Zoning, building permits and septic rules in North Branch Township, Pennsylvania

North Branch Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent

  Zoning inside North Branch township, Wyoming County, PA: the county list places North Branch township among municipalities without a zoning ordinance

  • Source is the Wyoming County Office of Community Planning list dated 2013; the township may have adopted zoning since, and this should be re-checked against the township's own code.
  • Wyoming County itself has no county-wide zoning (county zoning page), so no county zoning ordinance applies in its place.
  • Subdivision, septic, floodplain and building-code rules still apply and are covered by other claims.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts inside North Branch township; the township has no zoning ordinance, so no district map exists

  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Minimum dwelling size inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance sets one

  • No single-family or agricultural district exists because the township has no zoning ordinance.
  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Building-code minimums, if any, are not covered by this claim.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Minimum lot size inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance sets one

  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Subdivision rules administered by the county may still apply to new lots; not verified.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• SetbacksNone

  Building setbacks inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance sets them

  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic setback distances under state rules are not covered by this claim.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lot coverage inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance sets a limit

  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Building heightNone

  Building height inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance sets a limit

  • Based on the county's 2013 list; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Building-code height rules, if any, are not covered by this claim.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Living in an RVUnrestricted

  RV occupancy on private land inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance restricts it

  • Based on the county's 2013 list of municipalities without zoning; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic, floodplain, subdivision and health rules still apply.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Camping on your landUnrestricted

  Temporary camping on private land inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance restricts it

  • Based on the county's 2013 list of municipalities without zoning; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic and health rules still apply to any sanitation at a campsite.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny home occupancy inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance restricts it

  • Based on the county's 2013 list of municipalities without zoning; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic, floodplain, subdivision and building-code rules still apply.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured home occupancy inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance restricts it

  • Based on the county's 2013 list of municipalities without zoning; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic, floodplain and building-code rules still apply.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings inside North Branch township; no township zoning ordinance restricts them

  • Based on the county's 2013 list of municipalities without zoning; re-check against the township's current code.
  • Septic, floodplain and building-code rules still apply to any second dwelling.

  “municipalities without zoning ordinances in wyoming county: braintrim township forkston township laceyville borough lemon township mehoopany township meshoppen borough meshoppen township nicholson township north branch township”

Rules another office applies inside North Branch Township

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

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  On-lot sewage systems inside North Branch township; the state rule assigns permits for systems of 10,000 gallons per day or less to local agencies. The specific local agency serving North Branch township was not identified.

  • Systems over 10,000 gallons per day are permitted by DEP, not the local agency.
  • Identity of the North Branch sewage enforcement officer or agency is unverified; the township's own sewage page was not located.

  design flow threshold for local permitting: <= 10000 gallons per day (larger systems are permitted by DEP under the Clean Streams Law)

  “individual and community on-lot systems treating 10,000 gallons per day or less of sewage are permitted by local agencies.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New on-lot sewage system serving a home inside North Branch township, Wyoming County, PA

  • Applies to individual and community on-lot systems of 10,000 gallons per day or less; larger systems are permitted by DEP.
  • The permit is issued by the local agency, which was not identified for North Branch township.

  design flow threshold: <= 10000 gallons per day (larger systems are permitted by DEP)

  “once sufficient planning occurs, the design of the proposed facilities must be permitted. individual and community on-lot systems treating 10,000 gallons per day or less of sewage are permitted by local agencies.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permit requirement for new construction inside North Branch township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside North Branch township
• Building code adopted — Whether North Branch township enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code itself (opt-in) or has opted out
• Inspections — Building inspection requirement inside North Branch township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside North Branch 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.