Subdivision and Land Development

Available here below is the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
The current version of the Ordinance was adopted on March 22, 2016, and subsequently amended on May 17, 2026 and May 17, 2024. These two (2) amendments are appended to the back end of the Ordinance file linked here below:  

Above you will find the Application Form, Fee Schedule, and Time Extension-Request Form.

* * *

The subdivision and land development process may require or include planning, acquisition of government permits, conveyance of land ownership by recording of new title deed, construction of access roads, installation of utilities, landscaping, and stormwater control and erosion-prevention infrastructure, and more.

Landowners/developers wishing to explore/pursue a particular project idea should consider hiring one of the following agents to help them scope its viability and accelerate/guide execution of the project:

• Professional Land Surveyor (PLS credential) required by State law to prepare and verify the accuracy of any Subdivision Plan involving the proposed creation of a new property boundary line.
• Professional Engineer (PE credential) required by State law to prepare and verify the accuracy of any Land Development Plan involving technical stormwater controls or other engineering services.
• Land-Use Lawyer (for legal advice and questions involving land-use laws; and the drafting of legal land-use agreements).

It is the responsibility of the Applicant and their hired agent to research and demonstrate compliance with the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance at time of initial application (Ordinance Section 601.1).

* * *

Four (4) municipalities have adopted their own Subdivision and Land Development Ordinances:
They are: Clinton Township, Factoryville Borough, Overfield Township, and Washington Township. All subdivision and land development applications involving properties exclusively contained within these four (4) municipalities should be submitted directly to the appropriate local municipal government office building. These municipalities have their own approval-disapproval authorities and serve as the central administrative point-of-contact for such applications. Interested parties must contact the local home-rule municipality in order to obtain a copy of their unique Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

The remaining nineteen (19) municipalities not listed in the preceding paragraph fall under the jurisdiction of the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. These municipalities are: Braintrim Township, Eaton Township, Exeter Township, Falls Township, Forkston Township, Laceyville Borough, Lemon Township, Mehoopany Township, Meshoppen Borough, Meshoppen Township, Monroe Township, Nicholson Borough, Nicholson Township, North Branch Township, Northmoreland Township, Noxen Township, Tunkhannock Borough, Tunkhannock Township, and Windham Township. All subdivision and land development applications involving properties exclusively contained within these nineteen (19) municipalities should be submitted directly to the Wyoming County Office of Community Planning utilizing this Office’s Application Form and Fee Schedule posted above. If one of these nineteen (19) municipalities happens to have a Zoning Ordinance in effect, then the County will coordinate checks on the proposal’s zoning compliance with the local municipal Zoning Officer as part of the plan-review process. In these cases- The Applicant and Plan Preparer should discuss the full scope of their proposal with the local Zoning Officer prior to submitting to the County Office of Community Planning to see if any special zoning permissions might be needed beforehand such as a Variance, Conditional Use, or Special Exception.

For a more thorough accounting of how-and-where to submit-or-forward your subdivision or land development application, please read this webpage.

* * *

HISTORY

The Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance was first enacted in 1969, and has been amended and re-enacted several times since then. As stated above- The current version of the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance was adopted on March 22, 2016, and subsequently amended on May 17, 2026 and May 17, 2024.

* * *

Wyoming County Office of Community Planning
Subdivision/Land Development Checklist

Before submitting plans for review, the following items must be completed. Failure to do so will delay the review process.

  Complete the subdivision/land development application form. All property owners, as deeded, must sign the application.

  The application shall include the owner’s name as well as the name of the proposed subdivision/land development.

  The following information, at a minimum, must be shown on the plans:

1. Six copies of the plans must be submitted. Plans shall not be at a scale greater than 100 feet to the inch. The size of the plan shall not be less than 8.5”x11” and not larger than 24”x36”.
2. The plans shall include a tract map showing all contiguously owned properties of the subdivider/developer.
3. The lot (s) to be subdivided/developed must be surveyed by a registered surveyor and a seal must appear on the plans.
4. The plans shall show all lots (sequentially numbered), indicate lot sizes, and include all previously approved subdivisions since 1972.
5. The plans must show all adjoining landowners, a North arrow, scale, location map, legend, and date.
6. On major subdivisions involving the construction of new roads, roadway maintenance must be addressed if it is not proposed for public dedication.
7. The plans must show contours at required intervals. Refer to the Wyoming County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. (www.wycopa.org/Office/CommunityPlanning)
8. The plans may require soil mapping and maybe transposed from the Soil Survey of Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties, Pennsylvania. Soils may also be downloaded from PASDA.
9. The plans shall show all rights of Way, easements (including utility easements), setbacks, and any unique natural or man-made features such as bodies of water, wells, septic systems, abandoned mines, etc.

Where applicable, all plans shall address the need for a Highway Occupancy Permit.

Plans shall be accompanied by the applicable DEP Planning Module which shall include all soil testing data. All modules and data are to be completed by the municipal Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) where applicable. Plans must show the location of all passed and failed deep profiles and percs. The plans and sewage planning data will be numbered to correspond.

The proper fees must be submitted with the application. Checks must be made out to the “Wyoming County.”

Note: We recommend referring to the Wyoming County SALDO (Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance) for all required information and supporting documents regarding your specific submission.

Recording Note: There is a separate fee for recording. Please call the Recorder of Deed’s Office at 570-996-2235 for the filing fee amount. The recording check must be made out to the “Recorder of Deeds.” 

If after reviewing all of the information publicly posted on this website, you still have any questions, please consult with your hired agent, or please contact the Wyoming County Office of Community Planning.