Franklin Township, PA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Section 27-403 of the zoning ordinance, part of Part 4, AR Agricultural-Residential District regulations, sets a flat 35-foot maximum height for any structure or use erected or enlarged in the district that covers most of Franklin Township's mushroom farms and horse country. The rule is a single sentence with no by-right exceptions listed in that section, applying uniformly to principal dwellings, barns and other structures within the AR District. The same 35-foot cap reappears verbatim at § 27-503 for the Low-Density Residential (LDR) District, confirming the township applies one height ceiling across its two largest residential zoning classes rather than scaling height allowances by lot size or sewer type the way it scales lot area and coverage.

Height compliance is verified at the building-permit stage: § 27-2307 requires every application for a building permit to state the height of the structure or sign on the submitted plans, which the Zoning Officer reviews before signing off. If height needs to exceed the district limit, an owner must seek a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board under Part 22, since the ordinance provides no administrative height exception in the AR or LDR districts. The Zoning Officer, appointed by the Board of Supervisors under § 27-2302, is the official who examines applications, issues or refuses permits within 30 days, and enforces the height limit through inspection.