Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Churchill Borough, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Zoning

Yes: Churchill Borough adopts its own zoning ordinance and map¹

Zoning permit

Required before building, altering, moving or changing the use of a structure or land²

Building code

Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted as the borough's municipal building code³

Occupancy permit

A zoning occupancy permit is required before land or a structure is occupied⁵

Septic

Allegheny County Health Department, Sewage Enforcement Officers⁴

Owner-builder

Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most construction; borough rules not confirmed⁶

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Does Churchill Borough, PA have zoning?

Yes. Churchill Borough has adopted a zoning ordinance and a borough zoning map as part of Chapter 304 of its code¹. Because the borough zones its own land, Allegheny County does not set zoning for property inside Churchill; the county page says zoning requirements are determined by the applicable municipality⁷.

We have not confirmed which districts the map contains or what each district allows for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks. Ask the borough office for the zoning map and the district rules that cover the specific parcel before you buy⁸.

Do you need a building permit in Churchill Borough?

Churchill Borough requires a zoning permit before any person may construct, reconstruct, move, alter or enlarge a structure or building, or change the use of a structure or land². Where a subdivision applies, no zoning permit issues until council approves and records the final plat².

The borough also adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code, so the state's building-permit and inspection rules apply to construction inside Churchill³. The state's rules require a permit before covered construction begins⁹. A zoning occupancy permit is required before any occupancy of land or a structure⁵.

Who issues building and zoning permits in Churchill Borough?

Inside Churchill Borough, the borough itself handles zoning permits and construction permits, not Allegheny County¹³. Start with the Borough of Churchill office at 2300 William Penn Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15235, phone (412) 241-7113⁸.

The county's Office of Property Assessments only receives municipal permits for assessment and tells owners to file in the municipality where the work happens, so do not send a Churchill application there¹⁰. We could not confirm the borough's current fee amounts or application forms; ask the borough office.

How do septic permits work in Churchill Borough?

Septic permits for on-lot sewage systems in Allegheny County are carried out by the Allegheny County Health Department's Sewage Enforcement Officers under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act⁴. A permit from the Health Department is required before any construction where on-lot disposal is proposed¹¹. Contact the Health Department's Plumbing Program¹².

We have not confirmed whether Churchill's parcels are on public sewer. County rules say continued use of an individual system is unlawful where a building lies within 150 feet of an available public sewer¹³, so ask the borough office whether public sewer serves the address.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Churchill Borough?

We could not confirm Churchill Borough's rules for RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes, because they depend on zoning district rules we have not verified. Statewide campground rules apply only to state park campgrounds and do not answer the question for private land¹⁴. Ask the borough office, and get the answer in writing for the parcel.

Building a home in Churchill Borough: the steps, in order

1. Ask the Borough of Churchill office which zoning district the parcel is in and what it allows⁸.
2. Confirm whether public sewer serves the lot; if not, apply to the Allegheny County Health Department for a septic permit¹¹.
3. Apply for the zoning permit before construction starts².
4. Build under the Uniform Construction Code and schedule inspections³.
5. Get the zoning occupancy permit before anyone occupies the building⁵.

What stays with Allegheny County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits, plumbing permits and county highway occupancy permits sit with Allegheny County offices, not the borough⁴¹⁵. A driveway onto a state highway needs a PennDOT highway occupancy permit¹⁶. Construction in a floodplain needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional¹⁷.

For land outside the borough, see the Allegheny County page. Allegheny County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%¹⁸.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Churchill Borough's district rules, setbacks, minimum lot sizes, fees or floodplain ordinance; ask the borough office at (412) 241-7113 before you commit to a parcel⁸.
• Churchill's code still contains older building-code adoption language alongside the Uniform Construction Code adoption, so ask which code edition the borough enforces³.
• Septic and well questions are not decided by the borough zoning permit; confirm with the Allegheny County Health Department⁴.

Sources

1. Churchill Borough Code Ch. 304 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Borough of Churchill), quoted and re-checked
2. Churchill Borough Code Ch. 304 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Borough of Churchill), quoted and re-checked
3. Churchill Borough Code Ch. 160 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Churchill), quoted and re-checked
4. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
5. Churchill Borough Code Ch. 304 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Borough of Churchill), quoted and re-checked
6. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Land Use Planning, quoted and re-checked
8. Borough of Churchill (churchillborough.com)
9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Project Plans and Permitting, quoted and re-checked
11. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
12. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program (alleghenycounty.us)
13. Article XIV Sewage Management, quoted and re-checked
14. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Permits and Licenses, quoted and re-checked
16. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.