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

Washington Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction inside Washington Township, including decks and swimming pools

  • Page states permits for decks and all swimming pools; a customer assistance guide is available from the office.
  • Grading: moving under 400 cubic yards needs a no-cost permit; over 400 requires a fee-bearing grading permit.

  “all construction of decks need a building permit.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  All building construction inside Washington Township

  • Adopted as the Uniform Construction Code (township Ordinance 135 listed).

  “the township adopted the uniform construction codes, for use in all building construction within the township effective june 01, 2004”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New residential structures and accessory structures, and existing structures with a changed occupancy, inside Washington Township

  • Permit is issued by the code enforcement officer for Washington Township.

  “no new structure occupied as a residence or accessory use to a residence or any existing structure occupied for any other purpose shall be so occupied by any person, partnership, corporation, or other type entity unless an occupancy permit has been issued by the code enforcement officer for washington township allowing occupancy of the same.”

• Local zoningAbsent

  Land inside Washington Township, Westmoreland County, PA

  • Land development and subdivisions are regulated under Subdivision and Land Use Ordinance 167.

  “washington township does not have zoning laws.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Land inside Washington Township; no zoning districts exist because no zoning is adopted

  “washington township does not have zoning laws.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwellings inside Washington Township; no township zoning dwelling-size minimum

  • Based on the township's no-zoning statement; UCC and Ordinance 167 still apply.

  “washington township does not have zoning laws.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lots inside Washington Township; no township zoning lot-coverage limit

  • Based on the no-zoning statement; stormwater Ordinance 168 and Ordinance 167 not reviewed.

  “washington township does not have zoning laws.”

• Building heightNone

  Buildings inside Washington Township; no township zoning height limit

  • Based on the no-zoning statement.

  “washington township does not have zoning laws.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and land development inside Washington Township

  • Planning department recommends; the board of supervisors gives final approval or denial.

  “to ensure that the applicant has complied with the washington township's subdivision and land use ordinance 167.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Washington Township

  • Applicants are told to call the office for a customer assistance guide before completing the UCC application.
  • Forms also exist for driveway, grading, dumping, and road occupancy permits.

  “ucc building permit application (when completing a ucc building permit application, p lease contact the office at (724)727-3515 for the appropriate customer assistance guide to assist with completing the application.)”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Washington Township
• Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Washington Township
• Minimum lot size — Lots inside Washington Township
• Setbacks — Building setbacks inside Washington Township
• Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Washington 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.