.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit applications inside Clifford Township.

  • For a house or large building, proof of driveway permit, sewer permit, and two blueprint copies are required; commercial buildings require three copies.
  • Completed packets may be mailed or dropped off; forms are not accepted by email.
  • Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

  “Completed packets are accepted by mail or Drop-off, FORMS ARE NOT ACCEPTED BY EMAIL.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Clifford Township.
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Clifford Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Clifford Township.
• Septic inspection — On-lot sewage systems inside Clifford Township.
• Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside Clifford 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.