Bolthole Index

York County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lower Windsor Township, Pennsylvania

Lower Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance, and building work needs a building permit under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code12. York County does not zone land or issue building permits for the township3. Septic permits come from a local agency under Act 5374; we could not confirm which agency serves the township, so ask the township office.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning (Chapter 470) with AG, R, V, WR and I districts15
Building permit
Required for additions and structural work; small sheds and low decks need only a zoning permit6
Who issues permits
One shared township application; inspections by the township's contracted inspector78
Septic
Permit from the local Act 537 agency; township agency unconfirmed4
Minimum lot (AG)
43,560 to 87,120 sq ft with public water and sewer9
Setbacks (AG)
35 ft front, 25 ft side, 25 ft rear10
Owner-builder
Statewide exclusion from the home improvement law; does not waive permits11
Subdivision
Regulated by township Chapter 41012

Who to call

Zoning

Lower Windsor Township office (zoning and building permits)

Zoning permits and the shared zoning and building permit application, plus zoning questions

(717) 244-6813

generalinfo@lowerwindsor.com

2425 Craley Road Wrightsville, PA 17368

Planning & zoning

York County Planning Commission

County planning information and referrals to the correct municipal permit office; it does not issue building permits

717-771-9870

28 E Market Street, 3rd Floor, York, PA 17401

Online permits →

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 Lower Windsor Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Lower Windsor Township have zoning?

Yes. Lower Windsor Township, Pennsylvania zones its own land under Chapter 470 of the township code1. The base districts are Agricultural (AG), Residential (R), Village (V), Waterfront Recreation (WR) and Industrial (I)5. York County itself does not administer a countywide zoning ordinance; zoning is left to municipalities3.

Rules differ by district. In the AG district, single-family lots run from 43,560 to 87,120 square feet with public water and sewer, and principal buildings need setbacks of 35 feet front, 25 feet side and 25 feet rear910. In the R district, lots run from 10,000 to 15,000 square feet with setbacks of 20, 10 and 20 feet910. Maximum lot coverage is 20% in AG and 55% in R13. Principal buildings are capped at 45 feet14.

Do you need a building permit in Lower Windsor Township?

Yes for most structural work. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a permit before work starts15, and Lower Windsor Township says home additions, including garages, carports and porch roofs, need both a zoning permit and a building permit6. Detached accessory structures under 200 square feet outside the floodplain need no permit but must meet setbacks and stormwater rules6.

Smaller jobs need only a zoning permit: decks no higher than 30 inches above grade, and unattached sheds or garages under 1,000 square feet6. Widening a driveway or adding paving also needs a zoning permit and stormwater management, whatever the size16. Qualifying agricultural buildings are excluded from the state construction code, though township zoning still applies17.

Who issues building permits in Lower Windsor Township, and how long does it take?

The township, not York County, handles permits. The York County Planning Commission states that it does not issue building permits and that all permits are issued by the municipality18. In Lower Windsor Township, zoning and building permits share one application, and inspections are done by the township's contracted building inspector78.

The township's published guidance asks applicants to allow 10 days for zoning permits and 15 business days for building permits7. Its zoning permit fee was $5 per $1,000 of construction cost plus a $10 administrative fee on the 2022 form we reviewed; building permit fees are paid separately to the inspector, so confirm current amounts with the township office19. Reach the township office at20.

How do septic permits work in Lower Windsor Township?

A permit from the local agency is required under Pennsylvania rules before installing, building on or occupying a lot served by an on-lot sewage system21. Local agencies can be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department22. We could not confirm which agency or sewage enforcement officer serves Lower Windsor Township, so ask the township office before you plan a system.

Soil matters: USDA rates about 18% of York County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots need a site evaluation and may need an engineered system23. The state exempts some systems on tracts of at least 10 acres, but only under narrow owner and date conditions21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Lower Windsor Township?

We could not confirm this. The township's zoning table lists a temporary recreational dwelling and a campground by special exception, but we have not confirmed what those provisions allow on a private lot. No tiny-home provision has been confirmed. Do not assume either is allowed. Ask the township zoning office,20, before parking an RV on land you plan to occupy.

Pennsylvania's state park camping limits do not apply to private land24. An accessory garage apartment or rental cottage is listed as a special exception in at least one district25.

How do you build a home in Lower Windsor Township, step by step?

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot size, setbacks and coverage with the township office5.
  2. Ask the township which agency handles septic permits and get a site evaluation21.
  3. If the lot adjoins a state road, apply to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit for the driveway26.
  4. Check subdivision and land development rules in Chapter 410 if you are splitting land12.
  5. File the shared zoning and building permit application7.
  6. Pass the required inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in27.

What should you check before buying land in Lower Windsor Township?

Work in the 100-year floodplain needs a zoning permit for grading changes, accessory structures, fences, signs and walls28. Pennsylvania also requires a floodplain development permit from the municipality before development in a special flood hazard area29.

A private well is not permitted by the state for homeowners who drill their own, though licensed well drillers need permits30; we could not confirm any township well rule. For land outside the township, see the York County page. York County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%31.

Watch-outs

  • Fee and process figures come from the township's 2022 application form; confirm current fees and timelines with the township office19.
  • Septic administration, well rules, short-term rental rules and mandatory public sewer connection inside the township were not confirmed; ask the township office before you buy22.
  • A permitted deck or shed may still need stormwater management, and sections of the township code on driveways and floodplains were not reviewed in full16.

Sources

  1. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Data Center Development in York County, quoted and re-checked
  4. Act 537 Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  5. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Lower Windsor, PA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  16. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. York County Planning Commission (ycpc.org)
  19. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Lower Windsor Township office (zoning and building permits) (lowerwindsor.com)
  21. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. 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
  24. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Lower Windsor Code Ch. 470 Zoning, Article III District Regulations (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Lower Windsor Township zoning/building permit process and application (2022) (Lower Windsor Township), quoted and re-checked
  29. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  30. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Lower Windsor Township

Lower Windsor Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential additions and structural work inside Lower Windsor township

    • Detached accessory structures under 200 s.f. outside the floodplain need no permit but must meet setbacks and stormwater rules.
    • Decks no higher than 30 inches above grade need only a zoning permit.
    • Sheds/garages not attached and under 1,000 s.f. need only a zoning permit.
    “home additions, including garages, carports, and porch roofs require a zoning and building permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building permits for construction inside Lower Windsor township

    • Township code has a Chapter 180 Construction Codes; its text was not opened.
    “building permits are governed by the pennsylvania uniform construction code and will require inspections during the work.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work needing a building permit inside Lower Windsor township

    • Inspections are done by the township's contracted building inspector, Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc.
    “building permits are governed by the pennsylvania uniform construction code and will require inspections during the work.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Lower Windsor township

    • Districts: AG, R, V, WR, I plus RDO, HO, CBDO and ADO overlays.
    “the uses permitted in the districts established by this chapter and the permitted extent of these uses, are as shown in the following table 470-8 and articles v and vi.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Lower Windsor township

    • Zoning map is an attachment to Chapter 470.
    “ag - agricultural (§ 470-13) r - residential (§ 470-14) v - village (§ 470-15) wr - waterfront recreation (§ 470-16) i - industrial (§ 470-17)”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached lots in AG (agricultural) and R (residential) districts inside Lower Windsor township

    • Table gives min-to-max lot area ranges by water/sewer availability; the figures shown are for public water and public sewer; other rows were truncated in the capture and column alignment for AG is unresolved.
    • Lot area ranges: AG 43,560-87,120 s.f.; R 10,000-15,000 s.f. with public water and sewer.
    • Base density AG 0.5, R 1.0 per acre.

    AG min lot area, public water and sewer: >= 43560 square feet (max 87,120) · R min lot area, public water and sewer: >= 10000 square feet (max 15,000)

    “public water and public sewer min 43,560 square feet to max. 87,120 square feet min 10,000 to max 15,000 square feet”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal building setbacks in AG, R, V, WR and I districts inside Lower Windsor township

    • Columns read in order AG, R, V, WR, I; the Village district refers to § 470-15 (front 15, side 5, rear 20 feet).
    • Footnote (b): single-family attached dwellings are permitted as part of a CBD subject to Article IV.

    AG front/side/rear: >= 35/25/25 feet · R front/side/rear: >= 20/10/20 feet

    “minimum setbacks - principal building front 35 feet 20 feet see § 470-15 20 feet 35 feet side 25 feet 10 feet (b) 10 feet (b) 25 feet rear 25 feet 20 feet 20 feet 25 feet”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Maximum lot coverage in AG and R districts inside Lower Windsor township

    • Columns AG, R, V, WR, I; V is 55% for single-family and two-family and 80% for other uses.

    AG max lot coverage: <= 20 percent · R max lot coverage: <= 55 percent

    “maximum lot coverage: 20% 55% 55% for sfd, sfsd and 2 family dus and 80% for all other uses 80% for all other uses 55% 85%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Building height in AG and R districts inside Lower Windsor township

    • Accessory buildings 25 feet; agricultural buildings have no height limit.

    AG principal building max height: <= 45 feet (agricultural buildings none) · R principal building max height: <= 45 feet

    “maximum building height: principal building 45 feet 45 feet see § 470-15 45 feet 45 feet accessory building 25 feet”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory garage apartment or rental cottage inside Lower Windsor township

    • Listed as special exception (se) in one district only; which district column was not resolved.
    • Further standards in § 470-52.

    use status: special exception

    “accessory garage apartment or rental cottage § 470-52 se adult regulated facility § 470-53 se”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Stormwater submission for farming activities inside Lower Windsor township

    • Exempt only if in compliance with Chapter 102; this is a stormwater submission exemption, not a zoning exemption.
    “farming activities – if in compliance with chapter 102, exempt from formal submission”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Lower Windsor township

    • Chapter 410 text not opened; applications start at the Zoning Department.
    “chapter 410 subdivision and land development (§ 410-1 &ndash; § 410-92)”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveway widening or new paving inside Lower Windsor township

    • Chapter 200 (driveways and road connections) exists but was not opened.
    “widening a driveway or parking area or adding new paving or stone requires a zoning permit and stormwater management - regardless of size”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in the special flood hazard area inside Lower Windsor township

    • Chapter 235 floodplain management exists but was not opened.
    “any and all grading changes, accessory structures, fences, signs, or walls within the special flood hazard area (100 yr. floodplain) require a zoning permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning permit fees inside Lower Windsor township

    • Building permit fees are set and paid separately to the township's building inspector (CCIS).
    • Stormwater plan over 2,000 s.f.: $100 plus engineering review fees.
    • Source is a 2022 form; current schedule not checked.

    zoning permit fee: per 5 USD per $1,000 of construction cost (plus $10 administrative fee)

    “the zoning permit application fee is $5 per $1,000 spent on the construction (not including the stormwater management costs) plus a $10 administrative fee.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning and building permit process inside Lower Windsor township

    • One shared application; work must begin within 6 months and finish within 12 months of issuance.

    zoning permit review: <= 10 days · building permit review: <= 15 business days

    “please allow ten (10) days for zoning permits and fifteen (15) business days for building permits.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lower Windsor Township or York County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Lower Windsor township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Lower Windsor township
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Lower Windsor township
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Lower Windsor township
  • Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Lower Windsor township
7 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Lower Windsor Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. York County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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