Maximum building height is set by your borough or township zoning ordinance, not York County. In York Township, principal residential buildings are capped at 35 feet and accessory structures at 15 feet.
Building height limits are a municipal zoning function in Pennsylvania under the Municipalities Planning Code, which authorizes ordinances to regulate the size, height, and bulk of structures. York County sets no height limit. York Township is representative: principal buildings in most residential districts are limited to 35 feet, rising to 45 feet in higher-density and commercial districts, while accessory buildings and structures are capped at 15 feet. York Township allows the limit to increase one foot for each extra foot that all setbacks are enlarged, up to a 10-foot bonus for principal buildings. Height is measured per each ordinance's definition. Check your municipality's district table for the exact cap that applies to you.
Exceeding the height limit is a zoning violation enforced by the municipal Zoning Officer via an enforcement notice, with fines up to $500 per day under 53 P.S. §10617.2.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how York County's structure height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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