Bolthole Index

Beaver County, Pennsylvania

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

Raccoon Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 185), and no building or structure, including a mobile home, may be erected, added to or structurally altered without a permit from the Zoning Officer12. Building work also follows the 2015 Uniform Construction Code3. Septic permits come from the Township Secretary and the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer, not from Beaver County4.

At a glance

Zoning
Township's own zoning ordinance (Chapter 185); Beaver County has no countywide zoning15
Zoning permit
Required before erecting, adding to or structurally altering any building or structure, including mobile homes2
Zoning permit fee
$50.00 currently6
Building code
2015 Uniform Construction Code; inspections by MDIA, Inc.37
Occupancy permit
Required before a new building is occupied8
Septic
Permit from the Township Secretary, approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer4
Sewer connection
Mandatory where the township sanitary sewer is available9
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the Zoning Officer6

Who to call

Also useful

Raccoon Township municipal office

Township office: zoning and building permit forms, driveway permit application, and the township's published forms and ordinances

724-495-6587

1234 State Route 18, Aliquippa, PA 15001

Zoning

Raccoon Township Zoning Officer

Zoning permits, zoning map and applications for conditional use, variance and special exception

724-494-4208

Building permits

MDIA, Inc. (township's inspection provider)

Uniform Construction Code inspections inside Raccoon Township; the township office takes the building permit application

1-800-580-6342

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 Raccoon Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Raccoon Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Raccoon Township adopted its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 185 of the township code1. Beaver County does not set zoning for the township: land use is controlled at the municipal level and the county has no overarching land use ordinance10.

The ordinance divides the township into A-1 General Agriculture, A-2 Prime Agriculture, R-1 Suburban Residential, R-2 General Residential, C-1 Light Commercial and C-2 Highway Commercial districts, shown on a zoning map kept by the Township Secretary11. Which district a parcel sits in decides what you can build, so look it up first.

We could not confirm the township's rules on RV living, temporary camping, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size, setbacks or building height. Ask the Zoning Officer before you buy, and get the answer for your specific district in writing6.

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

Yes. Raccoon Township requires a permit from its Zoning Officer before any building or structure, including a mobile home, is erected, added to or structurally altered2. A zoning permit currently costs $50.006. The application needs two copies of a scaled plot plan, the permit expires after 12 months unless an exception applies, and the permit copy must be posted on the premises during work12.

Some work is exempt from the zoning permit, including minor repairs, nonstructural remodeling and an accessory structure of 200 square feet or less, which may sit within 15 feet of a rear or side lot line behind the front building line2.

A separate building permit follows the 2015 Uniform Construction Code, with inspections performed by MDIA, Inc.37 Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code applies to buildings throughout the state13. Call the township office before any construction to verify whether a permit is needed14.

Who handles inspections and occupancy permits in Raccoon Township?

The township says its inspections are performed by MDIA, Inc.15 The township's own code adds that a new building cannot be occupied until the Zoning Officer issues an occupancy permit, after the premises are inspected and found compliant8. The occupancy permit fee is included in the zoning-permit fee8.

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code separately requires a certificate of occupancy before a residential building may be used or occupied16. Plan on both: the zoning occupancy permit and the construction code's final inspection.

How do septic permits work in Raccoon Township?

Septic permits in Raccoon Township come from the township itself. Nobody may build an individual sewage disposal system, or a building that will use one, or connect a mobile home to one, without a permit from the Township Secretary approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer17. Beaver County reviews sewage plans under Act 537 but does not issue the on-lot permit18.

Where the township sanitary sewer is available, every dwelling, commercial or industrial structure, mobile or not, must connect to it9. Where sewer is not available, the structure needs inside plumbing and a sanitary sewage disposal system19.

The state's ten-acre exemption for owner-occupied homes on large, long-held tracts does not apply where a municipality requires a permit by ordinance20, and the township does by ordinance17. Beaver County's USDA soil ratings call about 8.6% of soils not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system21. We could not confirm whether the township requires septic inspections or a well permit; ask the township office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Raccoon Township?

We could not confirm. The township's zoning materials we reviewed did not state a rule on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes, so do not assume any of them is allowed. Mobile homes are explicitly covered: a zoning permit is needed before one is erected, added to or structurally altered22, and a mobile home must be connected to an approved septic system or the sewer17. Call the Zoning Officer at 724-494-4208 and ask about your district before moving anything onto the land6.

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

  1. Find your parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and read Chapter 18511.
  2. Ask the Zoning Officer about your intended use, and file a conditional use, variance or special exception application if needed6.
  3. If you are dividing land, file a subdivision application at least 15 days before the monthly Planning Commission meeting, with the required fees23.
  4. Get septic approval, or confirm sewer connection, through the Township Secretary and Sewage Enforcement Officer17.
  5. Apply for the zoning permit with a scaled plot plan12 and the Uniform Construction Code building permit3.
  6. Build with inspections by MDIA, Inc.15
  7. Get the occupancy permit before moving in8.

What stays with Beaver County, and what to check before you buy in Raccoon Township

Beaver County does not issue building, zoning or septic permits for the township; its Planning Commission reviews subdivision and land-development plans, zoning and Act 537 plans24. See the Beaver County page for land outside the township.

Before you buy, confirm the zoning district, sewer availability, and whether a driveway permit applies. The township publishes a driveway permit application14, but we could not confirm when one is required; ask the township office. County-level context: Beaver County's property tax rate is about 1.4%25, and the typical home is valued around $211,75726.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Raccoon Township's lot size, setback, height, RV, tiny-home, accessory-dwelling or short-term-rental rules; ask the Zoning Officer for your district6.
  • A zoning permit and a Uniform Construction Code building permit are separate steps, and each building needs an occupancy permit before use28.
  • The state ten-acre septic exemption does not help where the township requires a septic permit by ordinance2017.

Sources

  1. Raccoon Township Zoning & Permits (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 185, Article XV: Administration and Enforcement (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Raccoon Township Zoning & Permits (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 142: Sewers (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Beaver County FOCUS Comprehensive Plan, quoted and re-checked
  6. Raccoon Township Zoning Officer (raccoontownship.org)
  7. Raccoon Township Zoning & Permits (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 185, Article XV: Administration and Enforcement (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 142: Sewers (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Beaver County - Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  11. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 185, Article IV: Establishment of Districts (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 185, Article XV: Administration and Enforcement (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Raccoon Township municipal office (raccoontownship.org)
  15. MDIA, Inc. (township's inspection provider) (raccoontownship.org)
  16. 34 Pa. Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  17. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 142: Sewers (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officers (Act 537) (2026 county census)
  19. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 142: Sewers (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  21. 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
  22. Township of Raccoon Code, Chapter 185, Article XV: Administration and Enforcement (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Raccoon Township Subdivision Application (Raccoon Township), quoted and re-checked
  24. Beaver County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

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 Raccoon Township

Raccoon Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, addition to, or structural alteration of a building or structure, including a mobile home, inside Raccoon Township.

    • Remodeling or improvement that does not alter the basic structure, create additional lot-area coverage, or change parcel or building use is exempt from the zoning-permit requirement.
    • Minor repairs, nonstructural remodeling, and an accessory structure of 200 square feet or less are also listed as zoning-permit exemptions.

    accessory-structure exemption threshold: <= 200 square feet (Zoning permit exemption; structure may be erected and maintained within 15 feet of a rear or side lot line behind the front building line.)

    “No building or structure, including mobile homes, shall be erected, added to, or structurally altered until a permit therefor has been issued by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Raccoon Township.

    • Township page identifies the adopted code as the 2015 Uniform Construction Code.

    Uniform Construction Code edition: 2015

    “Raccoon Townships follows the 2015 Uniform Construction Code .”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Construction and zoning-permit premises inside Raccoon Township.

    • The township page identifies MDIA, Inc. as the inspection provider; the zoning officer also inspects premises.
    • The source does not establish inspection stages for every type of building work.
    “Please contact the township office prior to any construction to verify if a permit is needed. Our inspections are performed by MDIA, Inc”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New buildings and specified changes of use or occupancy inside Raccoon Township.

    • Occupancy permits are required for occupancy of a new building; specified moved or altered buildings; changed building or land uses; vacant land; and nonconforming-use changes.
    • Before issue, the applicant must apply, pay the fee included in the zoning-permit fee, and have the premises inspected and found compliant.

    occupancy permit fee: 10 USD (Township forms page; completed application must be included.)

    “Upon completion of the authorized new construction, alternation, remodeling, change of use of building or land under the provisions of a Zoning Permit, such building or land shall not be occupied until an occupancy permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Raccoon Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

    • The township's zoning ordinance is Chapter 185.
    “Our Municipal Code is Now Online! Please see Chapter 185 for the Zoning Ordinance”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Raccoon Township.

    • District boundaries are shown on the zoning map adopted by the Board of Supervisors and on file in the Township Secretary's office.
    “For the purpose of applying the provisions of this chapter, the Township of Raccoon is hereby classified and divided into the following Zoning districts: A Agricultural Districts A-1 General Agriculture A-2 Prime Agriculture R-1 Suburban Residential District R-2 General Residential District C-1 Light Commercial District C-2 Highway Commercial District”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Erection, addition to, or structural alteration of mobile homes inside Raccoon Township.

    • A zoning permit is required before erection, addition, or structural alteration.
    • Separate district use rules were not established by the opened section.
    “No building or structure, including mobile homes, shall be erected, added to, or structurally altered until a permit therefor has been issued by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Individual or community sewage disposal systems inside Raccoon Township.

    • The permit must be obtained from the Township Secretary and approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.
    • The system must comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act and cited Department of Health rules.
    “No person shall construct, alter, improve or extend an individual sewage disposal system or construct any building in the Township in which an individual or community sewage disposal system is to be installed or connect or reconnect a mobile home to a new or existing individual or community sewage disposal system without first obtaining from the Township Secretary and approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer a permit”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, improvement, or extension of individual or community sewage disposal systems and listed buildings or mobile-home connections inside Raccoon Township.

    • Permit is issued by the Township Secretary and approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.
    • Site, plans, and specifications must comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act and cited Department of Health rules.
    “No person shall construct, alter, improve or extend an individual sewage disposal system or construct any building in the Township in which an individual or community sewage disposal system is to be installed or connect or reconnect a mobile home to a new or existing individual or community sewage disposal system without first obtaining from the Township Secretary and approved by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer a permit”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Structures in portions of Raccoon Township where municipal sewer facilities are unavailable.

    • Inside plumbing facilities and a sanitary sewage disposal system are required for every covered improvement and structure.
    • Where municipal sewer is available, connection to the township sanitary sewer system is mandatory.
    “In all areas of Raccoon Township where municipal sewer system facilities are not available, there shall be required to be provided inside plumbing facilities and a sanitary sewage disposal system for every improvement and structure, even though such structure is fabricated or manufactured elsewhere, whether mobile or immobile, that is erected and/or placed upon a plot of land in the Township and intended to be used or occupied, either permanently or temporarily for either dwelling, commercial or industrial purposes.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Every improvement or structure erected or placed in an area of Raccoon Township where municipal sewer facilities are available.

    • Applies to structures fabricated or manufactured elsewhere, mobile or immobile, and intended for permanent or temporary dwelling, commercial, or industrial occupation.
    • Where municipal sewer facilities are unavailable, inside plumbing and a sanitary sewage disposal system are required.
    “In all areas of Raccoon Township where municipal sewer system facilities are available, every improvement and structure, even though such structure is fabricated or manufactured elsewhere, whether mobile or immobile, that is erected and/or placed upon a plot of land in the Township and intended to be used and occupied either permanently or temporarily for either dwelling, commercial or industrial purposes, shall be required to be connected to, discharge and dispose of all sewage and liquid waste into the Township's sanitary sewer system.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision applications inside Raccoon Township.

    • Application identifies Ordinance No. 2-91.
    • Application must be received at least 15 days before the regular monthly Planning Commission meeting for review that month.
    • Required subdivision fee, deposit, Beaver County Planning Commission review fee, recording fees, and relevant sewage testing or planning-module fees must be paid; application is incomplete until required fees are received.

    Planning Commission filing lead time: >= 15 days (To be reviewed at that month's regular monthly meeting.)

    “RACCOON TOWNSHIP, BEAVER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA SUBDIVISION APPLICATION ORDINANCE NO 2-91”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning permits for development inside Raccoon Township.

    • Application must include two copies of a scaled layout or plot plan with listed lot and building information.
    • A zoning permit expires 12 months after issue unless the stated project-size or act-of-nature exception applies and the applicant advises the Zoning Officer.
    • Permit copy must be posted on premises during work.

    zoning permit expiration: 12 months (Project-size or act-of-nature exception applies only if the applicant advises the Zoning Officer of expiration and the reason for failure to complete.)

    “There shall be submitted with all applications for zoning permits, two copies of a layout or plot plan drawn to scale showing the actual dimensions of the lot to be built upon, the exact size, location and height of the building on the lot and accessory buildings to be erected, and other such information as may be deemed necessary by the Zoning Officer to determine and provide for the enforcement of this chapter.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Raccoon Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Raccoon Township.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Raccoon Township.
  • Setbacks — Principal structures inside Raccoon Township.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Raccoon Township.
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Raccoon Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Beaver County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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