Bolthole Index

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic in Lower Chichester Township, Pennsylvania

Lower Chichester Township, Pennsylvania (Delaware County) requires a building permit from the township's Building Inspector for erecting, altering or enlarging a building1. The township also adopts and enforces its own zoning code2. Septic permits and well permits are handled at the county level by the Delaware County Health Department34.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; apply to the township Building Inspector1
Zoning
Township zoning code with a published district map25
Septic and wells
Delaware County Health Department issues on-lot sewage and well permits34
R1 minimum lot
16,000 sq ft, 90 ft wide at the setback line6
R1 setbacks
35 ft front, 15 ft each side, 50 ft rear7
Owner-builder
Pennsylvania has no general contractor license for an owner working on their own primary residence8

Who to call

Building permits

Lower Chichester Township (Code Enforcement and township office)

Building permit applications, permit fee schedule and township codes; Code Enforcement is 610-485-2723 and the main township office is 610-485-1472

610-485-2723

Septic permits

Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health

Permits, inspections and enforcement for on-lot sewage systems, and permits for private wells

(484) 276-2100

environmental@co.delaware.pa.us

1400 N Providence Road Suite 212, Media, PA 19063

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

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

Does Lower Chichester Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Lower Chichester Township enforces the Township of Lower Chichester Zoning Ordinance of 19682, and the zoning map divides the township into eight districts: R1, R2, R3, GC, GI, LI, IP and BP5. Delaware County does not zone for its municipalities; zoning maps and district rules are kept by each municipality9.

The rules differ by district. In the R1 Low Density Residence District, a lot needs at least 16,000 square feet and a width of 90 feet at the required setback line6. Buildings need a front yard of at least 35 feet, two side yards of at least 15 feet each, and a rear yard of at least 50 feet7. Building area cannot exceed 10 percent of the lot10. A one-family dwelling in R1 needs at least 650 square feet of first-floor space if it is one or one-and-one-half stories, or 500 square feet on the first floor if it is two stories11.

We could not confirm township rules on RV living, camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the township office before you plan any of them.

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

Yes. Nobody may erect, alter or enlarge a building or structure in Lower Chichester Township without applying to the Building Inspector and obtaining a permit1. Applications are made in writing on forms the township supplies12. The permit follows Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which municipalities administer locally13. Delaware County itself directs building-permit questions to the municipality's code enforcement officials14.

The township posts a residential fee schedule dated January 21, 2013: $100 for work estimated at $800 or less, then $20 for every $1,000 or fraction above $10,000 on top of the base fee15. The township also says it adds $4.50 to each application and charges engineer and attorney review at cost15. Confirm current amounts with the township.

How do septic permits and wells work in Lower Chichester Township?

The Delaware County Health Department processes and issues permits for on-lot sewage systems and well construction in Delaware County3. A septic permit is required for new systems, repairs or modifications, and major new permits need soil testing16. Delaware County's soils rate poorly for conventional drain fields, so expect a site evaluation: only about 3.6% of county soils are rated not limited17.

We could not confirm whether a given Lower Chichester address is on public sewer or needs an on-lot system, or whether the township adds its own septic rules. Call the Health Department's Environmental Health office, and the township office for sewer connection questions.

Building a home in Lower Chichester Township: the steps, in order

  1. Check the zoning district for your parcel with the township, then confirm the lot size, setbacks and dwelling size for that district5.
  2. If the plan splits a lot or opens a street, get the township Commissioners' approval of the plan of lots and streets18; county review is also part of the process19.
  3. Settle sewage and well approvals with the Delaware County Health Department3.
  4. Apply to the township Building Inspector; no building permit is issued until the other required permits are obtained12.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required20.
  6. Book the required inspections: foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard, and final21.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy before anyone lives in the home22.

What stays with Delaware County, and what to check before you buy in Lower Chichester

Septic and well permits sit with the Delaware County Health Department, not the township3. County-level planning review applies to subdivisions, and the county's planning office does not issue building permits23. The county's own page for land outside the township is at Delaware County.

Building in a flood area triggers extra steps: the township requires a building permit before any construction or development24, and state rules require sealed flood-plain documentation from a registered design professional25. Delaware County's typical home value is $373,575 and its effective property tax rate is 2%2627.

Watch-outs

  • The township's posted permit fee schedule is dated 2013, so confirm current fees with the township office before budgeting15.
  • Lower Chichester's lot, setback and size numbers above apply to the R1 district only; other districts differ, so check your parcel's district6.
  • We could not confirm township rules on RVs, tiny homes, camping, wells or septic inside the township; ask the township office and the Delaware County Health Department.3

Sources

  1. Building Code – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Code – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  4. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Code – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Code – R1 Low Density Residence District (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Code – R1 Low Density Residence District (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  9. delcopa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  10. Zoning Code – R1 Low Density Residence District (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Zoning Code – R1 Low Density Residence District (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building Code – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  15. Permits – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Zoning Code – Lower Chichester Township (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  20. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  21. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  22. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  23. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  24. Building Code – Flood Damage Prevention (Lower Chichester Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  26. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  27. Effective property tax rate: 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 Lower Chichester Township

Lower Chichester Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, alteration, or enlargement of a building or structure inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • An application must be made to the Building Inspector by the owner, agent, or contractor and the permit must be properly obtained.
    • A permit may not be issued for a building or structure detrimental in appearance, design, or location to buildings already erected in that section.
    “No person shall proceed with the erection, alteration or enlargement of any building or structure, or any part thereof, in the Township, unless application for a permit shall have been made by the owner, agent or contractor to the Building Inspector and a permit shall have been properly obtained.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • The cited code identifies itself as the Township of Lower Chichester Zoning Ordinance of 1968.
    “This Title Six of Part Twelve of these Codified Ordinances shall be known and may be cited as the Township of Lower Chichester Zoning Ordinance of 1968 and shall be referred to throughout this Title Six as “this Zoning Code.””
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • The Zoning Map is incorporated by reference into the Zoning Code.
    • Published districts are R1, R2, R3, GC, GI, LI, IP, and BP.

    number of zoning districts: 8

    “For the purpose of this Zoning Code, the Township is hereby divided into eight separate and definite districts to be designated as follows:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions of property inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • All future subdivisions must conform to the Township General Plan.
    • A subdivision requiring opening streets or highways requires prior approval of the plan of lots and streets by the Township Commissioners.
    “No person shall subdivide any tract or piece of land requiring the opening of streets or highways in the Township without prior approval of the plan of lots and streets by the Township Commissioners.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or development inside Lower Chichester Township under the Township flood-damage-prevention chapter.

    • A building permit is required before construction or development.
    • Minor repairs without structural changes or modifications are exempt.
    • The application is reviewed for required state and federal permits, including permits under the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, Pennsylvania Clean Streams Act, and Clean Water Act Section 404.
    “(a) No person shall undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within the Township unless an approved building permit therefore has been obtained from the appropriate Township Official. (b) A building permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures, provided that no structural changes or modifications are involved.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Township building permits and related permits inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • The posted general permit fee schedule is dated January 21, 2013.
    • The page says to add $4.50 to each commercial, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing application.
    • Professional engineer and attorney review fees are charged to the permittee at cost.
    • The page states that there are no refunds on permits, applications, or other fees.

    residential permit fee for estimated cost of $800 or less: 100 USD (posted General Permit Fee Schedule dated January 21, 2013) · residential permit fee above $10,000: per 20 USD per $1,000 or fraction (in addition to the applicable base fee)

    “Residential 800-less | $100.00 801-1,500 | $125.00 1,501-2,500 | $150.00 2,500-7,000 | $200.00 7,001-10,000 | $250.00 $20.00 for every 1,000 or every fraction therof exceeding $10,000”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • For flood-damage-prevention permits, applications are made in writing to the appropriate Township Official on Township forms.
    • Before issuance, the official reviews whether other necessary governmental permits have been obtained.
    • No building permit is issued until all other required permits from another office or agency have been obtained.
    “An application for a building permit shall be made, in writing, to the appropriate Township Official on forms supplied by the Township.”

Rules another office applies inside Lower Chichester Township

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    One-family dwellings in the R1 Low Density Residence District inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • The requirement is floor space under the main roof on the first floor.
    • Two-story buildings require 500 square feet; one-story and one-and-one-half-story buildings require 650 square feet.

    first-floor floor space, two-story building: >= 500 square feet · first-floor floor space, one-story or one-and-one-half-story building: >= 650 square feet

    “There shall be a minimum requirement of 500 square feet of floor space under the main roof on the first floor of any two-story building; and a minimum of 650 square feet of floor space under the main roof on the first floor of any one-story or one and one-half story building.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the R1 Low Density Residence District inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • Minimum lot width is measured at the required setback line.

    minimum lot width: >= 90 feet (measured at the required setback line) · minimum lot size: >= 16000 square feet

    “The minimum lot width shall be ninety feet measured at the required setback line, and the minimum lot size shall be 16,000 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings and dwellings in the R1 Low Density Residence District inside Lower Chichester Township.

    • Corner lots require the defined front-yard depth on both streets.

    front yard depth: >= 35 feet (from the established street line) · side yard width: >= 15 feet (two side yards, one on either side) · rear yard depth: >= 50 feet (for every dwelling)

    “(a) There shall be a front yard, the depth of which shall be at least thirty-five feet from the established street line. (b) In the case of a corner lot, the depth of the front yard, as defined in Section 1260.05, shall be required on both streets. (c) In the case of all buildings, there shall be two side yards, one on either side of the building, each of which shall be not less than fifteen feet in width. (d) There shall be a rear yard to every dwelling, the depth of which shall be at least fifty feet .”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R1 Low Density Residence District inside Lower Chichester Township.

    maximum building area: <= 10 percent of lot area

    “The building area shall not exceed ten percent of the lot area.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Lower Chichester Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Lower Chichester Township.
  • Building height — Residential buildings inside Lower Chichester Township.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of a recreational vehicle on private land inside Lower Chichester Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Lower Chichester Township.
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Lower Chichester Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Delaware County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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