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

Northmoreland Township’s own rules

• Local zoningAbsent

  All land inside Northmoreland township, Wyoming County, PA. Township-level zoning does not apply because the township has no zoning ordinance.

  • Wyoming County has no county-wide zoning, so no county zoning ordinance applies in Northmoreland township.
  • The Wyoming County Office of Community Planning page is undated; the county's list PDF is marked 2013. Current status should be confirmed with the township.
  • Subdivision (county SALDO), septic/on-lot sewage, and building code rules still apply and are covered in other claims.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Zoning districtsNot published

  Zoning districts inside Northmoreland township: none published because the township has no zoning ordinance.

  • No zoning district map exists because the township does not have zoning, per the county statement.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeNone

  Dwellings inside Northmoreland township (no township zoning, so no district-specific minimum dwelling size)

  • No zoning ordinance, so no zoning minimum dwelling size applies.
  • Building code and sewage requirements still apply and are not verified here.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Minimum lot sizeNone

  Single-family residential lots inside Northmoreland township (no township zoning district, so no district-specific lot minimum)

  • No zoning ordinance, so no zoning minimum lot size applies.
  • Sewage/on-lot and county subdivision rules may still control lot layout and must be checked separately.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• SetbacksNone

  Structures inside Northmoreland township (no township zoning setbacks)

  • No zoning ordinance, so no zoning setback applies.
  • Septic and well setback distances under state rules are not covered by this claim and were not verified.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Lot coverageNone

  Lots inside Northmoreland township (no township zoning lot coverage limit)

  • No zoning ordinance, so no zoning lot coverage limit applies.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Building heightNone

  Structures inside Northmoreland township (no township zoning height limit)

  • No zoning ordinance, so no zoning height limit applies.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Tiny homesUnrestricted

  Tiny homes used as dwellings on private land inside Northmoreland township

  • No township zoning restricts tiny home occupancy, per the county no-zoning statement.
  • Building code, sewage, and well rules still apply and were not verified here.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Manufactured homesUnrestricted

  Manufactured homes on private land inside Northmoreland township

  • No township zoning restricts manufactured home occupancy, per the county no-zoning statement.
  • Building code, sewage, and well rules still apply and were not verified here.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

• Accessory dwellingsUnrestricted

  Accessory dwellings on private land inside Northmoreland township

  • No township zoning restricts accessory dwellings, per the county no-zoning statement.
  • Sewage, well, building code, and subdivision rules still apply and were not verified here.

  “the other thirteen (13) municipalities in wyoming county not already listed in this section do not have zoning. these municipalities without zoning are: braintrim township, forkston township, laceyville borough, lemon township, mehoopany township, meshoppen borough, meshoppen township, nicholson township, north branch township, northmoreland township, noxen township, tunkhannock township, and windham township.”

Rules another office applies inside Northmoreland Township

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

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development of property inside Northmoreland township, which the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance covers (the township is not a home-rule municipality)

  • Applications for properties wholly inside Northmoreland township go directly to the Wyoming County Office of Community Planning.
  • The county's home-rule list (Clinton Township, Factoryville Borough, Overfield Township, Washington Township) does not include Northmoreland township.
  • Minor subdivisions are approved by the county planning director; major subdivisions by the county planning commission, per the county page.
  • The county page also refers to a draft amendment to the county SALDO; its status was not verified.

  “the remaining nineteen (19) municipalities not listed in the preceding paragraph fall under the jurisdiction of the wyoming county subdivision and land development ordinance.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — New residential construction in Northmoreland township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homeowners building in Northmoreland township
• Inspections — Building inspections for new construction in Northmoreland township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings in Northmoreland township
• Who permits septic — On-lot sewage (septic) authority for land inside Northmoreland 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.