Construction Application

The Woods Campground Building Regulations for Screen porches, Decks, and Sheds

READ THIS SECTION IN ITS ENTIRETY.   ALL OF IT.   EVERY WORD.

Any new structure or modification of an existing structure must meet all township and campground rules.    Campground owners must review and approve your construction application an before you begin work.  Your submission must include a drawing of your current site layout prior to construction and a drawing of your site layout after the proposed construction.  Any electrical upgrades must also show on submitted plans.  Only qualified electricians and plumbers can install or alter your current services.  All current electrical and plumbing codes MUST be followed to prevent a fire.  Campground management MUST inspect electrical and plumbing work before it is covered.  By no means is anyone other than Campground management allowed to alter Campground provided electric wiring or circuit breaker panel. Campground approval must be in writing.

Anyone doing construction on their own site is responsible for your own clean up.  This includes wood debris.  Contact camp maintenance about adding non-pressure treated lumber to our bonfire.  Your building debris cannot go in the dumpsters, in camp trash barrels or left on the curb.

New Decks

• Completed decks can be up to 12′ wide and as long as the trailer excluding the hitch
• Any exceptions need to be approved in writing by campground owners
• All structures must have block footings placed at 4-foot intervals
• All wood, including plywood, must be pressure treated.  Trex or equivalent is permitted for decking.
• All deck joists must be at least 2×6’s pressure treated with 16-inch centers
• All flooring must be 3/4″ plywood, 5/4 deck boards, or 2×6 pressure treated boards or better.
• Any structure above 30 inches from ground level must have a handrail with 4-inch vertical post restriction; this includes all steps in excess of 2 or ramps.  Building permit required.
• All existing decks must meet current codes if being rebuilt or enlarged

New Screen Rooms

• All new screen rooms must be commercial manufactured aluminum or pressure treated lumber.
• No solid screen coverings are allowed except for protection in the off season.  

New Sheds

• Sheds can be a maximum of 10 feet by 12 feet in dimension. Any exceptions must be approved in writing by campground ownership.
• All sheds must be commercially manufactured wood or vinyl, no metal sheds of any kind
• All sheds built on site must be on a pressure treated platform raised off the ground
• Shed locations must be approved to prevent covering of underground utilities.
• One storage shed is allowed per campsite.
• Sheds built for guest accommodations cannot be fitted with any plumbing.

New Room Attachments

• New room attachments are not allowed.  Only repair of existing rooms is allowed.

Existing Deck, Room Attachment and Screen Room Repair Regulations

• Existing room attachment dimensions cannot be changed
• Existing room attachment cannot be rebuilt in whole or part, only repaired with like or better materials to meet current regulations.
• Screen porches and decks must not be longer than the existing camper not including the hitch
• Decks and screen porches cannot exceed 12 feet wide
• Total height of the structure can be 10 inches above the lowest roof line of the trailer
• All existing structures, decks, porches, and patios must be free standing and cannot be permanently attached to the trailer.
• All structures must have block footings placed at 4-foot intervals
• All wood, including plywood, must be pressure treated or primed and painted T1-11; no particleboard or pressboard.  T1-11 can only be used on side walls.
• Any structures above 30 inches from ground level must have a handrail with 4-inch vertically spaced posts or lattice type restriction; this includes all steps in excess of 2 or ramps.

Deck

• See new deck rules above

Roof

• The finished roof can be 4 feet longer than the deck.
• Roofing material may only be painted metal, corrugated PVC, soffit material, asphalt shingles or fiberglass.  No half lap, rolled, melted material, tarps, or canvases allowed.
• A one piece rubber roof (EPDM, no torch down, rolled, or asphalt roofing) may be used also.  It can have no seams and cannot be nailed to the top roof surface
• All roof rafters are to be at least pressure treated 2×6’s with 16-inch centers
• Colored metal roofs (including non painted) must have written approval by campground owners.

Walls

• For screen rooms, at least 60% of the wall area must be screened.
• No interior partition walls allowed
• All walls must be at least 2×4 studs 16” on center with 4×4 posts 4’ on center
• Exterior coverings must be vinyl siding, primed and painted T1-11 or lattice.  No exposed plywood or like material.
• Exterior coverings start from the bottom of the rim joist.
• Screen room walls are no more than 36″ from the floor

Fences

• No solid fencing is permitted.  Decorative fencing and landscape borders can be no more than 36” from the ground.  The only exception is a small section of fencing used to mask electric meters, garbage cans or similar unsightly items.  Access must not be blocked and prior permission must be granted.

Set backs

• All structures, including your RV, must be at least 6 feet from a road’s edge and 2 feet from all other borders of the site.

Necessary Approvals

• Campground ownership will alert you whether a township permit is necessary.
• All structures must meet federal, state, and local codes for building, electric, fire, and tie downs.
• All structures must be completed in the camping year they were started.
• The campground is not responsible for damage due to storms, weather, or acts of God.
• All set backs must meet criteria of the campground owners.  Do not assume your site borders.  Do not assume the location of the road shoulder.  Ask campground owners for guidance.
• All building materials must be disposed of in a proper manner at the camper’s expense.

Any tax consequences imposed based on your construction will be your responsibility.

Township Zoning Office
If required, building and shed permits must be obtained at the Towamensing Township Municipal Building at 120 Stable Road, Lehighton, PA 18235-5547 at the Zoning Office.  In month, hours are posted at www.towamensingtownship.com  610-681-4202.

Campground owners must approve all applications before applying for a permit.  A copy of the township permit must be provided to campground owners.

Township zoning costs (subject to change) are the following:

• The zoning permit fee for a shed is $25.00 plus .025 cents per square foot.  ie   10’x12’=120ft2 120 ft2 x .025 = $3.00 + $25.00 so the cost is $28.00.
• The zoning permit fee for a deck is $25.00 plus 10 cents per square foot.  ie   12’x24’=288ft2 288 ft2 x .10 = $28.80 + $25 so the cost is $53.80.
• Any deck 30 or more inches high must get a zoning permit and a building permit.  The building permit fee is an additional $185.00. Decks of this height need railings!

If you are aware of any changes to these fees, please email us.

As of this document edit, the zoning officer is available Thursdays from 4:00-6:00pm.  In month, hours are posted at www.towamensingtownship.com.  610-681-4202.The Township Zoning Officer is Carl Faust.  You can also email Carl at info@towamensingtownship.com.  This schedule may change monthly.  The schedule is posted on the Township’s website.  You can also submit the permit to the township office, and they will give it to the zoning office if you are unable to see them in person.