Bolthole Index

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Manor Borough, Pennsylvania

Manor Borough, Pennsylvania has its own zoning chapter with seven districts, because Westmoreland County has no zoning of its own12. Building permits are handled at the municipal level under the state Uniform Construction Code, and the borough's building inspector takes those questions34. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the borough.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, borough zoning with seven districts plus floodplain and planned-residential overlays1
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; borough building inspector answers questions34
Septic
Permit from a local agency; the agency serving Manor is unconfirmed5
Lot size, A-1
1 acre with no public water or sewage6
Short-term rentals
Special exception in FPC, A-1, R-1 and R-27
Manufactured-home parks
Conditional use in A-1 only8
Owner-builder
No statewide contractor license for most construction9

Who to call

Building permits

Manor Borough building inspector and zoning contact

Questions about building, zoning, fence, shed, deck, sign and similar permits inside Manor Borough

724-523-5940

[email protected]

44 Main Street

Roads & driveways

Manor Borough Office

Earth disturbance and work in the borough right of way, including driveways

724-864-2422

44 Main Street

Septic permits

Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of Water Quality Management (Westmoreland County)

State oversight of on-lot sewage; the local agency that issues a parcel's septic permit must be confirmed

724-925-5500

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Manor means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Manor Borough, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Manor Borough adopted its own zoning chapter, and Westmoreland County does not zone at all, so the borough is the only zoning authority for land inside its limits102. The districts are A-1 Agricultural, F-P Floodplain Conservation, R-1 Suburban Residential, R-2 Village Residential, C-1 General Commercial, I-1 Light Industrial and OS Open Space, plus floodplain and planned-residential-development overlays1.

Lot size depends on district and utilities. In A-1, a dwelling needs 1 acre without public water or sewage, 20,000 square feet with one of them, and 12,000 square feet with both6. In R-1, the figures are 20,000, 10,000 and 8,500 square feet11. A-1 main structures need a 30-foot front yard, 35-foot rear yard and an interior side yard of 8 feet minimum, 20 feet aggregate12. A single-family dwelling in A-1 is capped at 2 stories or 30 feet13.

Do you need a building permit in Manor Borough, and who issues it?

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before work starts, and Westmoreland County says all permits are handled at the municipal level34. The borough's permit sheet lists new construction, walls, pools and spas, fences, sheds, decks, railings and signs, and directs those questions to the borough building inspector4.

We could not confirm the borough's own building-permit text, fee schedule or inspection steps, so call the building inspector before you plan a budget. Statewide, a certificate of occupancy is required before a residential building is used14. Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most construction, which matters for owner-builders; the borough may add its own rules, which we could not confirm9.

How do septic permits work inside Manor Borough?

We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits inside Manor Borough. Statewide, local agencies issue permits for individual on-lot sewage systems, and the state DEP provides oversight515. A permit must be obtained before a building served by an onlot system is occupied or used16.

The borough also has a sewer chapter in its code, so public sewer may be available on some lots; that matters because the A-1 lot size drops from 1 acre when public water or sewage is present6. Ask the borough office whether your parcel has sewer, and ask the DEP Westmoreland County contact who serves Manor if it does not17. Westmoreland County's soils rate poorly for conventional drain fields, with only about 1% rated not limited, so expect a site evaluation18.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Manor Borough?

We could not confirm any RV, temporary-camping or tiny-home rule in Manor Borough's code. Because the borough has its own zoning, do not assume that the county's lack of zoning applies here; the county's lack of a zoning ordinance covers only unincorporated land and says nothing about the borough2.

Two borough rules are confirmed. Manufactured-home parks are a conditional use in A-1 and not permitted in the other listed districts8. Short-term rentals need a special exception in FPC, A-1, R-1 and R-2, and are not permitted in OS, C-1 or I-17. Call the zoning contact before buying for an RV or tiny home4.

Building a home in Manor Borough: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district on the borough's zoning map and check lot size and setbacks1.
  2. If you are dividing land, check subdivision rules: the borough has a Subdivision and Land Development chapter, which we could not review in full19.
  3. Ask the building inspector which permits you need and apply4.
  4. If the lot is in a mapped floodplain, development must comply with the borough's floodplain ordinance before an occupancy permit is issued20.
  5. Arrange sewer or a septic permit; we could not confirm the issuing agency5.
  6. Call the borough office about any work in the right of way, including a driveway apron21.
  7. Get the final inspection and certificate of occupancy before moving in14.

What stays with Westmoreland County, and what to check before you buy in Manor

Westmoreland County does not zone and does not issue building permits; for land outside the borough, see the Westmoreland County page23. The county reviews subdivisions only for municipalities that have not adopted their own subdivision ordinance22.

Before you buy, check the floodplain map, because floodplain land is an overlay district with extra controls1. A driveway onto a state road needs a PennDOT permit23. Westmoreland County's effective property tax rate is 1.3%24.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Manor Borough's building-permit fees, owner-builder rules, driveway permit rules or well rules; ask the borough office and building inspector4.
  • The county's lack of zoning does not apply inside the borough, which zones its own land10.
  • Short-term rentals need a special exception in four districts and are not permitted in three others7.

Sources

  1. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Part 3 Zoning Districts (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  2. Westmoreland County Planning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  3. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Manor Borough building inspector and zoning contact (manorborough.com)
  5. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas | Department of Environmental Protection, quoted and re-checked
  6. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix B Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  7. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix A Use Table (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  8. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix A Use Table (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  9. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  10. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Part 3 Zoning Districts (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  11. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix B Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  12. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix B Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  13. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Appendix B Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas | Department of Environmental Protection, quoted and re-checked
  16. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of Water Quality Management (Westmoreland County) (westmorelandcountypa.gov)
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Borough of Manor, PA Code of Ordinances, Table of Contents (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  20. Borough of Manor, PA, Chapter 27, Floodplain Overlay District (Borough of Manor), quoted and re-checked
  21. Manor Borough Office (manorborough.com)
  22. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  23. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Manor

Borough of Manor’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Development within Manor borough's designated floodplains.

    • Applies only to development within designated floodplains indicated on official FEMA maps.
    • The development must comply with Ordinance No. 525-11-02, as amended, before issuance of an occupancy permit.
    “Any development within this district shall be subject to those regulations contained in Ordinance No. 525-11-02, as amended, and comply with same prior to the issuance of any occupancy permit for same.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.

    • Manor Borough's Chapter 27 establishes zoning districts and incorporates floodplain and planned-residential-development overlay controls.
    “For the purpose of this chapter, the Borough of Manor is hereby divided into the following Zoning Districts:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.

    • The floodplain and PRD overlays have additional controls; the official zoning map is part of the chapter.

    zoning districts: A-1 Agricultural; F-P Floodplain Conservation; R-1 Suburban Residential; R-2 Village Residential; C-1 General Commercial; I-1 Light Industrial; OS Open Space (Also includes FP Floodplain Overlay and PRD Planned Residential Development Overlay.)

    “A-1 Agricultural. [...] F-P Floodplain Conservation District. [...] R-1 Suburban Residential District. [...] R-2 Village Residential District. [...] C-1 General Commercial District. [...] I-1 Light Industrial District. [...] OS Open Space District. [...] Overlay Districts.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home parks inside Manor borough's A-1 Agricultural District.

    • This claim addresses manufactured-home parks, not an independently documented rule for each individual manufactured home.
    • Appendix A marks manufactured-home parks as C (conditional use) in A-1 and N (not permitted) in the remaining listed districts.

    A-1 manufactured-home park classification: C (C means Conditional Use.)

    “USE O-S FPC A-1 R-1 R-2 C-1 I-1 [...] Manufactured Home Park N N C N N N N [...] P=Permitted - S=Special Exception - C=Conditional Use - N=Not Permitted”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.

    • The full Chapter 22 requirements and exceptions were not obtained.
    “Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development (§ 22-101 – § 22-802)”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals in Manor borough's FPC, A-1, R-1, and R-2 zoning districts.

    • The Appendix A legend defines S as Special Exception.
    • The use table marks short-term rentals N in O-S, C-1, and I-1.

    FPC, A-1, R-1, R-2 classification: S (S means Special Exception.)

    “USE O-S FPC A-1 R-1 R-2 C-1 I-1 [...] Short-Term Rentals N S S S S N N [...] P=Permitted - S=Special Exception - C=Conditional Use - N=Not Permitted”
  • Permit processPartial

    Development in Manor borough's designated floodplain overlay district.

    • Only the floodplain occupancy-permit prerequisite was verified; a general permit application process was not obtained.
    “Any development within this district shall be subject to those regulations contained in Ordinance No. 525-11-02, as amended, and comply with same prior to the issuance of any occupancy permit for same.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Manor

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    A dwelling in Manor borough's A-1 Agricultural District.

    • Lot area depends on availability of public water and sewage.

    lot area per dwelling without public water or sewage: 1 acre · lot area per dwelling with either public water or sewage: 20000 square feet · lot area per dwelling with public water and sewage: 12000 square feet

    “Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements A-1 R-1 R-2 C-1 I-1 O-S [...] 1 acre 20,000 s/f 20,000 s/f N/A N/A N/A [...] 20,000 s/f 10,000 s/f 10,000 s/f N/A N/A N/A [...] 12,000 s/f 8,500 s/f 8,500 s/f N/A N/A N/A”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Main structures in Manor borough's A-1 Agricultural District.

    • Corner-lot, interior-lot, and other schedule-specific requirements apply.

    front yard depth: 30 feet · rear yard depth: 35 feet · interior side yard: 8 feet minimum; 20 feet aggregate

    “Front Yard Depth 30’ 25’ [...] Rear Yard Depth 35’ 35’ [...] Side Yard (Interior Lot) 8’ min - 20’ aggregate”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in Manor borough's A-1 Agricultural District.

    • Other main structures and accessory structures have separate limits.

    single-family dwelling height: 2 stories/30 feet · other main structure height: 3 stories/45 feet maximum

    “Height (Single-Family Dwellings) 2 stories/30’ 2 stories/30’ 2 stories/30’ N/A N/A 2 stories/30’”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development inside Manor borough's designated floodplain overlay district.

    • Applies to designated floodplains shown on official FEMA maps.
    • Compliance with Ordinance No. 525-11-02, as amended, is required before issuance of an occupancy permit.
    “All development within designated floodplains, as indicated on the official FEMA maps, shall be considered part of the Zoning District Map as an overlay district.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building construction inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside Manor borough, Pennsylvania.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Manor borough's A-1 Agricultural District.
14 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Permit fees

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Borough of Manor publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Westmoreland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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