Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find information that might help you understand how to find things or learn about information you might need to know about your city or town.
Sewer
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Sewer
Certifications are available for a fee of $40 per parcel ($50 for expedited certification). Checks can be made payable to "Willistown Township" and mailed to our offices at 688 Sugartown Road, Malvern, PA 19355. Certifications will only be issued after payment is received.
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Sewer
If you are on our low pressure system with a grinder pump, please call a licensed plumber. Effective March 16, 2024, low-pressure sewer system maintenance will no longer be coordinated by the Township. Each property owner is responsible for the repair and maintenance of their lateral, which is their sewer connection from the house to the sewer main. For all other sewer issues such as sewer overflows on roads, storm water facilities or overflows next to a stream or creek, please notify the Township at 610-647-5300 during normal business hours (M-F 9:00 am to 5:00 pm). After hours, please call the non-emergency line at 610-647-1440.
Administration
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Administration
Willistown Township holds a recycling event every April for residents. Keep an eye on the WillisTowne Crier for the date and list of accepted items.
In 2024, area Goodwill stores announced they would begin free electronic recycling.
Another option for Chester County residents is the Lanchester Landfill located in Narvon, PA run by the Chester County Solid Waste Authority. For a list of no fee recyclables and fee based recyclables please visit: Recycling at the Lanchester Landfill
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Please refer to the Willistown Township Burning Ordinance for information about burning in Willistown.Administration
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Please refer to the Willistown Township Nuisance Ordinance for information about noise disturbance in Willistown.Administration
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Administration
Only deer on the side of the road will be picked up (i.e. not a deceased deer on private property). For state roads (please see list below), please call PennDOT at 484-340-3200. For local roads, call the PA Game Commission at 610-926-3136. Other deceased animals (raccoons, foxes, skunks etc) will not be picked up.
For deer IN the road and obstructing traffic, please call the non emergency Willistown police line at 610-647-1440.
State Road List
N Cedar Hollow Road
Delchester Road/State Road 2013
Devon Road/State Road 2024
Goshen Road/State Road 2010
King Road
Lancaster Avenue
Paoli Pike/State Road 2014
Providence Road/State Road 2016
South Valley Road (between Devon Road to Whitehorse Road)/State Road 1005
Street Road/State Road 926
Sugartown Road/State Road 2022
Warren Avenue/State Road 2015
West Chester Pike/State Road 3
*Whitehorse Road (*bridges only)Roads not listed are local roads.
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Administration
No, Certificate of Occupancy (U&O) is not required for any property sale in Willistown Township.
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Administration
Hunting and trapping is allowed on privately owned land as long as the person is following the PA Game Commission laws, the Township Ordinance and any regulations and ordinances of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Hunters and trappers should always seek permission from landowners prior to accessing private property. Written permission carried while hunting on private lands is not required, but it is advisable. The Permission to Hunt/Trap Form created by the PA Game Commission can be downloaded and filled out and carried with the hunter/trapper while on private lands.
Hunting/trapping is NOT allowed on Township owned lands.
Police Department - Driving Laws
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Under Section 4581(a)(2), it is the driver’s obligation to make sure that all passengers are properly secured. The driver should be cited with a violating Section 4581(a)(2)(ii). According to Section 4581(b), the fine is $10.Police Department - Driving Laws
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This is not a violation.Police Department - Driving Laws
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According to Section 1503(c)(2.1), a junior driver in his/her first six months may only carry one additional passenger, unless the additional passengers are immediate family members. This provision does not apply if the junior driver is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.Police Department - Driving Laws
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Section 1503(c)(2.1) defines immediate family as brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, or stepsisters of the driver, including adopted or foster children residing in the same household as the junior driver. Cousins, in-laws, and more distant relations are not covered by this exception.Police Department - Driving Laws
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The driver should be charged with violating Section 1503(c)(2.1). It is a summary offense that carries the catch-all fine of $25 found at Section 6502(a).Police Department - Driving Laws
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The junior driver can only carry one non-family passenger for six months from the issuance of his junior license. After that, he/she can only carry three non-family passengers until his/her 18th birthday.Police Department - Driving Laws
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Yes, if he/she is responsible for a reportable accident under Section 3746(a) or if he/she is convicted of any Vehicle Code violation.Police Department - Driving Laws
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Yes. The driver should be charged with violating Section 4581(a)(3). The fine is $10. Note that for this charge, it doesn’t matter whether passengers are over 18 and/or family members of the driver.Police Department - Driving Laws
Parks and Recreation
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Parks and Recreation
Personal photography and video is permitted. Professional photography/video sessions are required to apply for a Photography Permit. Learn more about apply how to apply for a Photography Permit on our Parks & Recreation Permit page.
Zoning
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Zoning
See the Zoning Map. If you have further questions, contact the Zoning Officer at 610.647.5300 ext 252.
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Willistown Township is divided into eleven (11) different zoning districts with nine (9) different overlays within several of the eleven (11) zoning districts. The Zoning Ordinance describes the uses permitted in each district and establishes the standards that uses must meet to be allowed in the districts. The Zoning Permit procedure is established to ensure that uses specifically proposed to be located in a particular district meet the standards for that district.Zoning
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The Zoning Officer will help you determine if you need a Zoning Permit. A Zoning Permit endorsement is required before the issuance of all building permits. A separate Zoning Permit application is needed only when an existing commercial use of a structure is proposed to be changed and no building permit is involved. Examples include the change of general office to the use of a doctor’s office or the change of general office to the use of a restaurant.Zoning
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Zoning
Submit Zoning Permit Application forms and information to the Willistown Township Administrative Offices, 688 Sugartown Rd, Malvern, PA 19355. You can find the application fee listed in our fee schedule. Application fees are due upon permit submittal.
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The Zoning Officer checks the application and all data to see that all provisions of the Zoning Ordinance are complied with. If architectural and site plan approval is also required for the proposed use, the Zoning Permit request is referred to the Building Department for review and comment. If the Zoning Officer finds that the proposed use complies with all applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, the Zoning Permit will be issued and a written record maintained of the findings. If all of the provisions of the ordinance are not complied with, it will be denied and all reasons set forth in writing.Zoning
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Zoning
If the Zoning Officer denies a zoning permit request, the decision may be appealed to the Zoning Hearing Board as described in the Township Code.
Tax
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The Chester County Treasurer's Office certifies taxes in Willistown Township. Certifications are available for a fee. Only current year Real Estate Taxes will be considered for certification. Checks or money order can be made payable to "Treasurer of Chester County" and mailed to Chester County Treasurer, 313 W Market Street, Ste. 3202, West Chester, PA 19382. All requests must include a stamped return envelope. Fax-back service is not offered. Certifications will only be issued after payment is received. Certification requests that are sent via overnight (UPS/FEDEX) are processed the day they are received and mailed that same day.Tax
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150404 (See the complete list)Tax
Building
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Building
No, Certificate of Occupancy (U&O) is not required for a residential property sale.
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No. Willistown Township has a permit application for each specific job type. The property owner must also sign the Township issued application, and both the application and the signed contract must be submitted for review before a permit can be approved.Building
Recycling
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Recycling
To dispose of large household items contact your hauler to see if they will schedule a pick up. Another option for Chester County residents is the Lanchester Landfill located in Narvon, PA run by the Chester County Solid Waste Authority. For a list of no fee recyclables and fee based recyclables please visit.https://www.chestercountyswa.org/170/Recycling-at-the-Lanchester-Landfill.
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Recycling
Dispose of your expired, unused and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs: pills, capsules, tablets, patches, suppositories, liquids, creams and powders in their original manufacturer OR pharmacy prescription containers. Lids and caps should be securely affixed. You may remove direction labels from pharmacy prescription containers, if you wish; however, you will be dropping your drugs in a secure metal box that will be sent straight to a high-temperature incinerator. The contents of each container are quickly turned to ash. NOT ACCEPTED: needles, sharps, IV solutions, medical instruments or illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin and marijuana. CAUTION: Do not dispose of unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet, pouring them down a sink drain or throwing them in your curbside trash because they pose potential safety and health hazards. Water purification systems remove 100% of some chemicals; others are only reduced.
You will find drop boxes in the Willistown Police Building lobby, 688 Sugartown Road, Malvern 8 AM - 3:30 PM Monday through Friday, and the Paoli Hospital Main Entrance lobby, 255 West Lancaster Avenue, Paoli 7 AM - 9 PM, 7 days a week.
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You will want to call your trash/recycling provider to obtain/replace any recycling receptacle.Recycling
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Latex paint is not a hazardous material. As long as the paint is dry is can be disposed of with other household garbage. We recommend drying the paint with clay based kitty litter, saw dust or just leaving the lid off in a safe space.Recycling
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Recycling
In Willistown Township trash and recycling services are privately hired, That means you get to pick! The residential trash providers that work in Willistown are AJ Blosenski/Waste Connections, Whitetail Disposal and Opendaker.
Public Works Facility
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Public Works Facility
Willistown Township contracted with Gorski Engineering for the professional services of development of a design proposal for a Public Works facility. Gorski Engineering was recommended to the Board for this work based upon their proven success in previous, smaller projects at the Township administration building, and work comparable to the project at nearby municipalities. Staff visited a comparable site at Limerick Township and spoke with Limerick Township staff at that site regarding the design and construction of that facility. The firm is highly recommended. The Director of Public Works, Township Manager, and other staff worked closely with Gorski on the design of the new Public Works facility.
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Public Works Facility
The Public Works Building is the main operational space for the Public Works department. The department staff, led by the Director of Public Works, oversees maintenance, repair, and safety of Township facilities, fleet vehicles including Police Department vehicles, roads and bridges, parks and preserves, sewer mains and pump stations, and stormwater facilities throughout Willistown Township. A safe and functional building is necessary for proper functioning of this department, the storage of supplies, and maintenance and storage of fleet vehicles and equipment to ensure proper operation and prolong equipment life.
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Public Works Facility
The designed building, a structural steel frame building, includes a drive through maintenance garage with twelve vehicle bays, office space for the Public Works Director, Foreman, and Roadmaster; much needed meeting space; storage space for parts and equipment; and proper bathroom and breakroom facilities. Health and safety features such as shower facilities for PW personnel who have performed hazardous work e.g., sewer trench work; ventilation systems; a sprinkler system; and a trench drain for proper reclamation of runoff are also included in the main structure.
The lump sum fixed price presented by Gorski Engineering via the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing program for construction of the building is $6,590,455. Ancillary to the main building but included in the design and total fixed price are: demolition of the current buildings, removal of the underground fuel tanks, installation of a new fuel station with aboveground storage tanks, a salt shed with increased storage capacity, small equipment storage garage, necessary site work, and a stormwater management facility.
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Public Works Facility
No. Cooperative purchasing agreements are not a violation of purchasing regulations. A contract via cooperative purchasing is not a “no-bid contract.” The necessary bidding is conducted by the entity which vets the cooperative purchasing contracts. The Township has been a member of Sourcewell, the public procurement organization, since 2011.
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Public Works Facility
Cooperating Purchasing exists to streamline public procurement to increase efficiency and lower costs. It has been a trusted method of procurement in Willistown for decades, most commonly through the COSTARS program. Cooperative purchasing eliminates the additional costs of traditional advertisement, which are further described below. A contract can be entered into with a known, firm, and fixed price.
This project in particular will require careful phasing and critical path timing to ensure that the Public Works Department can continue to function fully throughout construction; that the fleet, including police vehicles, will have uninterrupted access to the fuel station; and that emergency supplies, such as road salt, will be continuously available. Use of a single firm to manage the construction, particularly a firm which has been involved throughout the design process, will likely improve the phasing of the work.