Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania

Borough of Shrewsbury’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Existing-home work and detached residential accessory structures inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • For existing homes, the posted Borough information limits the stated trigger to structural work or accessibility issues.
  • For detached residential accessory structures, the stated building-permit trigger is a footprint exceeding 1,000 square feet.
  • An electrical permit is required when the accessory structure is supplied with electricity.

  accessory-structure footprint: > 1000 square feet (Building permit required only above this footprint.)

  “permits for work on existing homes are only required if the work involves anything structural [...] a building permit is required only if the structure’s footprint exceeds 1000 square feet.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building work inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • The Borough's posted permit information identifies the adopted code as Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.

  “Construction Code (U.C.C.) which the Borough adopted to enforce.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Shrewsbury Borough, York County, Pennsylvania.

  • Uses and dimensional standards vary by zoning district.

  “The Borough of Shrewsbury is divided into districts”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Borough zoning map incorporated into the ordinance.

  “R Residential R-O Residential One Family R-A Residential Agricultural V Village C Commercial I Industrial”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on the same premises as a single-family dwelling inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • The unit cannot be subdivided or segregated in ownership from the primary structure.
  • Occupancy is limited to persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption to the primary-residence owner, or persons providing care to the owner.

  “Accessory units may not be subdivided or otherwise segregated in ownership from the primary structure.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Each principal use in the R, R-O, and R-A zoning districts inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • The obligation applies only if Borough Council determines adequate water and sewer capacity is available and that extension of the services is feasible.

  “Each principal use shall be provided with Borough water and sewer service if it is determined by the Borough Council”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Shrewsbury Borough, York County, Pennsylvania.

  • Borough Council approves or disapproves plans; Borough Planning Commission reviews them; plans are forwarded to York County Planning Commission for review and report.

  “No land development of any lot, tract or parcel of land shall be made [...] except in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning and building permit applications inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • Review time does not begin until all required documentation is submitted.
  • Residential review is 15 working days; commercial review is 30 working days.

  residential review period: <= 15 working days (Does not start until all required documentation is submitted.) · commercial review period: <= 30 working days (Does not start until all required documentation is submitted.)

  “The review period for residential permits is fifteen (15) working days and commercial (non-residential) permits shall be reviewed within thirty (30) working days.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Shrewsbury

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

• InspectionsRequired

  UCC-covered work inside Shrewsbury Borough, whose posted permit material states that the Borough adopted the UCC to enforce.

  • The Commonwealth states inspections are necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings; electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems; and swimming pools or hot tubs.

  “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or facility inside Shrewsbury Borough that is subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  • The Borough posted that it adopted the UCC to enforce.

  “A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Each dwelling unit and/or principal use established in the R Residential District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • Minimum area depends on public-water and public-sewer availability.

  minimum lot area with public water and public sewer: >= 9000 square feet · minimum lot area with public water or public sewer: >= 15000 square feet · minimum lot area with neither public water nor public sewer: >= 20000 square feet

  “Minimum Lot Area 9,000 sq. Ō. 15,000 sq. Ō. 20,000 sq. Ō.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Each principal use established in the R-A Residential Agricultural District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

    “Minimum Lot Area – Twenty thousand (20,000) sq. ft. Minimum Lot Width – One hundred twenty (120) ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in the R Residential District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • Existing lots under the 80-foot minimum lot width have a three-foot, rather than 15-foot, side setback.

  front setback: >= 25 feet · side setback: >= 15 feet (Three feet for each side on existing lots under 80-foot minimum lot width.) · rear setback: >= 30 feet

  “Front Setback – Twenty-five (25) feet. [...] Rear Setback – Thirty (30) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the R-A Residential Agricultural District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

    “Front Setback – Fifty (50) feet. [...] Each Side Setback – Twenty (20) feet. [...] Rear Setback – Thirty (30) feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R Residential District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • Includes accessory buildings.

  maximum building coverage: <= 30 percent (Includes accessory buildings.)

  “Not more than thirty (30) percent of the lot area may be covered by buildings, including accessory buildings.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the R-A Residential Agricultural District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

    “Not more than thirty (30) percent of the lot area may be covered by buildings, including accessory buildings.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R Residential District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

  • Main-building limits are measured from mean ground level; the accessory-building maximum is 14 feet.

  main-building height to eave or parapet: <= 28 feet · overall main-building height to roof crown: <= 35 feet · accessory-building height: <= 14 feet

  “The maximum height for an accessory building shall be fourteen (14) feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings in the R-A Residential Agricultural District inside Shrewsbury Borough.

    “The maximum height for an accessory building shall be fourteen (14) feet. There is no height limit for farm buildings.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Shrewsbury Borough.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Shrewsbury Borough.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Shrewsbury Borough.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Shrewsbury Borough.
• Who permits septic — On-lot sewage facilities inside Shrewsbury Borough.

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.