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

Rush Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Rush Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.

  • The county profile separately identifies a flood plain management ordinance; non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Rush Township zoning districts.

  • The Township is identified as having no zoning.

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

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwelling-size zoning controls inside Rush Township.

  • This finding concerns zoning dimensional controls only; UCC standards remain applicable.

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

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum-lot-size zoning controls inside Rush Township.

  • This finding concerns zoning dimensional controls only; sewage, floodplain, and subdivision requirements may still apply.

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

• SetbacksNone

  Zoning setbacks inside Rush Township.

  • This finding concerns zoning setbacks only; other code, road, floodplain, and utility restrictions may still apply.

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

• Lot coverageNone

  Zoning lot-coverage controls inside Rush Township.

  • This finding concerns zoning lot coverage only; floodplain and stormwater-related requirements may still apply.

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

• Building heightNone

  Zoning building-height controls inside Rush Township.

  • This finding concerns zoning height controls only; UCC, floodplain, and other regulations may still apply.

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

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

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

  • This finding addresses the absence of Township zoning only; sewage, building, floodplain, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

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

  • This finding addresses the absence of Township zoning only; sewage, building, floodplain, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

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

  • This finding addresses the absence of Township zoning only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

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

  • This finding addresses the absence of Township zoning only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings inside Rush Township, as a zoning matter.

  • This finding addresses the absence of Township zoning only; UCC, sewage, floodplain, and other non-zoning requirements may still apply.

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

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveway access inside Rush Township.

  “Code Enforcement: Susquehanna County Council of Governments (COG) Solicitor: Harry Coleman Driveway Permit Required: Yes Building Permit: Yes Zoning: No Planning Ordinance: No”

Rules another office applies inside Rush Township

Rush 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 code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Rush Township subject to Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.

  • The UCC regulates building-project codes and standards in the Commonwealth.

  “The Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC) regulates the codes and standards of building projects in the Commonwealth.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Covered construction inside Rush Township under Pennsylvania's UCC.

  • The cited UCC overview identifies inspections for construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings; electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems; pools or hot tubs; and specified manufactured or industrialized-housing work.

  “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs. Additionally, manufactured and industrialized housing projects require inspections for site preparation, foundation construction, repairs, and changes in occupancy.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or facility inside Rush Township before use when subject to the UCC.

  • Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may proceed without a permit if an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.

  “A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Sewage enforcement inside Rush Township.

  • The named administering body is the Susquehanna County Council of Governments (COG).

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

• Septic permitLimited

  An individual sewage system for a Rush Township lot where no community sewage system is currently available.

  • The purchaser should contact the local agency administering the Act to determine the procedure and requirements if a permit has not already been obtained.

  “Every contract for the sale of a lot for which there is no currently existing community sewage system available shall contain a statement in the contract clearly indicating to the buyer that there is no community sewage system available, that a permit for an individual sewage system will have to be obtained and the buyer should contact the local agency charged with administering the act before signing the contract to determine the procedure and requirements for obtaining a permit for an individual sewage system if one has not already been obtained.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Installation of an individual or community onlot sewage system inside Rush Township.

  • The system cannot be covered before the final inspection and final written approval by the local agency.

  “No part of an individual or community onlot sewage system may be covered until a final inspection is conducted and final written approval is given by the local agency.”

• Permit processPartial

  Pennsylvania Department UCC applications for covered work inside Rush Township when the Department has jurisdiction.

  • A complete application package is required; the source describes electronic and paper plan submissions and other application materials.

  “The following items (1-9) constitute a complete UCC application package for the construction of:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Rush Township.
• Well permit — Private wells inside Rush Township.
• Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Rush Township.
• Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or land use inside Rush Township.
• Subdividing land — Subdivision of land inside Rush 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.