Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of East Berlin, Pennsylvania

Borough of East Berlin’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside East Berlin borough limits.

  • The adopted Uniform Construction Code and Pennsylvania Construction Code Act regulations are 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 the Borough of East Berlin.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside East Berlin borough limits.

  • Chapter 500 was adopted July 2, 2014; amendments are noted where applicable.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of East Berlin 7-2-2014. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside East Berlin borough limits.

  • The code contents identify Borough Core, Commercial, Mixed Use, Suburban Residential, and Floodplain Overlay districts.

  “Article IV Borough Core (BC) District [...] Article V Commercial (C) District [...] Article VI Mixed Use (MU) District [...] Article VII Suburban Residential District (SR) [...] Article VIII Floodplain Overlay (FO) District”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Improved premises inside East Berlin borough limits that are connected to, or are required to connect to, the public wastewater system.

  • Applies only to improved premises connected to or required under § 435-4A to connect to the wastewater system.
  • A septic tank or similar receptacle must not be used or maintained on those premises.

  “No privy, privy vault, cesspool, sinkhole, septic tank or similar receptacle shall be used or shall be maintained at any time upon any improved premises which has been connected to the wastewater system or which shall be required under Subsection A to be connected to the wastewater system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Improved premises inside East Berlin borough limits served by the East Berlin Area Joint Authority wastewater system.

  • The principal building must be within 150 feet of the wastewater system.
  • Connection is required within 60 days after Authority notice.
  • The rule is subject to Borough limitations and restrictions and Authority rules and regulations.
  • Transmission lines not intended for direct customer connections are excluded.

  principal-building distance from wastewater system: <= 150 feet (Must be accessible to the wastewater system.) · connection deadline after Authority notice: <= 60 days

  “All owners of any improved premises accessible to and whose principal building is within 150 feet from the wastewater system shall connect such improved premises with and shall use such wastewater system [...] within 60 days after notice to such owner from the Authority to make such connection”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Uniform Construction Code administration and enforcement inside East Berlin borough limits.

  • Fees are established by the Borough governing body by resolution from time to time.

  “Fees assessable by the Borough of East Berlin for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”

• Permit processPartial

  Public-wastewater connection permits inside East Berlin borough limits.

  • A connection application must be submitted to the East Berlin Area Joint Authority before the connection is made.
  • A permit from the Authority must be obtained before the connection is made.

  “No person shall make or shall cause to be made a connection of any improved property to the wastewater system without first submitting an application to the Authority and obtaining a permit from the Authority permitting the connection.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building work inside East Berlin borough limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside East Berlin borough limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside East Berlin borough limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside East Berlin borough limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings inside East Berlin borough limits.

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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of East Berlin means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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