Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Conway, Pennsylvania

Borough of Conway’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings constructed, altered, or razed inside Conway borough.

  • A permit must be obtained first; the provision also covers construction on rented ground.

  “No person shall cause or permit any building to be constructed, altered or razed upon any property owned by such person or upon any ground rented by him, in the case of ground rental arrangement, without first having obtained a permit therefor.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Conway borough.

  • The incorporated Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.

  “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this municipality.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings subject to a Borough building permit inside Conway borough.

  • After completion or during permitted work, Borough Council or its authorized representative may cause an inspection; the cited provision does not make every inspection mandatory.

  “The Borough Council may, after completion or at any time during the course of the work for which the permit shall have been granted, cause an inspection of such building to be made.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Conway borough.

  • The published code says the current ordinance and amendments are available for review at Borough offices; district controls were not available in the accessible online text.

  “[The current Zoning Ordinance of the Borough of Conway, and all amendments thereto, are available for review in the Borough offices.]”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Public-sewer connections inside Conway borough.

  • The accessible online code identifies § 98-2 as governing required connection and method; its operative availability and distance conditions were not accessible.

  “§ 98-2 Connection to public sewers required; method.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and related facilities inside Conway borough.

  • Plan must be prepared by a registered professional engineer or surveyor, submitted, and approved by the proper Borough official or body.

  “It shall be unlawful for the owner of any land in the Borough of Conway to make a subdivision thereof, or to lay out, construct, open or dedicate for public use or travel or for the common use of the occupants of buildings thereon any street, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water main or other facilities in connection therewith, unless and until a plan thereof shall have been prepared by a registered professional engineer or surveyor and submitted to and approved by the proper Borough official or body, as hereinafter provided.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Borough building permits.

  • For construction value over $100,000, the fee is $1 per thousand or part thereof over $100,000, capped at $200.

  building permit fee: 5 USD (Construction value up to $2,000) · building permit fee: 80 USD (Construction value $50,001 to $100,000)

  “For construction value over $100,000, a charge of $1 per thousand or any part of a thousand in excess of $100,000 shall be made, up to a maximum of $200.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Borough building permits for construction, alteration, or demolition.

  • Application, plans and specifications for erection, compliance evidence, and applicable fee are required.

  “Such permit shall be issued by the Borough Council or its authorized representative upon the filing of an application with it, submission of plans and specifications in the case of erection of any building, furnishing of evidence of intended compliance with the requirements of the law and of all other ordinances of the Borough affecting building construction and use therein, such evidence to be given by specific information as may be prescribed by the application form, and upon payment of the applicable fee based on the value of construction to be undertaken under the following schedule:”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Conway borough.
• Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Conway borough.
• Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Conway borough.
• Setbacks — Residential districts inside Conway borough.
• Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Conway borough.

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 Conway 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.