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

Borough of Collegeville’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Buildings inside Collegeville borough.

  • The adopted UCC 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 building code of the Borough of Collegeville.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Collegeville borough.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Collegeville 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 500; amended in its entirety 10-6-2004 by Ord. No. 505. (Part 14, of the 1985 Code of Ordinances). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Student homes in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Collegeville borough.

  • The home must be an existing single-family detached dwelling or twin, be authorized as a special exception, and have no more than three residents.

  minimum floor area: >= 1500 square feet (Exclusive of basements, garages, and accessory buildings.)

  “Shall have a floor area of at least 1,500 square feet, exclusive of basements, garages, and accessory buildings.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Collegeville borough.

  maximum principal-building height: <= 35 feet · maximum accessory-use height: <= 15 feet

  “No principal building shall exceed 35 feet in height. Accessory uses may not exceed a maximum of 15 feet.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside Collegeville borough.

  “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Collegeville 12-6-2006 by Ord. No. 523 (Part 13, of the 1985 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  UCC administration and enforcement inside Collegeville borough.

  • The Borough Council establishes fees by resolution from time to time; no current fee amount was retrieved.

  “Fees assessable by the Borough of Collegeville for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the UCC shall be established by the Borough Council by resolution from time to time.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Collegeville

Borough of Collegeville does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• InspectionsRequired

  UCC-regulated work inside Collegeville borough.

  • The state page specifies several cases and systems requiring inspections.

  “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings or facilities inside Collegeville borough subject to the adopted UCC.

  • The certificate must issue before use.

  “A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Collegeville borough.
• Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Collegeville borough.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Collegeville borough.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Collegeville borough.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Collegeville borough.

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 Collegeville 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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