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

Harmony Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.

  • The county's Harmony Township profile states that zoning is absent.

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwellings inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This is not an exemption from statewide building-code requirements.

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

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Residential lots inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • Sewage-facility planning and other non-zoning rules may affect developability.

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

• SetbacksNone

  Structures inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • Road, floodplain, sewage, and building-code requirements may still apply.

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

• Lot coverageNone

  Lots inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • Floodplain and other non-zoning rules may still apply.

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

• Building heightNone

  Buildings inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • Building-code and other non-zoning restrictions may still apply.

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

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  RV occupancy on private land inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This conclusion addresses zoning only; building, sewage, floodplain, roadway, and other applicable rules may still apply.

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

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This conclusion addresses zoning only; sewage, floodplain, roadway, and other applicable rules may still apply.

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

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny-home occupancy inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This conclusion addresses zoning only; the statewide UCC and other applicable rules may still apply.

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

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured-home occupancy inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This conclusion addresses zoning only; the statewide UCC and other applicable rules may still apply.

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

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings inside Harmony Township, as to Township zoning.

  • This conclusion addresses zoning only; the statewide UCC, sewage rules, and other applicable rules may still apply.

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

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage systems inside Harmony Township.

  • Harmony Township's official county profile identifies Joe Hunt & Associates as sewage enforcement.
  • Pennsylvania treats municipalities and certain county bodies as local agencies for septic permitting and enforcement.

  “Sewage Enforcement: Joe Hunt & Associates”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access inside Harmony Township.

  • The official county profile identifies this as a Township requirement.

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

Rules another office applies inside Harmony Township

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

• Building permitRequired

  Construction or building work inside Harmony Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  • The UCC permit must be obtained before beginning construction or building work.
  • Harmony Township's county profile also states "Building Permit: Yes."

  “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction in Harmony Township under Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code.

  • Harmony Township's ordinance index lists a Uniform Construction Code ordinance dated June 1, 2004.
  • The statewide UCC must be followed by builders in Pennsylvania.

  “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction inside Harmony Township for which a UCC permit has been issued.

  • The permit holder must ensure construction is 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 Harmony Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  • A residential building may not be used or occupied without the certificate issued by a building code official.

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

• Septic inspectionRequired

  On-lot sewage systems inside Harmony Township administered by the Township's sewage enforcement officer.

  • The officer conducts inspections necessary to implement the act and regulations.

  “A structure may not be occupied before the sewage system is finally inspected, approved and covered.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Recycling, incinerating, composting, and other water-conservation toilets at existing residences or facilities inside Harmony Township.

  • No alteration of the on-lot system may be proposed for the stated permit exception.

  “When the installation of a recycling toilet, incinerating toilet, composting toilet or another type of water conservation device is proposed for an existing residence or facility and no alteration of the onlot system is proposed, a permit is not required.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Harmony Township.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Harmony Township.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Harmony Township.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction and land use inside Harmony Township.
• Building in a floodplain — Development in flood-prone areas inside Harmony 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.