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

Thornbury Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erection or alteration of a building or structure inside Thornbury Township.

  • This is the Township zoning-permit requirement; the proposal must comply with Chapter 27.

  “A permit shall be required prior to the erection or alteration of any building, structure, or portion thereof, prior to the use or change in use of a building or land, and prior to the change or extension of a nonconforming use.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction regulated by Thornbury Township's Construction Code.

  • The adoption is subject to the exceptions in § 5-202.
  • The incorporated Uniform Construction Code may be amended from time to time.

  “Except as provided in § 5-202 of this article, the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa.Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted in its entirety and made a part hereof by reference.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Actual construction under an approved subdivision or land-development plan inside Thornbury Township.

  • The source specifically addresses construction under an approved subdivision or land-development plan, not every building project.

  “The Township will be responsible for inspecting actual construction under any approved subdivision or land development plan and may take any reasonable steps to ensure that all projects are inspected adequately.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 Residential District.

  • A larger minimum lot area may be required by § 27-2115, Steep Slope Regulations.
  • A lot not abutting a road or street must have a 20-foot-wide right-of-way or roadway in addition to the minimum lot area.

  minimum lot area: >= 87000 square feet (Subject to larger area under § 27-2115.)

  “Lot Area. Except where a larger minimum lot area shall be required under § 27-2115, "Steep Slope Regulations," every lot shall have an area of not less than 87,000 square feet; provided, that if the lot does not abut on a road or street, the lot must be connected to a road or street by a right-of-way or roadway at least 20 feet wide, which right-of-way or roadway shall be in addition to the minimum lot area of 87,000 square feet.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Lots in the R-2 Residential District.

    “Lot Area. Except where a larger minimum lot area shall be required under § 2115, "Steep Slope Regulations," every lot shall have an area of not less than 60,000 square feet, provided that, if the lot does not abut on a road or street, the lot must be connected to a road or street by a right-of-way or roadway at least 20 feet wide, which right-of-way or roadway shall be in addition to the minimum lot area of 60,000 square feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Lots in the R-1 Residential District.

  • Swimming-pool construction area, excluding surrounding paved areas, is not included in the 15% limit.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 15 percent (Swimming-pool construction area, excluding surrounding paved areas, is excluded.)

  “Lot Coverage. Not more than 15% of the area of each lot may be occupied by buildings or other impervious cover, except that any area devoted to swimming pool construction, exclusive of surrounding paved areas, shall not be included in the 15%.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 Residential District.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 3 stories

  “No building shall exceed three stories or 35 feet in height.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Mobile-home parks inside Thornbury Township.

  • The requirement applies to mobile-home parks; the opened source did not establish a general residential driveway-permit rule.

  “General Requirements. A safe and convenient vehicular access shall be provided from abutting public streets or roads. All internal streets or roads shall be privately owned and maintained, and shall be constructed in accordance with Thornbury Township specifications.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Administration and enforcement of Thornbury Township's Construction Code.

  • Fees are established by Board of Supervisors resolution from time to time; no current amount was established by the opened code provision.

  “Fees. Fees assessable by the Township of Thornbury for the administration and enforcement of this article and the Uniform Construction Code shall be established by the Board of Supervisors from time to time, by resolution.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Thornbury Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Thornbury Township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Thornbury Township outside rules specifically applicable to floodplain recreational vehicles.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Thornbury Township.
• Who permits septic — Private on-lot sewage systems inside Thornbury 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 Thornbury 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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