Bolthole Index

McKean County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic in Borough of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania

Borough of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania requires building permits and has its own zoning ordinance.12 Mount Jewett building applications go to the Building Official through Jones Township; new dwellings also need sewer approval.3 For on-lot septic systems, Pennsylvania assigns ordinary permitting to local agencies with state oversight; ask the borough office to identify the serving Sewage Enforcement Officer.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required; borough has adopted the Uniform Construction Code16
Zoning
Borough zoning applies inside Mount Jewett2
Building applications
Submit to the Building Official through Jones Township3
Septic permits
Ordinary on-lot systems go through the local sewage agency4
RV and tiny-home living
We could not confirm residential permission; ask the borough about the proposed use25
Owner-builder
No general statewide contractor license; local requirements may apply7

Who to call

Building permits

Mount Jewett Building Official through Jones Township

Building application submission and plan review for Mount Jewett.

(814) 929-5138

russ.braun@outlook.com

P.O. Box 25 Wilcox, PA 15870

Planning & zoning

Mount Jewett Borough Office

Starting contact for zoning questions and referral to the serving Sewage Enforcement Officer.

814-778-5701

mjboro@mjboro.comcastbiz.net

1 Center Street Mt. Jewett, PA 16740

Septic permits

Pennsylvania DEP Act 537 Program

State oversight of local on-lot sewage permitting; ask the borough for its local SEO.

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 Mount Jewett means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Borough of Mount Jewett, PA?

Mount Jewett requires building permits and has adopted Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code as the borough building code.16 Covered residential construction needs a building permit before work begins, although Pennsylvania exempts specified limited work and ordinary repairs when no other law or ordinance is violated.8 Ask the Building Official to classify the proposed work before ordering materials.3 A new dwelling in Mount Jewett also needs sewer approval, so a building application alone does not settle sewage disposal.3

Who handles building applications in Borough of Mount Jewett?

Mount Jewett’s building application page directs forms and documentation to the Building Official through Jones Township.3 Contact the office at (814) 929-5138 or russ.braun@outlook.com for the appropriate application and plan-review questions.3 The office requires plans or drawings showing the proposed construction and warns that incomplete plans can delay approval.3 Have the proposed building, foundation and utility work described clearly before submitting; Pennsylvania requires inspections of permitted residential construction and a final inspection report.39

Does Borough of Mount Jewett have zoning for RVs and tiny homes?

Mount Jewett has borough zoning, with Residential R, Commercial-Residential CR, Industrial I and Agricultural-Conservation AC districts.210 Ask the borough office to identify the parcel’s district and obtain the applicable permitted-use and dimensional requirements before choosing a house design.510 We could not confirm Mount Jewett’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; take the proposed use to the borough office for a specific answer.5 We also could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, dwelling sizes or setbacks; request the applicable district schedule.105

How do septic permits work inside Borough of Mount Jewett?

Pennsylvania’s ordinary on-lot sewage permitting is administered by local agencies using Sewage Enforcement Officers, with DEP oversight; large-volume systems are an exception.4 Ask the Mount Jewett Borough Office to identify the serving local agency and determine whether the parcel needs public sewer approval or an on-lot septic evaluation.53 Pennsylvania generally requires a septic permit before installation, contracting for construction, occupancy or use.11 A composting toilet for a new home does not eliminate washwater disposal: an approved treatment or disposal method remains necessary.12

Building a home in Borough of Mount Jewett: what comes first?

Start with the Mount Jewett Borough Office: request the parcel’s zoning district and confirm the proposed residential use and dimensional requirements.105 Resolve sewer approval or contact the serving local sewage agency about an on-lot septic system before committing to a layout.34 Prepare detailed drawings and submit the building application to the Building Official through Jones Township before covered construction begins.38 Keep permitted work accessible for inspections, notify the construction code official when work is ready, and obtain the required residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.913

What should you check before buying in Borough of Mount Jewett?

Ask Mount Jewett about floodplain review before planning development in a mapped special flood hazard area; Pennsylvania assigns that development review and permitting to municipalities.14 A new or changed driveway involving state highway land or a PennDOT drainage facility needs PennDOT approval.15 We could not confirm Mount Jewett’s private-well or mandatory utility-connection rules; ask the borough office about the parcel’s water and sewer options.5 For land outside the borough, consult the McKean County guide; local zoning varies by municipality.16

Watch-outs

  • Mount Jewett’s RV and tiny-home residential permissions remain unconfirmed; ask the borough office before buying land for either use.5
  • New Mount Jewett dwellings need sewer approval as well as a UCC building permit.3
  • A residential building governed by Pennsylvania’s UCC cannot be occupied without a certificate of occupancy.13

Sources

  1. Chapter 450 Zoning, Article I (eCode360) (Borough of Mount Jewett), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 450 Zoning, Article I (eCode360) (Borough of Mount Jewett), quoted and re-checked
  3. Mount Jewett Building Official through Jones Township (jonestownship.com)
  4. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Mount Jewett Borough Office (mtjewettpa.com)
  6. Chapter 203 Construction Code, Uniform, Borough of Mount Jewett (eCode360) (Borough of Mount Jewett), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 450 Zoning, Borough of Mount Jewett, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Mount Jewett), quoted and re-checked
  11. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Planning Commission, 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 Mount Jewett

Borough of Mount Jewett’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building construction inside Mount Jewett borough

    • Details (exemptions, thresholds) are in Chapter 173, which was not opened.
    “to further protect the residents of the borough of mt. jewett by requiring building permits as recognized in chapter 173, building permits”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Mount Jewett borough

    • Adopted 7-6-2004 by Ord. No. 219.
    • Administration may be by borough employee, third-party agency, intermunicipal agreement, or Dept. of Labor and Industry for structures other than one- and two-family dwellings.
    “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 for the borough of mt. jewett.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Mount Jewett borough

    • Chapter 450 amended October 9, 2007 by Ord. No. 224; code codified 4-5-2021 by Ord. No. 460.
    “this chapter shall be known as the "1973 mt. jewett zoning ordinance," amended october 9, 2007, as ordinance number 224.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in Mount Jewett borough: Residential R, Commercial-Residential CR, Industrial I, Agricultural-Conservation AC

    • Zoning map is an attachment to Chapter 450.
    “article ii zoning districts § 450-200 establishment of districts. § 450-201 zoning map.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Mount Jewett borough
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Mount Jewett borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Mount Jewett borough
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential R district
  • Minimum lot size — Residential R and Agricultural-Conservation AC districts
21 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • 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
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Mount Jewett publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. McKean County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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