Bolthole Index

Erie County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Waterford Borough, Pennsylvania

Waterford Borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning chapter1 and adopts the state Uniform Construction Code as its building code2. Zoning permits are filed with the borough's Zoning Officer3. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency, not the borough zoning office; we could not confirm which agency serves the borough4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, Waterford Borough has its own zoning chapter1
Zoning districts
R-1 and R-2 Residential, Transitional, B-1 and B-2 Business, and Floodplain5
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code adopted by the borough2
Permit required
Yes, filed first with the Zoning Officer3
Permit decision time
Zoning Officer acts within 10 business days of filing6
Certificate of occupancy
Required before use or occupancy7
Septic
Local sewage agency under Act 537; borough's agency not confirmed4
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the borough office8

Who to call

Building permits

Waterford Borough Municipal Building

Zoning permits, zoning questions and the borough's permit information for land inside Waterford Borough

814-796-4709

30 South Park Row P.O. Box 186 Waterford, Pennsylvania 16441

Zoning

Waterford Borough permits page

What kinds of work need a zoning permit inside the borough

Septic permits

Erie County Department of Health

Erie County's health department, the first call to learn which local agency issues septic permits for a Waterford Borough address

814-451-6700

ecdhinfo@eriecountypa.gov

606 West Second Street, Erie, PA 16507

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 Borough of Waterford means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Waterford Borough, PA have zoning?

Yes. Waterford Borough adopted its own zoning chapter, Chapter 280 of the borough code, so land use inside borough limits is set by the borough and not by Erie County1. The chapter lists R-1 Residential, R-2 Residential, Transitional, B-1 Business, B-2 Business and Floodplain districts5.

We could not confirm what each district allows for RV living, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size, setbacks or building height. Those standards sit in the zoning chapter and zoning map, so ask the borough office which district a parcel is in before you commit to a plan8.

Subdivision and land development inside the borough run under a separate borough chapter with preapplication, preliminary-plan, final-plan and recording steps9.

Do you need a building permit in Waterford Borough, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside Waterford Borough it is unlawful to erect, enlarge, construct, reconstruct or structurally alter a building or other structure without first filing a written application with the Zoning Officer and getting the required permit3. The borough's permits page says the permit is not needed for routine repairs or maintenance, but is needed for new construction, structural alterations, electrical or plumbing work and additions10.

The borough has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code2. Building permit fees are set by borough resolution, so ask the office for the current schedule11.

The borough's list also names fences, swimming pools, utility sheds, patios, porches and decks, signs, demolition, garages and driveways10. We could not confirm whether an owner-builder exemption applies inside the borough.

How long does a Waterford Borough zoning permit take, and when does it expire?

The Zoning Officer must act on a permit application within 10 business days after filing, and a disapproval comes in writing6. A permit expires if work has not begun within 6 months of issuance or is not finished within 1 year6.

When the work is done, notify the Zoning Officer before anyone uses or occupies the building. A final inspection follows within 10 business days of that notice12. A certificate of use and occupancy must be issued before a building for which a permit is required can be used, and the application for it is made at the same time as the permit application7.

How do septic permits work in Waterford Borough, PA?

Septic permits are issued by a local agency under Pennsylvania's Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537), which can be a municipality, a group of municipalities, a county or a county health department, and the agency differs by Erie County municipality4. The borough's zoning officer does not issue them.

We could not confirm which agency covers Waterford Borough, or whether the borough requires a connection to public sewer for new homes. Call the Erie County Department of Health and the borough office to find out before you plan an on-lot system138. Erie County's soils matter too: USDA rates none of the county's soils "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system14.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Waterford Borough?

We could not confirm. The borough's zoning chapter would decide RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes and manufactured homes, and we did not find a provision on any of them. Ask the borough office before you buy or park anything.

Erie County's campground rules do not answer the question for private land. They cover permitted campgrounds that the Erie County Department of Health inspects, and local building and zoning approval may also be required15.

Building a home in Waterford Borough: the steps, in order

  1. Call the borough office at 814-796-4709 and ask which zoning district the parcel is in and what it allows8.
  2. Confirm sewer or septic with the borough and the Erie County Department of Health4.
  3. File a written application with the Zoning Officer, with the fee set by the borough6.
  4. Expect a decision within 10 business days of filing6.
  5. Start work within 6 months and finish within 1 year, or the permit expires6.
  6. If the driveway meets a state highway, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is also required16.
  7. Notify the Zoning Officer when work ends, pass the final inspection and get the certificate of use and occupancy12.

What stays with Erie County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside Waterford Borough is a different case: see the Erie County page for rules on unincorporated land. Inside the borough, the county handles septic through its health department's Act 537 role, though the exact agency for a Waterford Borough address is unconfirmed17.

Check the floodplain too. The borough has a Floodplain district in its zoning chapter5, and Pennsylvania requires a floodplain development permit from the municipality before development in a mapped flood hazard area18. Erie County's effective property tax rate is about 1.6%19.

Watch-outs

  • Waterford Township is a separate municipality from Waterford Borough, so check that a zoning or permit page names the borough before you rely on it1.
  • We could not confirm the borough's rules on RV living, tiny homes, lot size, setbacks or owner-built homes; call the borough office at 814-796-4709 before you buy8.
  • The borough's own code materials did not identify the septic permitting agency, so confirm it with the Erie County Department of Health before you rely on an on-lot system4.

Sources

  1. Chapter 280: Zoning - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 122: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  3. Article V: Administration and Enforcement - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  4. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 280: Zoning - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article V: Administration and Enforcement - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article V: Administration and Enforcement - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  8. Waterford Borough Municipal Building (waterfordboro.net)
  9. Chapter 234: Subdivision and Land Development - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  10. Waterford Borough permits page (waterfordboro.net)
  11. Chapter 122: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article V: Administration and Enforcement - Borough of Waterford, PA (Borough of Waterford), quoted and re-checked
  13. Erie County Department of Health (eriecountypa.gov)
  14. 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
  15. Campgrounds | Erie County, PA, quoted and re-checked
  16. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, quoted and re-checked
  17. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  18. Pennsylvania Floodplain Development Guide, quoted and re-checked
  19. 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 Borough of Waterford

Borough of Waterford’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting, enlarging, constructing, reconstructing, or structurally altering a building or other structure, or specified use changes, inside Waterford borough.

    • The quoted requirement applies when a permit is required.
    • A written application must be filed with the Zoning Officer and the required permit obtained first.
    “When a permit is required, it shall be unlawful to erect, enlarge, construct, reconstruct or structurally alter any building and/or other structure or change the use, intensity of use, or extend or displace the use of any building, other structure and/or land in the Borough without first filing an application with the Zoning Officer in writing and obtaining the required permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings inside Waterford borough limits.

    • 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 this municipality.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted structures or land inside Waterford borough after completion of permitted work.

    • The permit holder must notify the Zoning Officer upon completion and before use and occupancy.
    • The final inspection is within 10 business days after notice of completion.

    final-inspection-deadline: <= 10 business days (after the Zoning Officer receives notice of completion)

    “Upon completion of the permitted work and prior to use and occupancy, the holder of the permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. Within 10 business days after receiving notice of completion, the Zoning Officer shall conduct a final inspection of all permitted structures and/or land.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Any building, other structure, or land inside Waterford borough for which a permit is required.

    • The certificate requirement applies where a permit is required.
    • Application for the certificate must be made at the same time as the permit application.
    “When a certificate of use and occupancy is required, it shall be unlawful to use and/or occupy any building, other structure and/or land for which a permit is required until a certificate of use and occupancy for such building, other structure and/or land has been issued by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Waterford borough limits.

    • Chapter 280 was adopted by Borough Council; amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Waterford 2-11-1991 by Ord. No. 1-1991. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Waterford borough limits.

    • The code's district-regulations article lists R-1 Residential, R-2 Residential, Transitional, B-1 Business, B-2 Business, and Floodplain districts.
    “§ 280-12 R-1 Residential District. § 280-13 R-2 Residential District. § 280-14 T Transitional District. § 280-15 B-1 Business District. § 280-16 B-2 Business District. § 280-17 F-P Floodplain District.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Waterford borough.

    • The chapter provides preapplication, conditional preliminary-plan approval, final-plan approval, and recording procedures.
    “Article III Plan Processing Procedures. § 234-12 Preapplication. § 234-13 Conditional approval of preliminary plan. § 234-14 Approval of final plan. § 234-15 Recording.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Municipal building-code administration and enforcement inside Waterford borough.

    • Fees are established by Borough governing-body resolution from time to time.
    “Fees assessable by the municipality for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning permits and certificates of use and occupancy inside Waterford borough.

    • Applications are submitted in the form prescribed by the Zoning Officer and accompanied by the required Borough Council-established fee.
    • If permit work has not begun within six months or is not completed within one year, the permit expires.

    zoning-officer-application-decision: <= 10 business days (after filing) · permit-work-start: <= 6 months (after issuance before permit expires) · permit-work-completion: <= 1 year (after issuance before permit expires)

    “The Zoning Officer shall act on all applications for a permit within 10 business days after filing. If the requirements of this chapter are satisfied, a permit shall be issued. Disapproval of a permit shall be in writing to the applicant.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Waterford borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside Waterford borough.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside Waterford borough.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside Waterford borough.
  • Lot coverage — Residential zoning districts inside Waterford borough.
16 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • 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
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Borough of Waterford publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Erie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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