101 local rules on file · Pop. 2,338 · Montgomery County
Showing ordinances that apply to Spring Mount, PA
Spring Mount is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 2,338 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Because Spring Mount is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Montgomery 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 Montgomery County may have different rules.
Montgomery County itself sets no fireworks rule. Pennsylvania law lets adults 18+ use consumer fireworks, but bans use within 150 feet of any building or vehicle, on another's property without permission, or while impaired. Your borough or township may restrict further.
Montgomery County has no countywide fire-pit ordinance. Recreational fire pits are regulated by your borough or township and the fire code it adopts under the PA Uniform Construction Code. Many municipalities require setbacks from structures, constant attendance, and clean, seasoned wood only.
Montgomery County sets no separate propane-storage ordinance. Storage and use of LP-gas cylinders follows the International Fire Code adopted through the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, enforced by your municipal fire and building officials. Small home barbecue cylinders are broadly allowed with limits.
Open burning in Montgomery County is governed by the PA DEP rule 25 Pa. Code §129.14 and your municipality's ordinance, not the county. State rules bar burning that sends visible or malodorous smoke off your property. Many townships ban leaf and trash burning outright.
Montgomery County, PA has no designated wildfire-hazard zones and no defensible-space or WUI building mandate. Suburban southeastern Pennsylvania is not a mapped fire-severity region. Wildland fire, when it occurs, is fought by local fire companies with PA DCNR forestry support.
Suburban Montgomery County, PA is not a wildfire-hazard region and has no county defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate. Overgrown brush is handled as a nuisance or high-grass violation by your borough or township property-maintenance ordinance, not a fire code.
Montgomery County sets no rule on backyard fires. Whether recreational fires are allowed depends on your borough or township ordinance, layered over the PA DEP smoke rule (25 Pa. Code §129.14), which bans any fire whose smoke drifts off your property or is malodorous.
Montgomery County has no separate smoke-detector code. Requirements come from the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (adopting the International Codes) for new and altered buildings, and from PA landlord law requiring working smoke detectors in rental units.
Montgomery County has no countywide STR parking rule. Off-street parking requirements for short-term rentals are set by each borough or township zoning ordinance, and many Pennsylvania municipalities require roughly one off-street space per bedroom.
Montgomery County does not require short-term-rental insurance. Liability-insurance conditions, where they exist, are set by your borough or township and attached to the local STR permit or rental license. Hosts should also confirm coverage with their own insurer.
Montgomery County imposes a 4% hotel room rental tax on stays under 30 days, collected by the County Treasurer for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. On top of that, Pennsylvania's 6% state hotel occupancy tax applies to the same short-term rentals.
Montgomery County sets no countywide occupancy cap for short-term rentals. Maximum guest counts are a municipal zoning matter under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, and many Montco boroughs and townships tie occupancy to the number of bedrooms.
Montgomery County sets no cap on how many nights a year a short-term rental may operate. Any limit on length of stay or number of stays per year is a municipal zoning choice made by your borough or township, not the county.
Montgomery County sets no countywide short-term rental permit. Whether you need a permit is decided by your borough or township under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code. Many Montco municipalities require a zoning permit or rental license; check your local code before listing.
No countywide noise ordinance governs Montgomery County short-term rentals. Noise and nuisance limits are set by each borough or township, and STR-specific ordinances often make the host responsible for guest noise, with quiet hours enforced locally.
There is no county STR registry. Registration is municipal: many Montgomery County boroughs and townships require you to list a rental on a municipal rental-property registration and pass codes inspection. Requirements and fees are set by your local government, not the county.
Montgomery County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. Whether an STR must be the owner's primary residence is decided by each borough or township zoning ordinance; some Montco municipalities restrict STRs to owner-occupied dwellings.
Montgomery County has no host-presence rule. Whether a host must be on site or name a local responsible agent is set by each borough or township. Many Montco STR ordinances require a 24/7 local contact who can respond quickly to problems.
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide construction-hours rule; each municipality sets its own. Abington Township, for example, bans building construction outside 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Lower Merion Township allows construction only 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays.
Montgomery County, PA sets no decibel standard; municipalities do. Lower Merion Township, for example, caps residential noise at 65 dBA daytime and 50 dBA nighttime, and nonresidential at 70 dBA daytime and 55 dBA nighttime, measured at the receiving property line.
Montgomery County, PA sets no general quiet-hours ordinance. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, each of the county's 62 boroughs and townships adopts its own noise rules. Statewide, making 'unreasonable noise' can be charged as disorderly conduct (18 Pa.C.S. §5503).
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide amplified-music rule. Municipal codes govern it: Abington Township bans radios, instruments and public-address systems that disturb neighbors and prohibits any device 'plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet' from the building or vehicle it is in.
Neither Montgomery County, PA nor its municipalities regulate aircraft noise. Airspace and aircraft-noise standards are set exclusively by the Federal Aviation Administration under federal law, which preempts local rules. Municipal noise codes such as Lower Merion's expressly exempt aircraft.
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide barking-dog ordinance. Municipal noise codes cover it: Abington Township bans keeping any animal that causes 'frequent or long-continued noise' disturbing neighbors. The state Dog Law (3 P.S. §459) requires owners to control and confine dogs.
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide outdoor-music rule outside its parks. Lower Merion Township exempts concerts, block parties and receptions from decibel limits, but not from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (11:00 p.m. weekends). County parks ban excessive loud music.
Montgomery County, PA sets no leaf-blower rule; municipalities do. Abington Township bars using a leaf blower or similar device so as to disturb neighbors on any day. Lower Merion limits landscaping equipment to daytime hours, with one machine allowed 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. weekdays.
Montgomery County, PA does not zone or set industrial noise limits; municipalities do under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Abington Township caps air-conditioning and mechanical equipment at 55 dBA in residential zones, 60 dBA generally, and 70 dBA in planned-industrial districts.
Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code, not Montgomery County, controls vehicle noise statewide. Every motor vehicle must have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass (75 Pa.C.S. §4523), and modified exhausts that amplify noise are illegal. Municipal codes add loud-stereo and motorcycle rules.
There is no countywide overnight parking ban in Montgomery County. Overnight on-street restrictions are set by your borough or township. In county parks, parking after posted closing time is prohibited without facility permission, and overnight camping is banned except in designated areas.
Montgomery County sets no rule on parking commercial vehicles, box trucks, or trailers in residential areas. This is regulated by each borough or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Many local codes cap vehicle weight or bar overnight commercial parking in residential zones.
Montgomery County sets no residential rule on parking oversized vehicles, buses, or large trailers. Size and weight limits for parking in neighborhoods come from each borough or township ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code and local traffic rules. County limits apply only in park lots.
Montgomery County has no ordinance requiring or restricting EV charging stations at homes. EV-ready parking and charger installation are governed by municipal zoning and the PA-adopted building/electrical code. Home chargers need a local electrical permit; the county installs public chargers at some county facilities.
Montgomery County sets no countywide rule on parking RVs, boats, or trailers at a home. Each of the 62 boroughs and townships regulates this through its own zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Check your municipality; the county's only RV rule is that overnight camping is banned in
Abandoning a vehicle is prohibited statewide under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code. 75 Pa.C.S. §3712 bars abandoning a vehicle on any highway or on public or private property without consent. A vehicle unattended over 48 hours can be presumed abandoned under §102. Removal is handled by municipal police and authorized salvors.
Montgomery County does not designate or enforce loading zones. On-street loading zones are established by the borough or township (or PennDOT on state routes) by ordinance under the PA Vehicle Code. Off-street loading requirements for businesses are set by municipal zoning under the Municipalities Planning Code.
Montgomery County does not regulate on-street or residential parking. Streets are controlled by the borough or township (and PennDOT on state routes) under the PA Vehicle Code and local traffic ordinances. Permit zones, time limits, and street-cleaning rules are all municipal. County authority over parking is limited to its own
Montgomery County does not paint or regulate curb markings on public streets. Colored curbs (fire zones, no-parking, loading) are installed and enforced by the borough or township, or PennDOT on state routes, under the PA Vehicle Code. Residents may not paint public curbs themselves.
Montgomery County has no rule on driveway width, paving, or parking on lawns and front yards. These are set by your borough or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Many local codes bar parking on unpaved yard areas and regulate driveway access.
Montgomery County sets no fence-facing or shared-fence rule. Your municipality's zoning code handles the 'good side out' and setback questions; Pennsylvania's Partition Fence Act covers shared boundary fences between adjoining owners.
There is no countywide fence code in Montgomery County. Location, setback, corner-visibility and pool-fence requirements are all set by your borough or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
Montgomery County sets no fence-height rule. Each of the county's 62 boroughs and townships sets its own limits under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Typical local caps are about 4 ft in front yards and 6 ft in rear and side yards.
Montgomery County restricts no fence materials. Bans on barbed wire, electric, or chain-link fencing in certain districts, if any, come from your borough or township zoning code under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
The county issues no fence permits. Whether you need one, and the fee, is decided by your Montgomery County municipality under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Many townships require a zoning permit before a fence is installed.
No county rule lists approved fence materials. Wood, vinyl, aluminum, and chain-link are generally allowed in residential zones, but each Montgomery County municipality sets the specifics under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
The county has no retaining-wall ordinance. Height limits and permits for retaining walls come from your Montgomery County borough or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Taller walls usually need a permit and engineering.
Montgomery County sets no rule on keeping chickens or livestock — this is zoning, decided by your borough or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Many suburban Montgomery municipalities restrict or ban hens; a few allow limited flocks. Check your municipal zoning ordinance.
Montgomery County sets no limit on the number of pets. Caps on dogs or cats per household are set by individual boroughs and townships through zoning or nuisance ordinances. At the state level, anyone boarding or selling enough dogs needs a PA kennel license.
Montgomery County sets no beekeeping ordinance. Hive placement is a municipal zoning matter, while colony registration and disease inspection are handled statewide by the PA Dept. of Agriculture under the Bee Law. Register hives with the state, then check your township zoning.
Montgomery County has no breed-specific ban, and Pennsylvania state law prohibits municipalities from banning dogs by breed. Regulation is by behavior: the PA Dog Law's dangerous-dog provisions apply to any dog that attacks, regardless of breed.
Montgomery County has no cat licensing or leash requirement, and Pennsylvania does not license cats statewide. Free-roaming cats, feral colonies and TNR are handled by municipalities and the Montgomery County SPCA rather than by any county ordinance.
Montgomery County has no countywide leash ordinance — your borough or township sets that. Statewide, PA's Dog Law requires every dog to be confined, secured, or under reasonable control. In county parks, dogs must be leashed on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
Montgomery County does not regulate livestock keeping — whether you can keep horses, goats, cattle, sheep or pigs is a zoning decision made by your borough or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Suburban districts commonly prohibit livestock; agricultural zones allow it.
Montgomery County has no separate hoarding ordinance, but Pennsylvania's animal-cruelty statutes cover neglect and hoarding conditions statewide. Cases are investigated by the Montgomery County SPCA's humane officers and prosecuted by the District Attorney; municipalities enforce related property and nuisance codes.
Montgomery County sets no exotic-pet ordinance. Keeping wild or exotic animals is controlled statewide: the PA Game Commission requires an exotic-wildlife-possession permit for native and many exotic species, and the state Dept. of Agriculture handles certain dangerous animals.
Montgomery County has no general wildlife-feeding ordinance, but Pennsylvania bans feeding deer, bears and elk statewide. The PA Game Commission prohibits intentionally feeding these animals, and county parks bar feeding wildlife on park property.
Montgomery County sets no countywide tree-trimming rule for private yards. Street-tree trimming is a municipal function; many boroughs and townships appoint a Shade Tree Commission that, under the PA Shade Tree Act, has exclusive control over trimming trees in the public right-of-way. Private-yard pruning is generally unregulated.
Montgomery County does not ban backyard composting; home composting is allowed. The county administers a Solid Waste Management Plan and mandatory municipal recycling under PA Act 101, which requires larger municipalities to offer recycling and can include yard-waste (leaf/grass) collection. Nuisance conditions are handled locally.
Montgomery County does not require or forbid native landscaping. There is no lawn mandate. The county and its municipalities encourage native, pollinator-friendly, and meadow plantings, and PA law lets municipalities regulate landscaping through zoning. Only your borough or township can require or limit specific plantings.
Montgomery County sets no countywide lawn-height limit. Grass and weed height is a municipal property-maintenance matter set by each of the county's 62 boroughs and townships. As an example, Montgomery Township (in the county) caps grass or weeds at 12 inches near buildings and in active subdivisions.
Montgomery County has no ordinance restricting rainwater collection, and Pennsylvania does not limit rain barrels. Capturing rain for outdoor irrigation is allowed. Plumbed cistern or greywater systems must follow the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and any municipal plumbing/stormwater permit requirements.
Montgomery County has no countywide private-tree-removal ordinance. Removing a tree on your own land is generally allowed without a county permit. Trees in the public right-of-way (street/shade trees) are controlled by your municipality's Shade Tree Commission under the PA Shade Tree Act, which holds exclusive authority to remove them.
Montgomery County sets no countywide weed ordinance. Noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation are a municipal property-maintenance nuisance handled by each borough and township. For example, Montgomery Township declares grass, weeds, or vegetation over 12 inches a nuisance and requires the owner to cut it within 10 days of notice.
Montgomery County does not set a watering schedule. Pennsylvania is not under permanent western-style outdoor-watering rules. During dry spells, the PA Department of Environmental Protection issues drought watch, warning, or emergency declarations by county; watch/warning conservation is voluntary. Your local water supplier may add mandatory limits.
Montgomery County has no ordinance addressing artificial turf. There is no county ban and no county permit. Whether synthetic turf is allowed, and any impervious-surface or stormwater limits, is set by your borough or township zoning and stormwater code under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
PUBLIC pools and spas in Montgomery County are regulated by the county Office of Public Health and require a PA Department of Health permit. Private residential pool safety is set by statewide code (barriers, drains, alarms) enforced by your municipality.
Yes. A residential pool holding water more than 24 inches deep needs a UCC building permit from your municipality (not the county). Small above-ground pools under 24 inches, under 5,000 gallons, and entirely aboveground are exempt.
Residential pool barriers follow the statewide UCC / International Residential Code, enforced by your municipality. The barrier must be at least 48 inches high and gates must be self-closing and self-latching. Montgomery County sets no separate residential fence rule.
An above-ground pool needs a municipal UCC permit if it holds water more than 24 inches deep. Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep, under 5,000 gallons, and entirely aboveground are exempt. Barrier rules still apply to permitted pools.
Residential hot tubs follow the statewide UCC / International Residential Code. A spa or hot tub with an approved ASTM F1346 safety cover is exempt from the pool barrier requirements. Montgomery County sets no residential hot-tub rule; public spas need a Health permit.
Home occupation permits are issued by your borough or township, not Montgomery County. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, municipal zoning ordinances decide whether a home occupation needs a zoning permit, use registration, or a special exception.
Montgomery County sets no home-business zoning. Each of its 62 boroughs and townships regulates home occupations under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Check your municipality's zoning ordinance for whether and how a business may operate from your home.
Home-business signage is regulated by your borough or township zoning ordinance, not Montgomery County. Most municipalities limit home-occupation signs to one small, non-illuminated nameplate. Check your local sign regulations before posting.
Pennsylvania has no traditional cottage-food law. Home food producers must register as a Limited Food Establishment with the PA Department of Agriculture and pass an inspection of the home kitchen. There is no sales cap. This is a state, not county, program.
A home caring for four, five, or six unrelated children must be certified as a Family Child Care Home by the PA Department of Human Services under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290. This is a state certification; Montgomery County zoning still governs where it may operate.
Montgomery County does no land-use zoning. Whether an accessory dwelling unit is allowed, and its size and setbacks, is decided by your borough or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Check your municipality's zoning ordinance.
Montgomery County sets no shed rule. Whether a shed needs a zoning or building permit, and how far it must sit from lot lines, is decided by your borough or township. Many PA municipalities exempt small sheds under 200 sq ft.
Montgomery County has no garage-conversion rule. Whether you can convert a garage to living space is governed by your borough or township zoning ordinance plus the statewide Uniform Construction Code building permit. Check with your municipality.
Montgomery County sets no carport rule. A carport is an accessory structure governed by your municipality's zoning ordinance — permit requirements, setbacks and height limits vary by borough or township under the PA MPC.
Montgomery County has no tiny-home rule. Whether a tiny house on a foundation is allowed depends on your borough or township zoning and minimum-dwelling standards, plus the statewide Uniform Construction Code. A tiny home on wheels is usually treated as an RV.
Montgomery County has no grilling ordinance. LP-gas and charcoal grill rules come from the International Fire Code adopted through the PA Uniform Construction Code. The key rule: on multifamily and apartment balconies, propane and charcoal grills generally may not be used or stored near the building.
Montgomery County has no ordinance on backyard smokers. Charcoal and wood smokers are treated like grills under the fire code adopted via the PA UCC, and their smoke is subject to the PA DEP nuisance rule (25 Pa. Code §129.14). Multifamily balconies generally prohibit them.
Montgomery County sets no lot-coverage limit. Maximum building and impervious-surface coverage are set by each borough and township zoning code under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, varying by zoning district.
Montgomery County sets no building-height limit. Maximum heights for houses and accessory structures are set by each borough and township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, and differ by zoning district.
Montgomery County establishes no setback rules. Minimum front, side, and rear yard distances are set by each of the county's 62 boroughs and townships under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, and vary by zoning district.
Montgomery County, PA sets no countywide rule on how you store garbage cans. Each municipality's property maintenance code requires exterior areas be kept free of accumulated rubbish and garbage stored in approved covered containers. Norristown and other towns bar leaving cans at the curb between collection days.
Montgomery County, PA does not regulate garage or yard sales. Each borough or township sets its own rules, and many limit how many sales per year, require a permit, and restrict signage. Check your municipal code before advertising a sale.
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide blight ordinance. Each of the 62 boroughs and townships enforces exterior property maintenance under its own code, most adopting the International Property Maintenance Code. Norristown, the county seat, requires premises be kept safe, sanitary and free of hazards.
Montgomery County, PA has no countywide vacant-lot ordinance. Boroughs and townships require owners to keep empty lots mowed, free of debris and secured against dumping under their property maintenance codes. Neglected vacant lots are cited the same as any overgrown or littered premises.
Montgomery County, PA sets no countywide grass-height limit. Each municipality enforces its own weed ordinance. Norristown, the county seat, requires all premises be kept free of weeds or plant growth exceeding eight inches, with noxious weeds prohibited outright.
Dumping trash on roads, another person's land or into waterways is a state crime in Montgomery County, PA. Under 18 Pa.C.S. §6501 a first offense is a summary offense carrying a $50 to $300 fine plus mandatory litter cleanup. Larger-scale dumping also violates the Solid Waste Management Act.
Montgomery County, PA does not collect trash. Each of the 62 municipalities directs its own trash and recycling program within Pennsylvania's Act 101 framework, arranging municipal crews or private haulers. The county coordinates the overall Municipal Waste Management Plan and assists with recycling.
Under Pennsylvania's Act 101, every Montgomery County municipality with 10,000 or more people, and smaller ones over 5,000 with density above 300 per square mile, must run a source-separation and collection program. Most of the county's populous boroughs and townships mandate curbside recycling.
Montgomery County, PA sets no rule on bin placement. Your borough, township or hauler dictates where and when to place trash and recycling containers at the curb, and property maintenance codes require cans be pulled back and stored out of view after collection.
Montgomery County, PA does not run bulk trash pickup. Each borough, township or hauler sets its own rules for large items like furniture and appliances, often requiring a scheduled pickup, tag or extra fee. The county also hosts countywide collection events for hard-to-dispose materials.
Montgomery County has no sign ordinance. Temporary garage-sale signs are regulated by your borough or township — typical local rules limit sign size, allow posting only a few days around the sale, and prohibit signs in the public right-of-way.
Montgomery County has no sign ordinance. Political yard signs are regulated by your borough or township, but under the First Amendment municipalities cannot restrict them by content, so most limit only size, number and placement — not the message.
Montgomery County has no dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor-lighting and full-cutoff fixture requirements, where they exist, are adopted by individual boroughs and townships under their zoning power. Check your municipality's lighting standards.
Montgomery County has no light-trespass rule. Whether stray light spilling onto a neighbor's property is limited depends on your borough or township lighting ordinance. Persistent glare may also be a private nuisance under PA common law.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Montgomery County ordinances.