The residential construction industry is not for the faint of heart! We are governed by many different layers of regulation and codes. Most of these rules and regulations make a lot of sense at a high level, but some become confusing and challenging to navigate in practice.
Adding to the complexity for builders, contractors and our clients is the issue of how these different regulations get interpreted and enforced. Within Lancaster County alone there are 60 different municipalities whose zoning officials, engineers, and building inspectors often have distinct and unique views on the rules and regulations they enforce.
For the purposes of this series, we will start with a broad overview of several different segments of these regulations we must meet, and dive deeper into certain categories as we go.
Zoning
Local Municipalities have Zoning Ordinances in place which govern things like “setback lines” – ie how close a dwelling or other type of building can be to its property lines, as well as “lot coverage” – ie what percentage of area buildings, driveways, patios, etc. can take up of the overall property size, and “building height”
These regulations are typically broken down into zones in a specific municipality to keep a level of uniformity and as well as strategy in future land use.
Stormwater Management
We’ll just scratch the surface here and take a deep dive in some later newsletters. Stormwater management in its simplest definition is to manage the rate and volume of rain water as it “runs off” impervious surfaces (roof areas, patios, driveways, etc.)
Ultimately the management of stormwater is a critical and necessary component of any building or development project. I believe we can all agree to protecting our downstream neighbors as well as the streams, rivers and eventually the Chesapeake Bay where our rain water ends up.
We will look closer at how these regulations affect, specifically “scattered lot” building, where one lot is being developed to build one custom home.
Building Codes
It’s hard to believe that roughly 25 years ago there were many places we built homes that didn’t require any building plan reviews or building inspections during construction. It is certainly a positive development to ensure a minimum standard of structural integrity and safety is being met in residential home building.
Many of the building code changes of the last decade have focused more around “energy code” updates and the requirements of making a home “tighter” and more energy efficient.
The reality is that some who are looking to build may have more familiarity or understanding of these terms and concepts than others, that’s ok. We are here to help! At Metzler Home Builders we have spent the last 20-25 years gaining greater understanding of building codes and zoning requirements, and the last 10+ years navigating the evolving and often complex regulations related to stormwater management on single lot construction.
We are here to help you understand what you need and be your partner and advocate as we guide you through these processes.
“Regulations, like bureaucracy, tend to strangle creative effort. But [WE] must be a master of them, bending them to serve the art rather than allowing them to dictate mediocrity.”
-Frank Lloyd Wright
Post by: Jordan Metzler