100 local rules on file · Pop. 489 · Berks County
Showing ordinances that apply to Mount Aetna, PA
Mount Aetna is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 489 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Because Mount Aetna is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Berks County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Berks County may have different rules.
The county sets no countywide construction-hours limit — your municipality does. Reading bars construction, drilling and demolition noise across a residential property line from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and at any time on Sundays or legal holidays.
The county sets no countywide barking rule; municipalities do. Reading treats a dog that barks continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for a half hour or more, to a person’s disturbance as a prohibited noise disturbance at any time of day or night.
Berks County sets no countywide quiet-hours rule; your municipality does. In Reading, loud yelling, shouting or amplified sound that is plainly audible across a property line is prohibited between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
No countywide leaf-blower rule exists; municipalities set the limits. Reading bars mechanically powered saws, drills, lawn and garden tools, snowblowers and similar outdoor devices in residential areas between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when they disturb across a property line.
Outdoor-event noise is municipal, not countywide. Reading allows band concerts, block parties and church carnivals in public or private outdoor spaces only if they do not run between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and all required permits are obtained.
Amplified-sound limits are municipal, not countywide. Reading prohibits any radio, loudspeaker or similar device that causes a noise disturbance across a property line at any time, or is plainly audible across a boundary between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Vehicle noise is governed by state motor-vehicle sound levels, applied locally. Reading forbids operating a vehicle or motorcycle on a public right-of-way that exceeds the sound levels set in Pennsylvania Code Title 67, Chapter 157, and bans removing mufflers.
Berks County and Pennsylvania set no general numeric decibel cap for everyday noise. Reading regulates noise by a plainly-audible / property-line disturbance test rather than a dBA number, except vehicles, which follow state Title 67 Chapter 157 sound levels.
Berks County sets no industrial-noise standard. Factory and commercial noise is controlled through municipal zoning under the PA Municipalities Planning Code and each town’s noise ordinance, with disorderly conduct as a state backstop.
Aircraft noise is regulated by the FAA, not by Berks County or Reading. Neither the county nor the city can set overflight noise limits or curfews; complaints go to the FAA or Reading Regional Airport (Carl A. Spaatz Field).
There is no countywide STR registration in Berks County. You do, however, register for the Berks County Hotel Room Excise Tax and the PA Sales/Hotel Occupancy Tax. Some municipalities (e.g., Bern Township) also require a local rental registration.
Berks County sets no STR parking requirement. Off-street parking minimums for short-term rentals are a municipal zoning matter — Reading and townships set them — and on-street parking follows local traffic ordinances, not county rules.
Berks County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. Whether a rental must be your primary home is a municipal choice under the Municipalities Planning Code; most Berks townships do not require it, but check your locality.
Berks County does not zone or permit short-term rentals countywide. Under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, your municipality decides. Reading and townships like Bern require a local STR permit; verify with your city or township before hosting.
Berks County sets no countywide occupancy cap for short-term rentals. Maximum guest counts come from your municipality's zoning or STR ordinance and from the property maintenance code's habitable-space standards, not from the county.
Berks County does not require short-term-rental insurance. Some municipalities do: the Township of Bern conditions its STR permit on proof of liability coverage of at least $500,000. Requirements vary, so confirm with your city or township.
Short-term stays in Berks County face a 5% county hotel room rental tax plus Pennsylvania's 6% state hotel occupancy tax — roughly 11% total. The county tax is filed monthly with the Treasurer; the state tax is collected by operators or platforms.
Berks County sets no annual cap on short-term-rental nights. Any limit on how many nights per year you may rent is a municipal decision under the Municipalities Planning Code; most Berks municipalities set no night cap, but Reading and others regulate by zoning district.
Berks County has no STR-specific noise ordinance. Guest noise is handled by municipal noise ordinances and by Pennsylvania's disorderly-conduct law (18 Pa.C.S. §5503), which police can enforce for unreasonable noise at any rental.
Berks County has no rule requiring a host to be present or nearby during a short-term rental. Any host-presence or local-contact requirement is set by your municipality's STR ordinance, not by the county or the state.
Berks County sets no smoke-alarm rule; requirements come from Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code (adopting the IRC/IFC) and state landlord law. New and rental homes need working smoke alarms in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level including basements.
Berks County sets no separate propane rule. Home propane storage follows Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which adopts the International Fire Code and NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code). Residential cylinders have tank-size and clearance limits; larger tanks trigger permits and setbacks.
Under PA Act 43 of 2017, residents 18+ may buy and set off consumer fireworks, but never within 150 feet of an occupied structure, on others' property without permission, or while impaired. Reading and your township may add time limits.
Open burning of leaves, brush, garbage and debris is regulated by PA DEP (25 Pa Code §129.14) and your municipality. Berks County Commissioners can and do impose countywide burn bans during dry spells, prohibiting nearly all outdoor burning except grilling and licensed campground fires.
Berks County has no mapped wildfire hazard zones or WUI building requirements like California. Pennsylvania manages wildland fire through DCNR's Bureau of Forestry, and the main local control is the temporary countywide burn ban issued during dry, high-risk conditions.
Recreational fires are allowed under PA DEP rules (25 Pa Code §129.14 exempts fires 'solely for recreational or ceremonial purposes'), but your Berks municipality sets pit size and setbacks. Exeter Township, for example, requires approved-container fires at least 15 feet from any structure.
Small backyard recreational fires are allowed under state air rules (25 Pa Code §129.14 exempts fires 'solely for recreational or ceremonial purposes'), but your Berks municipality sets container, size, and setback limits, and all such fires stop during a county burn ban.
Pennsylvania and Berks County do not impose California-style wildfire defensible-space clearance rules. Vegetation and overgrowth are handled through municipal property-maintenance and weed ordinances, plus the PA Forest Fire Protection framework enforced by DCNR and county fire officials.
Berks County sets no countywide RV or boat parking rule — it's set by your municipality. In the City of Reading, a boat, camping trailer or RV may not park in view from the public street for more than 24 hours without a permit.
Berks County sets no rule on parking commercial trucks in neighborhoods — municipalities do. In the City of Reading, heavy trucks, trailers and tractors may not park in view from the public street for more than one hour without a permit.
Pennsylvania has no statewide EV-parking mandate, and Berks County sets none. Whether EV charging spaces are required or count toward parking minimums is decided by each municipality's zoning code under the Municipalities Planning Code.
Residents may not paint curbs to reserve parking. In Pennsylvania, curb and pavement markings are official traffic-control devices that only the municipality (or PennDOT) may install; a homeowner-painted no-parking curb has no legal force.
Berks County does not regulate on-street parking — cities, boroughs and townships do. In the City of Reading, parking is enforced by the Reading Parking Authority, with metered zones, permit-only residential blocks and posted restrictions.
Berks County sets no driveway-parking rule; it's municipal. Statewide, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3353 bars anyone from parking in front of a public or private driveway, so blocking your own or a neighbor's driveway apron is a citable offense.
Loading zones are set and enforced by municipalities, not Berks County. In the City of Reading, parking in a marked loading or pickup zone is prohibited and carries a $35 fine under Code § 576-411.
There is no Berks County overnight parking ban. Whether you can park on the street overnight depends on your municipality — the City of Reading has no general overnight prohibition, but residential-permit and posted-restriction blocks still apply.
Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code defines an abandoned vehicle and lets police remove it. A vehicle left inoperable or illegally on a highway or public property for more than 48 hours — or on private property without consent for 24 hours — is presumed abandoned.
Berks County sets no oversized-vehicle parking rule — municipalities do. In the City of Reading, a truck, trailer or mobile home may not be parked or stored in view of the public street for more than 48 hours without a permit.
Pennsylvania has no general line-fence statute forcing neighbors to share fence costs — that is a private civil matter. Berks County sets no rule; placement and shared responsibility follow your deed, survey, and municipal zoning.
There is no county fence permit. Permits are issued by your municipality. In the City of Reading, any fence or wall taller than 3 feet needs a zoning permit from the Zoning Administrator.
Berks County sets no countywide fence height limit. Your municipality does under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. In the City of Reading, fences in a residential front yard max at 4 feet; 6 feet elsewhere.
Berks County sets no retaining-wall rule. In the City of Reading, retaining walls are governed by the construction codes (Chapter 180); under PA's Uniform Construction Code, walls over 4 feet generally require a building permit.
Fence design and placement requirements are set by your municipality, not Berks County. Reading's zoning (Chapter 600) sets height limits, permit thresholds over 3 feet, sight-triangle clearance, and prohibited materials.
No Berks County rule dictates fence materials. Your municipality does. Reading allows common materials (wood, vinyl, chain-link, ornamental metal, masonry) but bans electrified fences, razor wire, and broken glass under § 600-1304.
Berks County sets no fence-material rule. In the City of Reading, § 600-1304 prohibits electrically charged fences (except pet invisible fences), broken glass on fences, and razor wire (except around a prison), and limits barbed wire.
Berks County does not zone private property, so keeping chickens or livestock is decided by your municipality's zoning ordinance under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code. Rural townships often allow poultry and farm animals; boroughs and Reading typically restrict or prohibit them.
Berks County does not zone livestock; your municipality's zoning ordinance decides whether cattle, horses, goats, or swine are allowed and at what density. Bona fide farms in agricultural zones are protected by Pennsylvania's ACRE and Right-to-Farm laws.
Pennsylvania law bans breed-specific legislation — no municipality may regulate dogs solely by breed. Berks County therefore has no pit bull or breed ban. Any dog can be declared 'dangerous' individually based on its conduct under the state Dog Law.
Berks County sets no cap on household pets. Pennsylvania's Dog Law licenses each dog individually and requires a state kennel license once you keep or transfer 26 or more dogs a year. Municipal ordinances may cap dogs or cats per home.
Pennsylvania prohibits feeding deer, bears, elk, and other big game statewide under Game Commission regulations. Berks County itself sets no feeding ordinance, but the state ban applies everywhere; municipalities may add rules on feeding waterfowl or strays.
Animal hoarding is prosecuted under Pennsylvania's cruelty statute (Title 18, Chapter 55). Neglect — failing to provide food, water, shelter, or vet care to numerous animals — is a criminal offense enforced countywide by police and humane officers; there is no separate county ordinance.
Pennsylvania's statewide Dog Law requires every dog to be confined on the owner's premises, secured by a collar and chain, or under a person's reasonable control. A dog running at large violates state law countywide; Reading and townships may add stricter leash rules.
Berks County sets no exotic-pet rule. Pennsylvania's Game and Wildlife Code requires a state permit to possess exotic wildlife (big cats, bears, wolves, venomous snakes, primates). Your municipality's zoning may add further limits.
Berks County sets no beekeeping ordinance. Pennsylvania registers all apiaries through the state Bee Law (3 Pa.C.S. §2101+) via the Department of Agriculture, and your municipality's zoning code controls where hives may be placed. Rural townships generally permit hives.
Cats need no license in Pennsylvania, but state law requires every cat over 12 weeks old to be vaccinated against rabies. Berks County sets no cat-specific ordinance; feral-cat colonies and roaming rules are handled by municipalities.
Berks County does not require a permit to remove a tree from your own yard. Any tree-removal or replacement rule comes from your municipality's zoning or subdivision ordinance, not the county.
Berks County has no countywide weed ordinance. Noxious-weed and tall-vegetation rules are municipal — in Reading, weeds (with grass) must stay under 6 inches. Pennsylvania's Noxious Weed Control Law targets specific listed species statewide.
Berks County sets no tree-trimming rule for private yards. Trimming standards — sight-line clearance over sidewalks and streets — come from your municipality. Utility line-clearance is handled by the power company under PUC rules.
Berks County does not regulate native-plant or meadow landscaping. Whether a wildflower meadow is allowed — versus a tall-grass violation — depends on your municipality's weed ordinance. Native plantings are encouraged for stormwater and pollinators.
Berks County sets no routine watering schedule. Statewide, when the Governor declares a drought emergency, 4 Pa. Code §119.4 bans nonessential outdoor water use — including watering grass and washing paved surfaces. Your water utility may add its own limits.
Berks County sets no countywide grass-height limit — this is set by your municipality. In the City of Reading, grass and weeds must be kept under 6 inches across the entire property.
Berks County does not regulate artificial turf. Whether synthetic lawn is allowed, and any stormwater or impervious-surface conditions, are set by your municipality's zoning and stormwater ordinances.
Rain barrels and cisterns are legal in Berks County — Pennsylvania places no restriction on collecting rainwater. The county encourages it as a stormwater best-management practice. Any plumbing tie-in follows the state UCC plumbing code.
Backyard composting is legal and encouraged in Berks County. No county permit is needed for a home compost pile. Nuisance limits (odor, rodents) and setbacks come from your municipality's property maintenance code.
In Berks County, spas and hot tubs follow Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code. A spa or hot tub fitted with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the full pool-barrier requirements.
Under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, residential pool gates must open outward, be self-closing, and self-latching. Public pools in Berks County are permitted and regulated by the PA Department of Health.
Your Berks County municipality issues the building permit through Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code. Under 34 Pa. Code, residential pools deeper than 24 inches require a UCC construction permit; prefabricated pools under 24 inches are exempt.
Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a barrier at least 48 inches high around residential pools deeper than 24 inches, with openings that won't pass a 4-inch sphere. Your Berks County municipality enforces it.
In Berks County, above-ground pools deeper than 24 inches need a UCC permit and a compliant 48-inch barrier; prefabricated pools under 24 inches are permit-exempt. Removable or lockable ladders can serve as the barrier.
Berks County does not zone private property. Whether you can run a home business is set by your municipality's zoning ordinance (Reading, Wyomissing, your township), adopted under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code.
Berks County issues no home-occupation permit. Any permit or zoning approval for a home business comes from your municipality (Reading, Wyomissing, your township) under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code.
Berks County sets no home-business sign rule. Sign size, lighting, and placement for a home occupation are governed by your municipality's zoning ordinance under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code.
Pennsylvania has no separate cottage-food law. To sell home-produced non-hazardous foods, you register as a Limited Food Establishment with the PA Department of Agriculture, for $35, at least 60 days before operating.
A home caring for four, five, or six unrelated children is a Family Child Care Home and must hold a Certificate of Compliance from the PA Department of Human Services under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290. Local zoning also applies.
Berks County sets no tiny-home rule. Whether a tiny house is legal depends on your municipality's zoning and on whether it is on a permanent foundation (a dwelling under the PA UCC) or on wheels (treated as an RV, not permanent housing).
Berks County has no countywide rule on converting a garage into living space. It is a municipal zoning question plus a PA Uniform Construction Code permit. Reading regulates private garages under Zoning Chapter 600.
Berks County does not zone private lots, so it sets no ADU rule. Whether you can build an in-law suite or backyard apartment is decided by your municipality (Reading, Wyomissing, your township) under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code.
Berks County sets no countywide shed rule. Setbacks, size, and whether a permit is needed are set by your municipality under PA zoning law. In the City of Reading, a shed is defined as indoor storage that may not house vehicles or hazardous materials.
Berks County sets no carport rule. Placement and permits are municipal. In the City of Reading, a private garage that may include a carport is allowed within the rear setback, with the vehicle door set back at least three feet from an alley.
Wood, pellet, and charcoal smokers are legal in Berks County. A smoker is a cooking fire, expressly exempt from PA's open-burning rule (25 Pa Code §129.14) and allowed even during a county burn ban as a briquette/gas cooking device. Nuisance smoke complaints are handled locally.
Grilling with propane, natural gas, or charcoal is allowed in Berks County and is expressly exempt from open-burning bans. Fire-code limits mainly affect apartments and decks: many multi-family buildings can't use propane or charcoal grills on or near the structure under the adopted International Fire Code.
Berks County sets no lot-coverage limit. Maximum building and impervious coverage is set by your municipality's zoning ordinance under MPC 53 P.S. §10603, and varies by zoning district.
Berks County does not set building setbacks. Front, side, and rear yard minimums are fixed by your municipality's zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code (53 P.S. §10603), and vary by zoning district.
Berks County sets no building-height limit. Maximum structure height is fixed by your municipality's zoning ordinance under MPC 53 P.S. §10603, and differs by zoning district (typically ~35 feet in PA residential zones).
Berks County sets no countywide vacant-lot maintenance rule. Your municipality does. Reading administers vacant-property permits and inspections and requires vacant lots and buildings be kept clean, secured, and free of rubbish and overgrowth under its adopted property-maintenance code.
Berks County has no countywide rule on trash-bin type or storage; your municipality does. Reading's property-maintenance code requires approved trash receptacles and containers with lids and prohibits accumulation of rubbish on exterior property.
Berks County sets no countywide grass-height limit; your municipality does. Reading's property-maintenance code requires grass and weeds be kept under 6 inches throughout the entire property. Townships and boroughs set their own limits (commonly 6-12 inches).
Berks County does not run a countywide property-maintenance or anti-blight code. Blight enforcement is handled by your municipality. The City of Reading enforces the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) and holds blighted-property hearings; townships and boroughs adopt their own IPMC ordinances under the PA MPC (53 P.S. §10101).
Berks County has no countywide garage-sale rule. Permits and frequency limits are set by your municipality. Neighboring West Reading Borough, for example, allows only two garage/yard sales per calendar year (first permit free, second $5).
Berks County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor-lighting standards are set by municipalities, many of which follow the Pennsylvania Outdoor Lighting Council model ordinance requiring shielded, downward-facing (full-cutoff) fixtures to curb glare, sky glow, and light trespass.
Berks County sets no light-trespass rule. Whether a neighbor's floodlight spilling onto your property is a violation depends on your municipality's outdoor-lighting ordinance; absent one, a persistent glare may be pursued as a private nuisance.
Under Pennsylvania's Act 101, larger and denser Berks municipalities must run recycling programs. Fifteen Berks municipalities are mandated to recycle under Act 101 with curbside programs, and seven more comply under Act 140. The county-wide Act 101 recycling goal is 35%.
Berks County sets no countywide bin-placement rule. Your municipality and hauler dictate where and when to place trash and recycling at the curb. Reading requires approved lidded containers and prohibits leftover rubbish on the property between collections.
Pennsylvania's scattering-rubbish law (18 Pa.C.S. §6501) makes it a summary offense to dump waste on roads, others' land, or state waters, with a $50–$300 fine and litter cleanup for a first offense. The Berks Solid Waste Authority cites illegal dumpers via video surveillance in Leesport.
Berks County does not run curbside trash pickup. Your municipality arranges collection, either by hiring a hauler or by requiring residents to contract one. The Berks County Solid Waste Authority operates a countywide drop-off recycling center in Leesport but not curbside routes.
Bulk trash pickup is arranged by your municipality or hauler. The Berks County Solid Waste Authority recycling center in Leesport accepts electronics (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 8 AM–Noon), tires (fees), and yard waste, and holds household hazardous-waste and shredding events.
Berks County publishes a compiled guide to its townships' and boroughs' campaign-sign rules. Countywide, signs may not sit in the PennDOT highway right-of-way and must stay 10 feet from a polling place entrance. Timing and size limits are set by each municipality.
Berks County sets no garage-sale-sign rule. Temporary-sign limits are municipal. Countywide, PennDOT bars signs from the highway right-of-way, so yard-sale signs may not be planted along state roads, on utility poles, or on public property.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Berks County ordinances.