Bolthole Index

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

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

Robinson Township, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County, runs its own zoning ordinance with 13 districts1 and requires building permits under the state Uniform Construction Code2. Zoning approval and building permits start at the township's building and planning office. Septic permits are issued by the Allegheny County Health Department, not the township3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; apply in the municipality where the work happens42
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance, Chapter 300, with 13 districts1
Septic
Allegheny County Health Department, Sewage Enforcement Officers3
R-1 minimum lot
25,000 sq ft for a single-family home, 150 ft wide5
R-2 minimum lot
14,500 sq ft for a single-family home, 80 ft wide6
Owner-builder
Statewide rule covers an owner's own primary residence work without pay7

Who to call

Building permits

Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments

Receives municipal permits for assessment; permits are filed in the municipality

Permits-OPA@AlleghenyCounty.us

542 Forbes Avenue, Room 347, Pittsburgh PA 15219

Planning & zoning

Township of Robinson Building & Planning Department

Zoning and building permit questions inside Robinson Township

412-788-8120

5440 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Septic permits

Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program

Plumbing permits and the contact point for on-lot sewage permitting

412-578-8036

2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15205

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

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Robinson Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Robinson Township, Allegheny County, adopted a zoning ordinance, Chapter 300 of its code, that covers all land in the township1. The township is divided into residential districts R-1 through R-5, commercial districts C-1 through C-5, and P, S-1, I-1 and I-2 districts8. Your lot's district decides what you can build, so look up the parcel on the township zoning map before you make an offer.

In the R-1 single-family district, a house needs at least 25,000 square feet and 150 feet of lot width5, with a 75-foot front yard and 15-foot side yards9. Buildings may cover 15% of an R-1 lot10. In R-2, a single-family lot needs 14,500 square feet and 80 feet of width6, and buildings may cover 20%11. Principal buildings in both districts are limited to 35 feet and 2 1/2 stories12.

Do you need a building permit in Robinson Township, PA?

Yes. The township's zoning ordinance bars erecting, moving or altering a building without first securing the permits that applicable laws and ordinances require13. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a permit before starting construction or building work, and a certificate of occupancy before a building can be used2. Building permits are administered by individual municipalities, not by Allegheny County itself4.

The county's own assessment office confirms the point: permits are filed in the municipality where the work is performed14. We could not confirm Robinson Township's fee schedule or its building code chapter, so ask the township office for fees and inspection steps.

Who issues building permits in Robinson Township?

The Township of Robinson's building and planning office handles zoning and building permit questions for land inside the township, and its published phone is 412-788-812015. The office is at 5440 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 1520515. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.15.

Do not send permit applications to Allegheny County. The county's Office of Property Assessments only receives municipal permits for assessment purposes14.

How do septic permits work in Robinson Township?

Septic permits in Robinson Township come from the Allegheny County Health Department, whose Sewage Enforcement Officers act under Pennsylvania Act 5373. The Plumbing Program office handles plumbing permits and is the contact point for on-lot sewage permitting16. Residential plumbing projects also need a permit and prior Health Department plan approval, with a final inspection17.

Where a lot uses on-lot sewage, the township zoning minimum lot size cannot be less than percolation tests require5. Across Allegheny County, only 11.6% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field18, which means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system. Whether a given parcel is on public sewer we could not confirm; ask the township office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Robinson Township?

We could not confirm Robinson Township's rules on living in an RV, camping on a lot, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Zoning applies to all land in the township1, so assume a dwelling must meet its district's lot, setback and height rules until the township says otherwise. Ask the building and planning office at 412-788-812015 before parking an RV on a lot or buying with a tiny home in mind.

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

  1. Find the parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and check lot size and yards8.
  2. Ask the township building and planning office about zoning approval and subdivision requirements; subdivision and land development are regulated by township ordinance19.
  3. If the lot uses on-lot sewage, contact the Allegheny County Health Department for septic evaluation3.
  4. Obtain the building permit from the township before work begins2.
  5. Arrange required inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in20.
  6. A highway occupancy permit is needed before construction in a county right-of-way21.

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

The county, not the township, handles septic permits3 and plumbing permits17. Land outside Robinson Township is covered on the Allegheny County page. Allegheny County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%22, and the typical home value is $247,00823. County-level figures like these are not specific to the township.

Watch-outs

  • Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code applies here, so even small projects can need a permit and inspection; confirm with the township office at 412-788-812015.
  • We could not confirm Robinson Township's permit fees, driveway permit rules or short-term rental rules; the building and planning office at 412-788-8120 can answer each15.
  • Many sources list another Robinson Township in Washington County; the one in Allegheny County uses townshipofrobinson.com15.

Sources

  1. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  3. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
  4. Allegheny County - Building Permits (2026 county census)
  5. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  8. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article IV Zoning Districts (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Robinson Township Chapter 300 Zoning, Article I General Provisions (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments (alleghenycounty.us)
  15. Township of Robinson Building & Planning Department (townshipofrobinson.com)
  16. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program (alleghenycounty.us)
  17. Project Plans and Permitting, 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. Township of Robinson, PA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Robinson Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  21. Permits and Licenses, quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Typical home value (Zillow): 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Robinson Township

Robinson Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting, moving or altering buildings inside Robinson Township under the zoning ordinance

    • Permits required by all applicable laws and ordinances; Chapter 105 Building Construction not yet read.
    “no building or part thereof shall be erected, moved or altered unless in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the district in which it is located, and then only after applying for and securing all necessary permits and licenses required by all applicable laws and ordinances.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land in Robinson Township

    • Chapter 300 is divided into articles with 13 districts and official zoning maps 1 and 2.
    “this chapter shall be known, cited and referred to as the "robinson township zoning ordinance,"”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Robinson Township zoning districts R-1 through R-5, C-1 through C-5, P, S-1, I-1, I-2

    “in order to carry out the provisions of this chapter, robinson township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district, inside Robinson Township

    • Where on-lot sewage is used, minimum lot size must not be less than required by percolation tests (§ 300-34.C).

    minimum lot area, single-family dwelling: >= 25000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 150 ft

    “(1) minimum lot area. (a) single-family dwellings: 25,000 square feet. (b) farms: 15 acres. (c) other uses: one acre. (2) minimum lot width. (a) single-family dwellings: 150 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-2 single-family residential district, inside Robinson Township
      “(1) minimum lot area. (a) single-family dwellings: 14,500 square feet. (b) farms, nursery or greenhouse, nonretail, cemeteries: 10 acres. (c) other uses: one acre. (2) minimum lot width. (a) single-family dwellings: 80 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district, inside Robinson Township

    • Side yards for other principal uses 40 ft each; accessory uses on corner lots 8 ft.
    • Height increase of up to 10 ft for single/two-family dwellings requires side and rear yards increased 10 ft (§ 300-35).

    front yard: >= 75 ft · side yard, single-family dwelling, each: >= 15 ft · rear yard, principal uses: >= 50 ft (accessory uses 10 ft)

    “(5) minimum yard requirements. (a) front yard: 75 feet. (b) side yards. [1] single-family dwelling: 15 feet each yard. [2] other principal uses: 40 feet each yard.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district, inside Robinson Township

    • Other uses 20% building coverage.

    max building coverage, single-family dwelling: <= 15 percent · max impervious surface: <= 50 percent

    “(4) maximum lot coverage. (a) maximum building coverage. [1] single-family dwellings: 15%. [2] other uses: 20%. (b) maximum impervious surface coverage: 50%.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district, inside Robinson Township (R-2 uses the same 35 ft principal limit)

    • Accessory structures 20 ft; places of worship 45 ft.
    • § 300-35: single/two-family dwellings may add up to 10 ft if side and rear yards increase 10 ft; no structure may exceed 45 ft.

    max height, principal uses: <= 35 ft (and 2 1/2 stories)

    “(3) maximum height of structures. (a) all principal uses (except places of worship): 35 feet and 2 1/2 stories.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Robinson Township

    • Chapter 250 text not opened.
    “chapter 250 subdivision and land development (§ 250-1 &ndash; § 250-69)”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Robinson Township
  • Building code adopted — Building code in Robinson Township
  • Inspections — Inspections in Robinson Township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Robinson Township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Robinson Township
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Robinson Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Allegheny County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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