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

Windsor Township’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania

  • The title page says 'Adopted: July 21, 2025' but the body header reads Ordinance No. 2013-01-01 and refers to a 2012 ordinance; confirm with the township which version is current.
  • Township zoning hearing agendas cite later amendments (e.g., solar energy ordinance 2024-07-01), so the PDF may not reflect every amendment.

  “windsor township zoning ordinance adopted: july 21, 2025 zoning ordinance ordinance no. 2013-01-01 windsor township york county, pennsylvania”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania: zones listed in the township zoning ordinance table of contents

  • Zones named in the TOC include agricultural (201), rural residential (202), low density residential R-1 (203), medium density residential (204), open space development (205), neighborhood commercial (210), general commercial (211), industrial (220), floodplain (230) and natural resource overlay.

  “section 201 agricultural zone 39 section 202 rural residential zone 46 section 203 low density residential zone 52”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Single-family dwellings in the Low Density Residential (R-1) zone (section 203) inside Windsor Township, by utility service

  • Minimum lot area varies by public utility availability: no public utilities 43,560 sq. ft.; public water 32,000 sq. ft.; public sewer 20,000 sq. ft.; public sewer and public water single-family 15,000 sq. ft.
  • The table extraction is garbled in the PDF text; verify the sewer-and-water single-family row against the printed table.

  minimum lot area, no public utilities: 43560 sq ft · minimum lot area, public water: 32000 sq ft · minimum lot area, public sewer: 20000 sq ft · minimum lot area, public sewer and water single-family: 15000 sq ft

  “public sewer 20,000 sq. ft. 80 ft. 30% 30 ft. 10 ft. (20 ft.) 30 ft. 35 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family detached dwellings in the Agricultural zone (section 201) inside Windsor Township

    “single-family detached dwellings min: 1 acre 150 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. each side 30 ft. 30% 35 ft.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the Agricultural zone (section 201) inside Windsor Township

  • Front setback 50 ft; side 25 ft each side; rear 30 ft (from section 201.5 table).

  front setback: 50 ft · side setback: 25 ft (each side) · rear setback: 30 ft

  “single-family detached dwellings min: 1 acre 150 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. each side 30 ft. 30% 35 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Single-family dwellings with public sewer in the Low Density Residential (R-1) zone (section 203) inside Windsor Township

    “public sewer 20,000 sq. ft. 80 ft. 30% 30 ft. 10 ft. (20 ft.) 30 ft. 35 ft.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the Agricultural (section 201) zone inside Windsor Township; R-1 (section 203) coverage shown in conditions

  • Agricultural zone single-family maximum lot coverage 30%; other principal uses 20%.
  • R-1 zone with public sewer maximum lot coverage 30%; single-family with public sewer and water 40%.

  maximum lot coverage, agricultural single-family: <= 30 %

  “single-family detached dwellings min: 1 acre 150 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. each side 30 ft. 30% 35 ft.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the Agricultural (section 201) and R-1 (section 203) zones inside Windsor Township

  • Maximum permitted height 35 ft for single-family dwellings in both districts, per the section 201.5 and 203.5 tables.

  maximum building height: <= 35 ft

  “single-family detached dwellings min: 1 acre 150 ft. 50 ft. 25 ft. each side 30 ft. 30% 35 ft.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles used as dwellings inside Windsor Township

  • The ordinance says recreational vehicles are not dwellings; residential RV storage rules in section 302.1 limit where RVs may be parked or stored (one RV in any yard, a second RV in side/rear yard on a lot meeting size requirements, no parking in public right-of-way). Use of an RV as a residence was not separately addressed in opened text.

  “recreational vehicles shall not be construed as dwellings.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Mobile homes on individual lots inside Windsor Township

  • Mobile homes on individual lots count as single-family detached dwellings only if securely anchored to a permanent foundation and transport apparatus, including the towing hitch, is removed. Mobile home parks are governed by section 438.

  “mobile homes can be considered single-family detached dwellings if, in addition to the requirements listed for all dwellings, the mobile home is securely anchored to the permanent foundation, and all of the apparatuses used to transport the unit shall be removed, including the towing hitch.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Temporary accessory dwelling units inside Windsor Township (section 455)

  • Allowed only as a temporary unit for family members or a medical caretaker, with proof of a genuine medical hardship, per the definition and section 455; listed in the agricultural zone's use list at section 201.4. Permanent accessory dwellings were not located.

  “temporary accessory dwelling unit - a separate dwelling unit as an apartment within, or in an attached addition to, the main dwelling unit, for one or more member(s) of the property owner’s family or for a caretaker providing medical attention to the property owner, when there is proof of a genuine medical hardship”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Dwellings inside Windsor Township

  • The dwelling general requirement requires connection to approved sewer and water systems; it does not by itself define when public service is mandatory. R-1 is described as coinciding with planned sewer and water service areas where availability varies by time and area. Duplex dwellings are allowed only with public water and public sewer.

  “in addition, all dwellings shall be properly connected to approved and permanently-designed sewer, water, electrical, and other utility systems.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Windsor Township
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Windsor Township
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Windsor Township
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Windsor Township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Windsor 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.