Zoning Ordinance

Do I need a permit?

The below items refer to residential and agricultural uses. Generally, any non-residential work requires commercial building permits.

House Addition – yes, a building permit is required.

House Renovations
- Modifications that affect structural members such as load bearing walls required a building permit.
- Changes to the location of plumbing piping / HVAC ductwork and electrical work such as rewiring, new breaker boxes, adding or moving receptacles, etc., requires a MEP permit (or building permit if being done with other work).
- Replacing lighting fixtures, appliances, hot water heaters, HVAC units etc in kind does not usually require a permit. However, if you change system types (ie electric to gas, oil furnace to forced air, etc.), a permit is required.
- Replacing doors/windows in kind does not require a permit. Adding doors/windows and/or putting in larger doors/windows may require a permit. Contact the building code official for confirmation.

Roof Replacement – replacing shingles only does not require a permit, however, if any substructure / sheathing etc is replaced, then a building permit is required.

Accessory Buildings – Yes, permits are required for all accessory structures including sheds, accessory buildings, detached garages, greenhouses, barns, etc. Buildings under 1,000 SF require a zoning permit and over 1,000 SF require a building permit.

Fences – Yes, a fence permit is required for all fences.

Deck/Patio – yes, for patios and decks 30” or less off the ground, a zoning permit is required. For decks where part of the deck will be more than 30” off the ground, a building permit is required.

Driveways – Permits are required for new driveways as well as expansions of existing driveways or paving of existing driveways. Any driveway work within the right-of-way of a State Road requires a PennDOT permit also.

Pool/Hot Tub – Building permits are required for any pools over 24” in depth. For inflatable pools that get put up / taken down each year, contact the building code official for current permitting requirements.

Generator – An electrical (MEP) permit is required.

What are the size and setback requirements for residential sheds / accessory buildings and agricultural buildings?

• A residential accessory building (besides a detached garage) and agricultural buildings not housing animals may be placed on a property outside of the required front yard setbacks and at least 10’ from side and rear property lines. Front yard setbacks are 50’ from centerline for local roads, 60’ for collector roads, and 100’ for arterial roads.
• Total usable floor area of an accessory structure (besides detached garages) cannot exceed 50% of the area of the first floor of the principal dwelling. Total area of all accessory structures on the property cannot exceed the floor area of the principal dwelling.
• There must be a principal dwelling on the property to have a residential accessory structures.
• Maximum height shall be 35’.
• Proposed agricultural buildings can exceed the size limits if a Conditional Use is obtained from the Board of Supervisors.
• Structures housing animals shall be a minimum 50’ from any property line and 100’ from any dwelling on an adjacent lot.

What are the size and setback requirements for residential detached garages?

• There may be one detached garage on a lot.
• Detached garages may be a maximum of 1500 SF in size.
• Detached garages must be 10’ from side and rear property lines, at least as far from the roadway as the principal dwelling.
• The maximum height shall be 35’.

What roads are collector and/or arterial roads? What roads are State Roads?

• State Roads include: West Philadelphia Ave (Route 73), Boyertown Pike (Rt 562), Longview Road, Manatawny Road, Powder Mill Hollow Road,
• Collector Roads include: Club Road, Fancy Hill Road, Laurel Road, Long Lane, Longview Road, Manatawny Road, Mountain Road, Old State Road, Powder Mill Hollow Road, Schoolhouse Road, Sunset Hill Road, Vale Drive and Woodchoppertown Road.
• Arterial Roads include: West Philadelphia Ave (Route 73) and Boyertown Pike (Rt 562)

Do I need stormwater management for my project?

The need for stormwater is determined on a case by case basis depending on the impact of the proposed project on existing grading and drainage patterns. Contact the Township Engineer for a stormwater determination.

Do I need an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan?

Any project that disturbs more than 5,000 SF of area requires an Erosion & Sediment Control Plan to be approved by the Berks County Conservation District before a permit is issued.