Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Great Bend Township, Pennsylvania

Great Bend Township’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Great Bend Township.

  • The township ordinance index identifies Ordinance No. 47 as a Uniform Construction Code ordinance.

  “Ordinance No 47 - Date 6.7.04 - Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (opens in a new window)”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.

  • The official county township profile states that zoning is absent; other non-zoning rules, including floodplain and sewage rules, may still apply.

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Township zoning dimensional controls inside Great Bend Township.

  • This is limited to the absence of a township zoning ordinance and does not displace UCC or other applicable requirements.

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

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Township zoning dimensional controls inside Great Bend Township.

  • This is limited to the absence of a township zoning ordinance and does not displace sewage, subdivision, floodplain, or other applicable requirements.

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

• SetbacksNone

  Township zoning setback controls inside Great Bend Township.

  • This is limited to the absence of a township zoning ordinance and does not displace floodplain, road, or other applicable requirements.

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

• Lot coverageNone

  Township zoning lot-coverage controls inside Great Bend Township.

  • This is limited to the absence of a township zoning ordinance.

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

• Building heightNone

  Township zoning building-height controls inside Great Bend Township.

  • This is limited to the absence of a township zoning ordinance and does not displace UCC or floodplain requirements.

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

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  Zoning-based limits on recreational-vehicle occupancy inside Great Bend Township.

  • This finding is limited to the absence of township zoning; sewage, building, floodplain, nuisance, and other applicable laws may constrain a particular use.

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

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Zoning-based limits on temporary camping inside Great Bend Township.

  • This finding is limited to the absence of township zoning; sewage, building, floodplain, nuisance, and other applicable laws may constrain a particular use.

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

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Zoning-based limits on tiny-home occupancy inside Great Bend Township.

  • This finding is limited to the absence of township zoning; sewage, building, floodplain, nuisance, and other applicable laws may constrain a particular use.

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

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Zoning-based limits on manufactured-home occupancy inside Great Bend Township.

  • This finding is limited to the absence of township zoning; sewage, building, floodplain, nuisance, and other applicable laws may constrain a particular use.

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

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Zoning-based limits on accessory dwellings inside Great Bend Township.

  • This finding is limited to the absence of township zoning; sewage, building, floodplain, nuisance, and other applicable laws may constrain a particular use.

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

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access inside Great Bend Township.

  • The source states that a driveway permit is required but does not provide the application process, roadway scope, or exceptions.

  “Solicitor: Francis X O' Connor Driveway Permit Required: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: No”

Rules another office applies inside Great Bend Township

Great Bend Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction inside Great Bend Township for which a Uniform Construction Code permit was issued.

  • The construction must be accessible for inspection.

  “A construction code official shall inspect all construction for which a permit was issued. The permit holder shall insure that the construction is accessible for inspection.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Residential buildings inside Great Bend Township subject to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.

  • A final inspection report must indicate compliance with the Uniform Construction Code and ordinance.

  “A residential building may not be used or occupied without a certificate of occupancy issued by a building code official.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage facilities inside Great Bend Township.

  • The township profile identifies the Susquehanna County Council of Governments as sewage enforcement; state law supplies the permitting framework.

  “Sewage Enforcement: Susquehanna County Council of Governments (COG)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Great Bend Township.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Great Bend Township.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New residences inside Great Bend Township.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or development inside Great Bend Township.
• Building in a floodplain — Development in floodplain areas inside Great Bend 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.