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

Borough of Speers’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, razing or altering buildings inside Speers borough

  • Permit issued by the borough building inspector on application, plans and specifications, fee, and evidence of compliance with borough ordinances.
  • Separate floodplain development permit also required for construction or development (§ 5-122).

  minimum permit fee: >= 5 USD (plus $1 per $1,000 of certified building cost (1974 ordinance))

  “without first having obtained a permit therefor. such permit shall be issued by the borough building inspector, upon the filing of an application with him, submission of plans and specifications”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building construction inside Speers borough

  • Adopted as amended from time to time; administration by borough employee, third-party agency, intermunicipal agreement, contract or agreement with the state, as council decides by resolution.

  “the uniform construction code, contained in 34 pa. code, chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this borough.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Permitted building work inside Speers borough

  • Permit holder must report completion; inspector may inspect on completion or during the work.

  “the borough building inspector may, after completion or at any time during the course of the work for which the permit shall have been granted, cause an inspection of such building to be made.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Speers borough

  • The borough code refers to its zoning ordinance (footnote to Ch. 27), which was not itself opened; the code also designates a zoning officer and a zoning hearing board.

  “the borough's building code, the borough's zoning ordinance,20 the borough's code of ordinances ("borough code")”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction or development inside Speers borough

  • Issued by the floodplain administrator (zoning officer); § 5-112 exempts minor repairs; start within 180 days and complete within 12 months unless extended.

  “a permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the borough of speers.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permits inside Speers borough

  • Fee text dates from Ord. 306 (1974); current fee schedule not located.

  minimum permit fee: >= 5 USD (plus $1 per $1,000 of certified building cost)

  “payment of a fee of a minimum of $5 and $1 per thousand for every $1,000 or fraction thereof of the certified building costs”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permits inside Speers borough

  • Application form contents are not published in the code.

  “such permit shall be issued by the borough building inspector, upon the filing of an application with him, submission of plans and specifications”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Speers borough
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Speers borough
• Zoning districts — Inside Speers borough
• Minimum dwelling size — Inside Speers borough
• Minimum lot size — Inside Speers 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.