Roofing in West Mead Township, Pennsylvania

Required

The 2021 International Residential Code, as adopted by the State in the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC). 34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7) adopts "The 'International Residential Code of 2021,' except that:" followed by the State's list of exclusions and modifications, effective January 1, 2026 (55 Pa.B. 7701). None of the State's changes touches Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, or Section R803, Roof Sheathing, so those apply as the International Code Council publishes them. Work on existing buildings is also pointed to the State's existing-building code: "The repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition and relocation of existing buildings must comply with Chapter 34 of the 'International Building Code of 2021' or with the 'International Existing Building Code of 2021'" (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)). The UCC is the minimum everywhere in the state: "no municipality may propose or enact any ordinance which is less than the minimum requirement of the Uniform Construction Code" (Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, section 503(b)). The Act also lists work it "shall not apply to", including "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" or to "Repairs to residential buildings," in each case "except as might be required by ordinances" kept in force under section 303(b)(1) or adopted under section 503 (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6); 34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)). The Act defines a repair as "The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance." So whether the code's roofing rules reach a given house reroof depends on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, West Mead Township in Crawford County issues building permits through its Zoning Officer/Building Code Official at 1150 Morgan Village Road, Meadville. The Township's 2026 permit process sheet says that once the Township official and the inspectors approve, "a Zoning Permit and UCC Building Permit can be issued by West Mead Township," and names two agencies it has contracted for residential and commercial inspections, Middle Department Inspection Agency (MDIA) and Prosek's Inspections. The Township's 2026 permit process sheet says its Building Code Ordinance was "most recently updated in 2019 using the 2018 PA UCC Codes"; that ordinance is not published, this record has not read it or the 2018 edition's text, and it does not decide which edition the Township applies.

West Mead Township's published permit pages name no roof work. The 2026 permit process sheet says the Township official will determine "if a simple Zoning Permit is necessary or if a UCC/Building Permit with Inspections by the Building Code Third Party Inspection Agency is necessary," that a Zoning and Building Permit with all UCC inspections is needed for a dwelling, "any residential addition, porch, deck or anything involving structural changes to an existing structure," and that "Some minor or interior construction projects may not require any type of permit but you should still contact the Township Zoning Officer/Building Code Official to make that determination based on the current regulations in place." It names no roof work, and neither does the Township's residential building permit application, whose work boxes are "New Building Addition Alteration Repair Demolition Relocation Energy." The sheet says the Township's Building Code Ordinance was "adopted in 2004 and amended over the years most recently updated in 2019 using the 2018 PA UCC Codes"; that ordinance is not among the documents the Township publishes, and this record has not read it. Under state law, Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6) list "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" and "Repairs to residential buildings" among work the Act does not apply to, "except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503," and 34 Pa. Code 403.62(c) says "A permit is not required for the exceptions listed in § 403.1(b) (relating to scope) and the following, if the work does not violate a law or ordinance." The Zoning and Building page says "Zoning and/or building permits are required for most construction projects in West Mead Township" and asks owners to "contact us prior to any construction or demolition." The Township office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 814-336-1271. Read for this record: the Township's Zoning and Building page; its 2026 permit process sheet; its residential building permit application and 2024 zoning permit application; the Zoning Officer/Building Code Official position description; and the full list on its Documents page, which posts no building code ordinance or building permit fee schedule.