Bolthole Index

Adams County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic in Straban Township, Pennsylvania

Straban Township, Pennsylvania (Adams County) writes and administers its own zoning, not the county1. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction starts2, but Adams County does not issue building permits, so the township office is the first call3. Septic permits come from a local Sewage Enforcement Officer, not the county4.

At a glance

Zoning
Straban Township's own zoning chapter, with districts R-R, R-1, R-2, MU-1, MU-2, EC-1 and EC-25
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; Adams County does not issue it23
Septic
Local Sewage Enforcement Officer under Act 537, not the county4
R-R lot size without public sewer or water
2 acres, possibly more after a soil percolation analysis6
R-R setbacks without public sewer or water
Front 50 feet, side 25 feet, rear 25 feet7
Driveway on a township road
Township permit, applied for through the Township Secretary89
Owner-builder
No statewide contractor license for most construction; local permit rules still apply10

Who to call

Building permits

Straban Township municipal office

Township office for Straban Township: first contact for zoning, building permit and driveway permit questions, and where the Township Secretary takes driveway permit applications

717-334-4833

office@strabantownship.com

1745 Granite Station Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325

Septic permits

Municipal Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO)

On-lot septic permits under Pennsylvania's Act 537; Adams County has no county septic office

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Straban Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Straban Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Straban Township, Pennsylvania has its own zoning chapter and zoning map, and the township is divided into the base districts R-R, R-1, R-2, MU-1, MU-2, EC-1 and EC-25. Adams County's own zoning ordinance applies only in Germany and Menallen Townships, and every other municipality, Straban included, administers its own ordinance1.

The Residential Rural (R-R) district is the one most rural buyers will meet. Without public sewer or water, the minimum lot is 2 acres, and the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer can raise that after a soil percolation analysis to fit an approvable on-lot sewage system6. Setbacks in R-R without public sewer or water are 50 feet in front and 25 feet on each side and the rear7. Impervious coverage is capped at 35% of the lot11, and building height at 40 feet12. Secondary dwelling units are a permitted use in R-R, subject to the dimensional rules of the zoning chapter13.

Whether RVs, tiny homes or temporary camping are allowed on private land in Straban Township is not something we could confirm; ask the township office before you plan to live on a lot while building14.

Do you need a building permit in Straban Township, and who issues it?

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction work starts2. Adams County does not issue building permits; they are handled by the municipality where the property sits3. For a Straban Township address, that means the township office14.

We could not confirm how Straban Township enforces the code, whether through a township code official or a certified third-party agency, so ask the office when you call. A certificate of occupancy is required before a building can be used15. Qualifying agricultural buildings without habitable space are excluded from the Construction Code Act16.

How do septic permits work in Straban Township?

Septic permits for Straban Township addresses do not come from Adams County; on-lot sewage systems are permitted by a local Sewage Enforcement Officer under Pennsylvania's Act 5374. A permit from the local agency is required before an on-lot system is installed or built, with exceptions such as a replacement dwelling of the same or smaller size or an owner-occupied residence on a tract of at least 10 acres that meets the state's conditions17.

The township's zoning text refers to a Township Sewage Enforcement Officer6, but we could not confirm who administers septic permits in Straban Township, so ask the township office who to call. Soils matter here: only about 14% of Adams County soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18. Pennsylvania does not set construction standards for private water wells, and homeowners may drill their own on their own land19.

Do you need a driveway permit in Straban Township?

A driveway or other connection to a township road requires a permit issued under conditions set by the Board of Supervisors8. Applications go to the Township Secretary on the township's form, in triplicate, with matching sketches showing widths, depths and right-of-way lines9. Fees are set by Board resolution, so ask the office for the current amount20.

A driveway onto a state highway is different: it needs a PennDOT permit21.

Building a home in Straban Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the township office at 717-334-4833 to confirm the zoning district, and whether RV or temporary living is allowed during construction14.
  2. Check the district's lot size and setbacks; in R-R without public sewer or water the minimum lot is 2 acres6.
  3. Ask who serves as Sewage Enforcement Officer and get a septic permit before building17.
  4. Apply for a driveway permit through the Township Secretary9.
  5. Get the building permit under the Uniform Construction Code before work begins2.
  6. Check for floodplain development rules, which require a permit22.
  7. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in15.

What stays with Adams County, and what to check before you buy in Straban Township

Adams County reviews subdivision and land-development plans for 30 days and forwards an advisory review, but the township makes the final approval23. For rules on land outside the township, see the Adams County page.

Before buying, check floodplain status: Straban Township requires a permit for development under its floodplain chapter22. Adams County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%24, and the typical home insurance premium is about $1,004 a year25.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Straban Township's building code enforcement, septic administration, or any rule on RVs, tiny homes or minimum house size, so call the township office at 717-334-4833 before you buy14.
  • Adams County's zoning rules do not apply in Straban Township; the county's ordinance covers only Germany and Menallen Townships26.
  • R-R minimum lot size can rise above 2 acres if the soil percolation analysis shows a larger lot is needed for an approvable septic system6.

Sources

  1. Adams County - Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  3. Adams County Office of Planning & Development - FAQs (2026 county census)
  4. PA DEP - Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program (2026 county census)
  5. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 62: Driveway Construction - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 62: Driveway Construction - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article III: District Regulations - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Straban Township municipal office (strabantownship.com)
  15. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  16. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Chapter 62: Driveway Construction - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 71: Floodplain Development - Township of Straban, PA (Straban Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Electronic Submission of Documents for Review, quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Adams County - Zoning, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Straban Township

Straban Township’s own rules

  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Straban Township.

    • District boundaries are shown on the Zoning Map of Straban Township, which is part of Chapter 140.
    • The map also identifies overlay areas subject to additional conditions and regulations.

    base zoning districts: R-R, R-1, R-2, MU-1, MU-2, EC-1, EC-2

    “Establishment of districts. Straban Township is divided into districts enumerated below and shown on the map entitled "Zoning Map of Straban Township," which is part of this chapter:”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction, reconstruction, or connection of a driveway or other ingress/egress to an ordained Straban Township road right-of-way.

    • Work must meet Board-prescribed conditions and specifications in a Township permit.
    • After work, the permittee must provide written notice; Township inspection follows.
    “No person shall construct or reconstruct any drive or other means of ingress or egress or connection made with any ordained township road right-of-way, nor shall any bar hole or holes be made in bituminous surfaced roads, except under such conditions and specifications as prescribed by the Board and contained in permits granted by the township for such purpose.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain development inside Straban Township.

    • The applicable ordinance is Chapter 71, adopted 2020-07-06 by Ordinance No. 2020-03.
    “A permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of Straban Township.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Township-road driveway permits inside Straban Township.

    • Fees are established from time to time by Board of Supervisors resolution.
    • Current fees are on file with the Township Secretary and available for inspection during regular business hours.
    “Any fee applicable to this chapter shall be as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Township-road driveway permit applications inside Straban Township.

    • Application must be submitted to the Township Secretary in triplicate.
    • It must include the same number of sketches or drawings with widths, depths, and right-of-way lines.
    • Multiple drives and bar holes can be one project only if work is executed at one time.
    “The application for a permit shall be made on a form prescribed by the township and be submitted to the Township Secretary, in triplicate, accompanied by an equal number of copies of a sketch or drawing setting forth the applicable information, including widths, depths and right-of-way lines.”

Rules another office applies inside Straban Township

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

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Rural (R-R) District.

    • Without public sewer and/or water service, the stated minimum may be increased after the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer's soil-percolation analysis to accommodate an approvable on-lot sewage system.

    minimum lot area with available sewer and water, cluster: 5500 square feet · minimum lot area with available sewer and water, other permitted use: 0.5 acre · minimum lot area without public sewer and/or water: 2 acres

    “Minimum lot area | Cluster: 5,500 square feet Other permitted use: 0.5 acre”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Rural (R-R) District.

    • With available sewer and water, front setbacks vary by cluster status and roadway classification.
    • Without public sewer and/or water, front, side, and rear requirements apply.

    front setback without public sewer and/or water: 50 feet · side setback without public sewer and/or water: 25 feet · rear setback without public sewer and/or water: 25 feet

    “Minimum setback requirement: | | Front | 50 feet | | Side | 25 feet | | Rear | 25 feet”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Rural (R-R) District.

    • The table distinguishes service availability but lists the same maximum impervious coverage in each case.

    maximum impervious coverage per lot: 35 percent

    “Maximum impervious coverage/lot | 35% | No public sewer and/or water service:”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Rural (R-R) District.

    • The table distinguishes availability of public sewer and water service but sets a 40-foot maximum height in each listed condition.

    maximum height: 40 feet

    “Maximum height | 40 feet | Maximum density | 10 units or more: 4 units per acre”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Secondary dwelling units in the Residential Rural (R-R) District.

    • Uses must conform to the dimensional requirements and relevant sections of Chapter 140.
    “Secondary dwelling units | P | § 140-23D”
  • Off-grid sanitationAllowed (with conditions)

    Residential development in the Residential Rural (R-R) District outside the immediate sewer service area.

    • The zoning text limits this policy to appropriate areas outside the immediate sewer service area as defined by the Straban Township Act 537 Plan.
    • On-lot wastewater or water systems must follow open-space design criteria.
    “Continue the use of on-lot wastewater and water systems or community systems for residential development that follows open space design criteria in appropriate areas outside the immediate sewer service area as defined by the Straban Township Act 537 Plan.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential building construction inside Straban Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Straban Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Straban Township.
  • Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Straban Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — New residential occupancy inside Straban Township.
11 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Straban Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Adams County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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