Chief Inspector / Zoning Officer
Rodney Sarver
PH: 412-343-3408
Email: rsarver@mtlebanon.org [1]
The Inspection Office oversees all residential and commercial construction in Mt. Lebanon, both new construction and remodeling. Inspectors issue building permits and review plans for code compliance. The Inspection Office also inspects properties for compliance with the building, grading, health and safety, minimum property standards, solid waste and zoning chapters of the Mt. Lebanon Code.
Building Permit Requirements
Before you begin any home project, contact the inspection office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 412-343-3408, to determine whether you need a building permit. Download applications [2] or pick them up at the Mt. Lebanon Customer Service Center, 710 Washington Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Along with the application, you must include two copies of building plans and two copies of your property survey, indicating where on the property the work will be done. All applications must be signed by the property owner.
Generally residential permits are issued within 15 business days and commercial permits within 30 business days, if the application is complete. If additional information is needed, the applicant will be contacted to supply said information. After it has been approved you will receive a phone call or an email from the inspection office.
Approved permit cards must be prominently displayed in a window visible from the street. Copies of approved plans with the inspector’s notes must be on construction site at all times.
If your construction project requires the use of a dumpster, placing it on the street requires a permit. Call the police traffic division at 412-343-4086 for details. Placing a dumpster on your property does not require a permit as long as it doesn’t encroach on any municipal sidewalk.
Fences
A fence permit is required for a new fence or replacement of a current one. The zoning ordinance regulates the height of fencing. In single-family residential districts, fences up to six feet are permitted in side and rear yards. Fences are not permitted in front yards. No solid fences are permitted. Shadowbox fences up to 4 feet in height are permitted. Other styles of fences are also permitted. A fence can be erected on the property line, unless your home is on a corner lot. For further information, call the zoning officer at 412-343-3475.
Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs
A permit application is required for all temporary, above-ground and in-ground swimming pools and hot tubs. A code enforcement officer must inspect the pools annually for compliance with the municipal code. Mandatory pool barrier fencing may require an additional permit. Electrical inspections are obtained and performed by Middle Department Inspection Agency at 1-800-362-6342.
Code Enforcement
The inspection office’s code enforcement officer (412-343-7034) and building inspector/code compliance officer (412-343-4584) are responsible for enforcement of the maintenance and preservation of housing stock and structures, and with enforcing Mt. Lebanon’s health and safety ordinance, and various other ordinances. If you would like to discuss or report a potential code violation or discuss compliance methods for issued violation notices or citations, you may have received, you can speak with corresponding officer at the numbers listed above.