Building Department

Willistown Township Building Code

The Building Department is part of the administrative team, as well as an integral part of the Public Works department and the Police Department. Essentially the building department is entrusted to implement the provisions of PA Act 45, known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), since April 9, 2004. The State of Pennsylvania has a building code that all municipalities in Pennsylvania are required to enforce. The UCC is based on a series of minimum requirements for all disciplines that are a part of the building process. The basis of the UCC is derived from the International Codes Council (ICC), and nearly every state has adopted these standards.The following quote is taken directly from Act 45 and fundamentally explains the scope that transpires in the building department: “The Uniform Construction Code applies to the construction, alteration, repair, movement, equipment, removal, demolition, any or change of occupancy of every building or structure which occurs on or after April 9, 2004, and all existing structures that are not legally occupied.” The codes are updated every three years by statute. Currently, Willistown and all of the local municipalities in Pennsylvania must use the 2009 ICC series of codes.

The building codes are intended to provide minimum requirements to safeguard the health and general welfare of all citizens from injury or loss of life from fire and other hazards.

Zoning, Soil & Erosion Control, Historical and Planning and Subdivision requirements at the local level require interaction and are part of the building permit process. Commercial building may involve the interplay from county, state and federal compliance prior to granting a permit complete.

The building department only issues permits when all other requirements have been satisfied.