Bolthole Index

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Macungie borough, Pennsylvania

Macungie borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance, with a zoning officer, zoning permits and a zoning hearing board1. Lehigh County has no zoning authority of its own2. A building permit is required under the state Uniform Construction Code3, and septic permits come from a local agency's sewage enforcement officer, not the county4.

At a glance

Zoning
Borough zoning ordinance (Chapter 345), with a zoning hearing board1
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; borough-level permit office unconfirmed3
Septic
Local agency's sewage enforcement officer issues on-lot permits4
Main residential district
R-10: 10,000 sq ft minimum lot, 80 ft wide, 40 ft height56
Owner-builder
No statewide contractor license for an owner's own home work7

Who to call

Zoning

Borough of Macungie - Zoning / Borough Hall

Zoning permits, the zoning officer and the zoning hearing board for land inside Macungie borough

610-966-2503

21 Locust Street, Macungie, PA 18062

Septic permits

PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program

State Act 537 program contact and directory of active sewage enforcement officers by county; the septic permit itself comes from the local agency's officer

717-772-2186

ra-seotrng@pa.gov

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Macungie means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Macungie borough have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Macungie borough administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 345, with a zoning officer, zoning permits and a zoning hearing board1. The borough is divided into six districts: R-10 low density residential, R-7.8 medium density residential, GC general commercial, LIC light industrial/commercial, TC town center and CR conservation-recreation8. Boundaries are on the official zoning map kept at the code enforcement officer's office8.

In the R-10 district, the main single-family district, the minimum lot area is 10,000 sq ft and the minimum lot width is 80 ft5. Buildings may cover at most 25% of a lot and impervious surfaces at most 50%9. Height is capped at 40 ft6. Required yards in R-10 are 25 ft in front, 10 ft on one side with 25 ft combined for both sides, and 25 ft in the rear10. Setbacks for the other districts were not confirmed.

Do you need a building permit in Macungie borough, and who issues it?

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting work3. A residential building may not be used or occupied without a certificate of occupancy issued by a building code official11.

The UCC is enforced locally by municipalities or certified third-party agencies12. We could not confirm which agency issues residential building permits inside Macungie borough, so call Borough Hall before you apply. Lehigh County does not issue them13.

Zoning approval is a separate step: the borough also requires building and zoning permits for any development in a flood hazard district, regardless of value14.

How do septic permits work in Macungie borough?

Pennsylvania's Act 537 puts on-lot septic permitting with local agencies, which employ sewage enforcement officers15. Local agencies, not the county, issue permits for individual and community on-lot sewage systems4.

We could not confirm whether a given Macungie lot is on public sewer or needs an on-lot system, or which officer covers the borough. Ask Borough Hall at 610-966-250316, and use the state's directory of active sewage enforcement officers by county17.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Macungie borough?

We could not confirm a rule on living in an RV, camping or a tiny home inside Macungie borough. The only related rule located limits parking of larger RVs outdoors in residential front yards, and the borough's zoning ordinance is the place to check. Statewide campground rules apply only to state park campsites and do not answer the question for your own lot. Ask the zoning officer through Borough Hall at 610-966-250316 before buying.

For manufactured housing, the borough requires mobile home parks to have at least 3 acres and no more than 5 dwellings per acre18.

Building a home in Macungie borough: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and the setbacks, lot coverage and height for it with the borough's zoning officer8.
  2. Get zoning approval from the borough; zoning permits are accepted at Borough Hall during borough hours16.
  3. If you are subdividing or developing, check the borough's subdivision and land development chapter19.
  4. Obtain the UCC building permit before starting work3.
  5. Arrange the required inspections: foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, frame and masonry, wallboard and a final inspection20.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in11.

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

Lehigh County has no authority regarding zoning laws, so the borough's ordinance is the zoning that applies2. For land outside the borough, see the Lehigh County page.

A driveway onto a state highway needs a PennDOT highway occupancy permit21. Property taxes are figured at the county level: Lehigh County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%22. Agricultural buildings with no habitable space can be excluded from the Construction Code Act, though borough zoning can still apply23.

Watch-outs

  • The borough's own building-permit office, fee schedule and certificate-of-occupancy process were not confirmed; ask Borough Hall at 610-966-250316.
  • Setbacks, lot size and height above are for the R-10 district only; other districts such as R-7.8 and GC have separate tables5.
  • RV, camping and tiny-home occupancy inside the borough could not be confirmed; ask the zoning officer before you buy16.

Sources

  1. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  2. 2018 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, quoted and re-checked
  3. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  5. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  6. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  8. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  9. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  10. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  11. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  12. Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
  13. PA Department of Labor & Industry - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  14. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  15. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  16. Borough of Macungie - Zoning / Borough Hall (macungie.pa.us)
  17. PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program (pa.gov)
  18. Borough of Macungie Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 345) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  19. Macungie Borough, PA Code of Ordinances overview (American Legal Publishing) (Borough of Macungie), quoted and re-checked
  20. Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
  21. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 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 Macungie

Borough of Macungie’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Macungie borough

    • Borough administers its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 345, with a zoning officer, zoning permits and a zoning hearing board.
    “the borough is divided into the following zoning districts as follows: r-10 low density residential r-7.8 medium density residential gc general commercial lic light industrial/commercial tc town center cr conservation-recreation”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Macungie borough

    • Districts: R-10, R-7.8, GC, LIC, TC, CR; boundaries are on the official zoning map kept at the code enforcement officer's office.
    “the borough is divided into the following zoning districts as follows: r-10 low density residential r-7.8 medium density residential gc general commercial lic light industrial/commercial tc town center cr conservation-recreation”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-10 Low Density Residential District (main single-family district), Macungie borough

    • Table appears at the end of the § 345-15 R-10 text, just before § 345-16; attribution to R-10 is by position in the PDF text.
    • Other districts (R-7.8 etc.) have separate tables not extracted.

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 80 ft

    “minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum building coverage of lot 10,000 sq. ft. 80 ft. 25% maximum building height feet stories 40 ft. 2-1/2 maximum impervious lot coverage 50%”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-10 Low Density Residential District, Macungie borough

    • Attribution to R-10 by table position in the PDF text.
    • Corner-lot side yard abutting street is 15 ft, but 25 ft for a new lot in a subdivision or land development totaling more than one acre.

    front yard depth: >= 25 ft · one side yard: >= 10 ft · combined side yards: >= 25 ft · rear yard: >= 25 ft

    “all lawful uses front yard depth one side yard width combined both sides total width 25 ft. 10 ft. 25 ft. each side yard width abutting street on corner lot rear yard depth 15 ft.* 25 ft. * except if a new lot is proposed within a subdivision or land development totaling more than one acre, then the side yard abutting a street on a corner lot shall have a 25 feet width.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-10 Low Density Residential District, Macungie borough

    • Attribution to R-10 by table position in the PDF text.

    maximum building coverage: <= 25 percent · maximum impervious coverage: <= 50 percent

    “minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum building coverage of lot 10,000 sq. ft. 80 ft. 25% maximum building height feet stories 40 ft. 2-1/2 maximum impervious lot coverage 50%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-10 Low Density Residential District, Macungie borough

    • Attribution to R-10 by table position in the PDF text.

    maximum building height: <= 40 ft (2-1/2 stories)

    “minimum lot area minimum lot width maximum building coverage of lot 10,000 sq. ft. 80 ft. 25% maximum building height feet stories 40 ft. 2-1/2 maximum impervious lot coverage 50%”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes and parks inside Macungie borough

    • Mobile home parks need at least 3 acres, 300 ft street frontage and max 5 dwellings per acre.
    • Homes placed after the chapter's effective date must meet 1976 or later HUD standards.
    • Districts where parks are allowed were not determined.

    park minimum area: >= 3 acres · park density: <= 5 dwellings per acre

    “there shall be no more than five (5) dwellings per acre in a mobile home park. (2) mobile / manufactured home parks shall have a minimum area of three (3) acres; a minimum public street frontage of three hundred (300) feet;”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Macungie borough

    • Chapter 305 text not opened; only its existence in the borough code was confirmed.
    “chapter 305: subdivision and land development chapter 313: taxation”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard districts inside Macungie borough

    • Article XII floodplain regulations include building and zoning permits (§ 345-52); details not read.
    “building and zoning permits shall be required for all proposed development, construction, reconstruction, placement, improvement of uses or structures, regardless of value”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Macungie borough
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Macungie borough
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Macungie borough
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Macungie borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Macungie borough
16 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny 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
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Macungie publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lehigh County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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