Lancaster County, PA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- County rule?
- None: set by municipality
- Enabling statute
- MPC §603(b), 53 P.S. §10603
- Manheim Twp R-2 rear yard
- 35 feet
- Varies by
- District and municipality
- Relief
- Variance from zoning hearing board
Summary
Lancaster County sets no building setbacks. Each municipality does, under MPC §603(b), which authorizes zoning of the “location” of structures and “yards” left unoccupied. Front, side, and rear setbacks vary by zoning district and municipality: for example, Manheim Township's R-2 district uses a 35-foot rear yard. Verify locally.
Zoning ordinances… may permit, prohibit, regulate, restrict and determine… (3) Areas and dimensions of land and bodies of water to be occupied by uses and structures, as well as areas, courts, yards, and other open spaces and distances to be left unoccupied by uses and structures.
Full Breakdown
Setbacks, the minimum distances a building must sit from front, side, and rear lot lines, are fixed by your city, borough, or township zoning ordinance, not by Lancaster County. The PA Municipalities Planning Code §603(b) empowers municipalities to regulate the “location… of structures” and the “yards, and other open spaces… to be left unoccupied.” Each of the county's 60 municipalities sets its own numbers per zoning district; Manheim Township's R-2 residential district, for instance, requires a 35-foot rear yard. There is no uniform countywide figure, so always pull the dimensional table for your specific district from your municipal zoning ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Building inside a required setback is a municipal zoning violation, a stop-work order, denial of a certificate of occupancy, and fines, unless a variance is granted by the local zoning hearing board.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the setback for my property in Lancaster County?
Can I build closer than the required setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lancaster County
Compare Lancaster County to another location·View the Pennsylvania building setbacks & zoning overview
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