Bolthole Index

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in West Leechburg, Pennsylvania

West Leechburg Borough, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance1 and has adopted the state Uniform Construction Code as its building code2. Borough permit applications go to the Borough Secretary3. Westmoreland County has no countywide zoning, so the borough alone sets land-use rules inside its limits4. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the borough.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, a borough zoning ordinance with districts15
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the borough2
Building permit
Required; applications go to the Borough Secretary3
Zoning permit
Comes first for a new building or alteration, then the building permit6
Certificate of occupancy
Required under the state code7
RV living
Only in a licensed trailer park or a trailer that meets the rules for a stationary dwelling8
Septic permit
Issued by a local agency under state law; the borough's agency is unconfirmed9
Owner-builder
No statewide contractor license for most construction; borough rule unconfirmed10

Who to call

Building permits

West Leechburg Borough (Borough Secretary)

Receives the borough's permit applications and answers permit questions

724-845-7359

[email protected]

1015 Plazak Street, West Leechburg, PA 15656

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 West Leechburg means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does West Leechburg, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

West Leechburg Borough has its own zoning ordinance, adopted as a borough chapter that regulates uses and structures by district1. The borough keeps an Official Zoning Map showing the classification of all land inside its limits5. Westmoreland County does not zone, and zoning is entirely under the purview of local municipalities4.

Rules differ by district, so look up your parcel on the zoning map first. In the R1 Single-Family Residential District, principal structures need a minimum front setback of 25 feet, a minimum side setback of 15 feet and a minimum rear setback of 25 feet11. Maximum lot coverage in R1 is 50%12.

Living in an RV inside the borough is tightly limited. Nobody may occupy a trailer for sleeping or living except in a licensed trailer park, unless the trailer complies with the borough's plumbing, electrical, sanitary and building ordinances for stationary dwellings8. One unoccupied trailer may be stored in a private garage or rear yard if nobody sleeps in it8. We could not confirm borough rules for tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the Borough Secretary.

Do you need a building permit in West Leechburg, and who issues it?

Yes. West Leechburg Borough adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its Municipal Building Code2, and the borough's documents page says permit applications should be returned to the Borough Secretary3. Westmoreland County does not issue building permits; all permits are handled at the municipal level13.

A zoning permit does not authorize construction or occupancy. For a new building or an alteration, the zoning permit application goes to the Code Enforcement Officer first, before the building permit application6. A certificate of occupancy is also required before the building is used7.

Building permit fees are set by the borough's governing body by resolution, so ask the Borough Secretary for the current schedule14. The state's agricultural building exclusion covers qualifying farm structures without habitable space, but borough zoning can still apply to them15.

How do septic permits work inside West Leechburg?

Pennsylvania law requires a permit from the local agency before a building served by an on-lot sewage system is constructed, occupied or used9. We could not confirm which local agency or sewage enforcement officer handles on-lot systems inside West Leechburg, and a lot on public sewer would not need a septic system. Ask the Borough Secretary whether your lot is on public sewer and who issues septic permits if it is not.

The county's soil rating is a caution for any lot that needs a drain field: only 0.7% of Westmoreland County soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16.

Building a home in West Leechburg: the steps, in order

  1. Find your parcel's district on the borough's Official Zoning Map and confirm the use is allowed5.
  2. Apply for a zoning permit from the Code Enforcement Officer on borough forms6.
  3. Apply for the building permit under the Uniform Construction Code; applications go to the Borough Secretary3.
  4. Confirm sewer or septic with the borough, since we could not confirm the local septic agency9.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a PennDOT permit first17.
  6. Finish with the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in7.

What stays with Westmoreland County, and what should you check before you buy?

The county does not run zoning or building permits for West Leechburg4. Outside the borough, the county-level answers on the Westmoreland County page apply instead of these borough rules.

Homeowners who drill their own well on their own land do not need the driller license, though Pennsylvania sets no construction standards for private wells18. A driveway or road connecting to state highway land needs a PennDOT permit17.

For cost context, Westmoreland County's effective property tax rate is 1.3%19, and the typical home insurance premium is $923 a year20.

Watch-outs

  • Do not assume county rules apply: Westmoreland County has no zoning ordinance, so the borough ordinance is the only zoning that governs a West Leechburg lot4.
  • Living in an RV on a lot inside the borough is allowed only in a licensed trailer park or where the trailer meets stationary-dwelling ordinances8.
  • We could not confirm who issues septic permits or whether the borough has an owner-builder rule; ask the Borough Secretary before you buy9.

Sources

  1. Chapter 290, Part 1: General Provisions (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 137: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. West Leechburg Borough Documents (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 290, Article XXI: General Administration and Enforcement (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 290, Article XXI: General Administration and Enforcement (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. ecode360.com (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 261: Trailers and Trailer Parks (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 290, Article IV: R1, Single-Family Residential District (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 290, Article IV: R1, Single-Family Residential District (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  13. Westmoreland County FAQ - Who handles building permits (2026 county census)
  14. Chapter 137: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of West Leechburg), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. 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
  17. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Private Wells, quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Typical home insurance premium: 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 West Leechburg

Borough of West Leechburg’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Permit applications administered by West Leechburg Borough, including its building-permit application.

    • The Borough documents page directs applicants to return permit applications to the Borough Secretary.
    “The following are permit applications required by the borough. Please contact the borough secretary with any and all questions and concerns. All permit applications should be returned to the borough secretary.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within West Leechburg Borough.

    • The UCC is adopted as amended from time to time.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Municipal Building Code of West Leechburg Borough.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of land, buildings, or structures within West Leechburg Borough where the zoning-permit provision applies.

    • A zoning permit does not itself permit construction or occupancy.
    • A certificate of occupancy is required pursuant to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as amended.
    “The issuance of a zoning permit does not permit construction or occupancy of a building or structure. A certificate of occupancy is also required pursuant to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as amended.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within West Leechburg Borough.

    • The zoning chapter regulates uses and structures by district.
    “This chapter shall be known as the "West Leechburg Borough Zoning Ordinance."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning classifications for all land in West Leechburg Borough.

    • The Official Zoning Map is attached to Chapter 290.
    “Maintain the Official Zoning Map showing the current zoning classifications of all land in the Borough.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Trailer or RV sleeping or living occupancy within West Leechburg Borough.

    • Occupancy is allowed in a trailer park licensed under Chapter 261, or where the trailer conforms to all Borough plumbing, electrical, sanitary, and building ordinances applicable to stationary dwellings.
    • One unoccupied trailer may be parked or stored in a private garage or rear yard only if nobody uses it for living or sleeping.
    “No person shall occupy any trailer in the Borough of West Leechburg for sleeping or living purposes except in a trailer park licensed under this chapter, unless such trailer conforms to and complies with all plumbing, electrical, sanitary and building ordinances of the Borough applicable to stationary dwellings; provided, however, the parking or storing of no more than one unoccupied trailer in a private garage, or in a rear yard, shall be permitted, on condition that no person uses such trailer for living or sleeping purposes while such trailer is so parked or stored.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Borough administration and enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code.

    • Fees are established by the Borough governing body by resolution from time to time.
    “Fees assessable by the municipality for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning permits for land, buildings, and structures within West Leechburg Borough.

    • Applications must be written on Borough forms and contain information necessary to determine compliance.
    • For a new building or alteration, zoning-permit application precedes building-permit application.
    “Application requirements. All applications for zoning permits shall be made to the Code Enforcement Officer, in writing, on forms furnished by the Borough and shall include all information necessary to enable the Code Enforcement Officer to ascertain compliance with this chapter. Whenever the use involves a new building or structure or alterations to an existing building or structure, an application for a zoning permit shall be made prior to application for a building permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of West Leechburg

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

  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal structures in the R1 Single-Family Residential District, West Leechburg Borough.

    • The setback provision applies except as otherwise provided in Article XIV.

    minimum front setback: 25 feet · minimum side setback: 15 feet · minimum rear setback: 25 feet

    “The following setbacks shall be required for all principal structures, except as otherwise provided in Article XIV: (1) Minimum front setback: 25 feet. (2) Minimum side setback: 15 feet. (3) Minimum rear setback: 25 feet.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R1 Single-Family Residential District, West Leechburg Borough.

    • Nonconforming lots must comply with Article XVIII.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent

    “Minimum lot width: 75 feet. The frontage requirement may be waived for a parcel not fronting on an existing road if the parcel is served by a proper right-of-way. For lots fronting on a cul-de-sac, the minimum lot width shall be measured at the front building line. D. Maximum lot coverage: 50%. E. Nonconforming lots shall comply with the provisions of Article XVIII.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work within West Leechburg Borough.
  • Inspections — Building construction within West Leechburg Borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the R1 Single-Family Residential District, West Leechburg Borough.
  • Building height — Residential buildings within West Leechburg Borough.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land within West Leechburg Borough.
14 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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 West Leechburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Westmoreland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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