Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Lewistown, Pennsylvania

Borough of Lewistown’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings in the Borough of Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

  • The incorporated Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.

  adopted code: Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405

  “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, inclusive, and as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of the Borough of Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Lewistown borough limits.

  • The code history states that Chapter 240 was amended in its entirety in 1972; subsequent amendments are noted where applicable.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Lewistown 9-13-1954 by Ord. No. 54-6; amended in its entirety 9-22-1972 by Ord. No. 72-25(C) (Ch. 27 of the 1986 Code). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Lewistown borough limits.

  • District boundaries and the zoning map are addressed in Chapter 240 Article III.

  “Article III Designation of Zoning Districts; Boundaries; Zoning Map”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Operation of an online hospitality marketplace rental or similar lodging use inside Lewistown borough limits.

  • The code section title specifies rooming houses, boardinghouses, hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, online hospitality marketplace rentals, and similar uses.

  “No person shall operate a bed-and-breakfast or online marketplace rental in the Borough or allow another to occupy any rooming unit in any of the same until the property has been inspected by the Department for compliance with the standards and regulations of the Property Maintenance Code and the Borough Fire Prevention Code in Article II of this chapter and an operations permit has been issued by the Department.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Borough fees for Uniform Construction Code administration and enforcement.

  • Fees are established by Borough governing-body resolution from time to time.

  “Fees assessable by the Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”

• Permit processPartial

  Uniform Construction Code administration and enforcement inside Lewistown borough limits.

  • The Borough governing body determines the enforcement arrangement by resolution from time to time.
  • The arrangement may use a Borough employee, third-party agency, intermunicipal agreement, another municipality, or a Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry agreement for specified structures.

  “Administration and enforcement of the Code within this Borough shall be undertaken in any of the following ways, as determined by the governing body of this Borough, from time to time, by resolution:”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Lewistown borough limits.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Lewistown borough limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside Lewistown borough limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Lewistown borough limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Lewistown borough limits.

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 Borough of Lewistown 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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