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

Brady Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings inside Brady Township exceeding 200 square feet.

  • Agricultural buildings are excepted by Chapter 105.
  • The Chapter 105 permit requirement applies to buildings exceeding 200 square feet.

  building area threshold: > 200 square feet (Agricultural buildings)

  “This municipality hereby elects to require building permits for any building, except agricultural buildings, exceeding 200 square feet.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction governed by Brady Township's municipal building code inside the Township.

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

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

• InspectionsLimited

  Buildings of any type in Brady Township for zoning compliance.

  • The cited inspection addresses setbacks, zoning, and maximum-size compliance.

  “Buildings of any type shall require a minimum of a zoning permit and an inspection by the Zoning Officer to determine that proper setbacks, zoning and maximum size requirements are met.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Commercial, industrial, single-family, multifamily, and institutional buildings before occupancy or use in Brady Township.

  • Owner must secure written Zoning Officer approval.
  • Approval is also required for additional dwelling units, certain home-occupation changes, and specified commercial or industrial conversions.

  “Before a commercial, industrial, single or multifamily or institutional building is occupied or used, or a property occupied or used without the need of a building permit, zoning permit, or other structures used in compliance with the issued zoning permit or building permit, the owner shall secure the approval of the Zoning Officer in writing.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Brady Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

  • Chapter 350 was adopted by the Township Board of Supervisors; use and construction are subject to the district regulations.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Brady 11-16-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-H. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Brady Township.

  • Use table identifies AR, R, HC, LI, and PC districts.

  “AR | = | Agricultural Residential Zoning District R | = | Residential Zoning District HC | = | Highway Commercial Zoning District LI | = | Light Industrial Zoning District PC | = | Park Conservation Zoning District”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Manufactured, mobile, or modular homes on their own lots in the AR Agricultural Residential and R Residential Districts of Brady Township.

  • Use remains subject to applicable district and permit requirements.

  “Manufactured, mobile or modular home on its own lot | P | P | | | P”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual and community sewage facilities inside Brady Township corporate limits.

  • Township ordinance implements the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act and PADEP regulations.

  “This article shall apply to the design, construction, installation, operation, maintenance, alteration, modification, repair, rehabilitation and replacement of individual and community sewage facilities within the corporate limits of Brady Township.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Installation of a privy, four or more portable toilets at one site, or a permanent or temporary sewage holding tank inside Brady Township.

  • Permit must be obtained from the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer before installation or contracting for installation.
  • Holding-tank permits have additional limitations and maintenance requirements.

  portable-toilet threshold: >= 4 portable toilets at a single site (Sewage permit is required before installation or contract award)

  “No person may install or award a contract for the installation of a privy or four or more portable toilets at a single site without first obtaining a sewage permit from the SEO.”

• Septic inspectionLimited

  Alternate, experimental, and retaining-tank sewage systems inside Brady Township where the Township requires an operations-and-maintenance agreement.

  • The agreement authorizes periodic Township inspections.
  • The cited provision does not establish an inspection interval for every on-lot system.

  “An agreement between the system owner and Township establishing the owner's operating and maintenance responsibilities and authorizing the Township to conduct periodic inspections of the system.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, portable toilets, and sewage holding tanks inside Brady Township.

  • A sewage permit from the Sewage Enforcement Officer is required before the stated installations.
  • Permanent holding tanks are limited to specified low-flow institutions, RV dumping stations, commercial establishments, or nuisance/public-health-hazard abatement.

  permanent holding-tank flow limit: < 800 gallons per day (Institutions, recreational vehicle dumping stations, or commercial establishments)

  “Permanent sewage holding tanks shall only be permitted: [...] For institutions, recreational vehicle dumping stations or commercial establishments with a sewage flow of less than 800 gallons per day; or [...] When the use is necessary to abate a nuisance or public health hazard.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Agricultural buildings inside Brady Township.

  • The cited exemption concerns the Township's Chapter 105 building-permit requirement.

  “This municipality hereby elects to require building permits for any building, except agricultural buildings, exceeding 200 square feet.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Lots requiring subdivision or land-development approval inside Brady Township.

  • Zoning permit issuance requires proof that applicable subdivision and/or land-development approval has been granted.

  “No zoning permit shall be issued unless the applicant presents the Zoning Officer with proof that any applicable subdivision and/or land development approval has been granted, a sewage permit has been issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer for the lot, a driveway permit or a highway occupancy permit issued by the Department of Transportation of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or a Brady Township road occupancy permit has been issued in order that access may be gained to the lot, and all other required Township approvals and permits have been granted or issued.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Zoning-permit applicants seeking access to a lot inside Brady Township.

  • Applicant must present a PennDOT driveway/highway-occupancy permit or Brady Township road-occupancy permit, as applicable, before zoning permit issuance.

  “No zoning permit shall be issued unless the applicant presents the Zoning Officer with proof that any applicable subdivision and/or land development approval has been granted, a sewage permit has been issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer for the lot, a driveway permit or a highway occupancy permit issued by the Department of Transportation of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or a Brady Township road occupancy permit has been issued in order that access may be gained to the lot, and all other required Township approvals and permits have been granted or issued.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Zoning permits and other listed land-use actions inside Brady Township.

  • Current fee schedule is available at the Township Secretary's office.
  • The fee schedule may be amended only by official Board resolution.
  • No permit is issued until fees are paid in full.

  “The Board of Supervisors shall establish by resolution a schedule of fees to cover the cost of permits, conditional use approvals, petitions to amend the ordinance, or any action brought before the Zoning Hearing Board or Planning Commission. The current fee schedule shall be available at the office of the Township Secretary and may be amended only by official resolution of the Board.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  New construction, structural or site alteration, and changes in building or lot use inside Brady Township.

  • Applicant submits the appropriate application and required fee to the Zoning Officer.
  • Officer acts within 30 days if no referral is required, or within 90 days where Board referral is required.

  zoning-officer action period without referral: <= 30 days (No referrals required) · zoning-officer action period with Board referral: <= 90 days (From complete application including required fees)

  “The Zoning Officer shall complete this examination and take action on the permit within 30 days if no referrals are required. However, if referral to the Board of Supervisors is required, action by the Zoning Officer shall take place within 90 days from the date of the application including required fees, filed with the Township.”

Rules another office applies inside Brady Township

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

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Buildings and impervious surfaces in the AR Agricultural Residential District inside Brady Township.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

  “By impervious surface (percent of property) | 20% | 20% | 65% | 65% | 15%”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Buildings and impervious surfaces in the R Residential District inside Brady Township.

    “By impervious surface (percent of property) | 20% | 20% | 65% | 65% | 15%”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Brady Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Brady Township zoning districts.
• Living in an RV — Long-term occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land inside Brady Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Brady Township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Brady Township.

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 Brady Township 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.

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