Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Liberty, Pennsylvania

Borough of Liberty’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New or changed use of land or structures inside Liberty borough

  • Applied for simultaneously with the building permit application
  • Site plan in triplicate required
  • Signs of 3 sq ft or less excepted

  “an occupancy permit shall be applied for: a. simultaneously with the application for a building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside Liberty borough (Allegheny County)

  • Three use districts: commercial, "a" residence, industrial
  • Administered by an administrator who is the building inspector (§ 27-1101); appeals to zoning hearing board

  “the borough of liberty is hereby divided into three use districts, which shall be known as: a. commercial district. b. "a" residence district. c. industrial district.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Liberty borough

  • Boundaries shown on the zoning district map (Attachment 3 to Ch. 27)

  districts: commercial; "a" residence; industrial

  “the borough of liberty is hereby divided into three use districts, which shall be known as: a. commercial district. b. "a" residence district. c. industrial district.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  First area district (same limits as "a" residence district), Liberty borough

  • Two-family 7,500 sq ft; three-family 9,000 sq ft; 500 sq ft per unit added above three families
  • Second area district (commercial) has separate yard rules in § 27-503

  one-family lot area: >= 6500 square feet

  “the minimum lot area requirements shall be as follows: a. one-family dwelling: 6,500 square feet.”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  First area district ("a" residence district), Liberty borough

  • Side yard 5 ft one side and 10 ft other side, subject to supplementary regulations
  • Rear yard 15% of lot depth, need not exceed 25 ft
  • Second area district (commercial): no front yard required

  front yard: >= 25 feet

  “on all streets or portions thereof within said first area district, there shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than 25 feet.”

• Building heightSpecified

  "A" residence district, Liberty borough

  • Terrace exception in § 27-401(3)
  • Schools, public buildings and churches may exceed

  main structure max height: <= 20 feet (no more than two stories) · accessory structure max height: <= 15 feet (one story)

  “in "a" residence districts, main structures or buildings shall not exceed 20 feet in height and may be one story, one- and one-half story or two-story structures but in no case exceed two stories. accessory structures shall not exceed 15 feet in height and shall not exceed one story.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Commercial district, Liberty borough

    “in the commercial district buildings or structures shall in no case exceed three stories or 45 feet in height.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Liberty or Tioga County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Liberty borough
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Liberty borough
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Liberty borough
• Inspections — Building inspection inside Liberty borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Liberty borough

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.