Zoning/Development Review

Zoning Code | FAQ | Fees | Forms | Guide to Permitting

The Zoning Office is also known as the Land Use Control Division. The purpose of zoning is simply land use control (the use of buildings and land). The intent of zoning regulations is to allow property owners the reasonable use of their property insofar as the use is not detrimental to abutting properties or to the neighborhood. Every property in the city has a zoning classification that determines how the property can be used (permitted uses).

An occupancy permit is required for any use of land or structures other than a single family dwelling (for example, a commercial business, a multi-unit dwelling structure, etc.). Zoning approval is required for all new construction and for any changes in use of the property, including extensions/additions, garages, parking pads, fences, decks, swimming pools, signs, etc. An applicant must usually provide a survey or a plot plan (a hand drawn plan of the property ) along with the Occupancy Permit Application. This is a plan of the property that indicates all structures on the property in relation to the property lines and to the street(s).

There are four types of approval:

1. As of right (can be approved at the zoning counter if all code requirements are met).

2. An Administrator's Exception (exceptions listed in the code).

3. A Special Exception (approvable by the Zoning Board of Adjustment).

4. A Conditional Use Exception (approvable by City Council after a public hearing and consideration by the Planning Commission).

A property is nonconforming when it does not conform to the zoning code requirements for the district in which it is located (for example, a store in a residential neighborhood).

After zoning approval is obtained, the actual occupancy permit is issued by the Bureau of Building Inspection after an inspector has inspected the property and found it to be in compliance with all zoning and building code requirements.

Note that zoning pertains to private property. City sidewalks and streets are the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works.

2009 Zoning Office Fee Schedule

CITY OF PITTSBURGH ZONING CODE

The City of Pittsburgh Zoning Code is maintained online by Municode.com.

How to Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy:

Steps:

1. Verify whether or not you have a valid Certificate of Occupancy - The Bureau of Building Inspection File Room is the source for the complete collection of Certificates of Occupancy. Please call (412) 255-2195 during business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm to inquire as to whether there is an occupancy permit on file for your property. Please be sure to have any alternate or historical addresses available. If there is a Certificate of Occupancy on file that exactly matches the current use of the property, please follow the instructions for the RRP application process here. If you DO NOT have a valid Certificate of Occupancy, you must apply for one through Zoning and the Bureau of Building Inspection.

2. Complete the RRP Certificate of Occupancy Zoning Application - Please fully complete one application for every individual rental property.

3. Verify whether you will be required to submit a Plot Plan or Survey - A Plot Plan or Survey is required for properties that have on-site parking stalls, decks, and other accessory structures or uses that are not explicitly included in a valid Certificate Occupancy. Plot Plan Specifications can be found here .

4. Drop off or mail completed applications - Complete applications (including Plot Plans or Surveys (if required) for up to three rental properties can be processed in person at the Zoning Counter, 200 Ross Street, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Applications for more than three properties can be received in person or by mail at 200 Ross Street, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Zoning requires a $25 processing fee for all applications - a check for $25 per rental property, made out to "Treasurer City of Pittsburgh", must be included with every application submission. All applications will be reviewed and a Zoning Representative will contact you within ten (10) business days. When the Zoning Application is approved, the property owner, or a representative will need to return in person to the Zoning Counter to sign notarized paperwork and continue on to the Bureau of Building Inspection through the Rental Registration Program Process.

To apply for a Certificate of Occupancy, the applicant must apply in person at the Zoning Counter, 200 Ross Street, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Complete the top half of the application and bring it to the counter where a zoning specialist will ask additional questions about the property and proposed change.

Fees

$25 Zoning Processing Fee – Required for all new Certificate of Occupancy Applications
$40 Occupancy Permit Fee – Required by the Bureau of Building Inspection for all new Certificate of Occupancy Applications
$12 Rental Registration Fee – Required by the Bureau of Building Inspection for all rental properties.

For complete fee schedules, see the Bureau of Building Inspections Table of Permit Fees, and the Zoning Office Fee Schedule .

If you are undertaking telecommunications in public right of way, please see the telecommunications section of the City website.

What are the hours of operation?
The zoning counter is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays. We recommend that if someone is coming in to file an application that they come in no later than 2:00 p.m..

Do building permits require zoning approval?
All building permits, which are issued by the Bureau of Building Inspection, require zoning approval, including those for interior renovations. However, only some will require a plot plan (change of use, new parking, fences, additions, etc.). Contact a zoning specialist to find out.

Can I come in to look at someone's plans or a specific file?
Yes, all of our files are public information. Once an application has been filed, it's public record.

How can I find out if there is an occupancy permit for a property?
We suggest that you contact the File Room in the Bureau of Building Inspection at (412) 255-2195; they have on file all the occupancy permits that have ever been issued for a property.

Can a single-family home be turned into a two-family home if the zoning is R2?
Not necessarily. The district allows a two-family dwelling but certain code requirements must be met, including side yard setbacks, lot area, and parking requirements. You should speak to one of the zoning specialists. (NOTE: Just because a use is permitted in a certain district doesn't mean it's automatically okay; code requirements must be met.)

How do I change zoning?
You will need to speak to one of the land use control division planners or to the Zoning Administrator. Make sure your intention is to change the zoning of a property rather than simply wanting to change the use of the property.

When is a zoning certificate required?
A zoning certificate is required whenever there is a real estate closing on a property or when the property is being refinanced. It's a document intended for the benefit of a buyer or lender to let them know how the property is zoned, if there's an occupancy permit on file, if the property is in a historic district, and if there are any building code violations on file. It can be obtained for $100.00, check or money order made payable to "Treasurer, City of Pittsburgh", by mailing in the zoning certificate form located here: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/zoning-develop-review/2007/07_zoning_certificate.pdf

How can I resolve a dispute about a property line?
There isn't anything that can be done by the City. You should contact a magistrate or an attorney.

Do I need special approval to run my business out of my home?
We refer to this as a home occupation. A home occupation can be approved over the counter if it meets certain criteria listed in the zoning code. The Zoning Board of Adjustment is no longer mandatory.

Who do I contact about a subdivision of property?
You will need to speak to Susan Tymoczko at (412) 255-2470.

Can I obtain a copy of the zoning code and/or maps?
The zoning code is available on this website at the link at the top of this page. Zoning maps are available at the Department of City Planning's Map Counter (200 Ross Street, Fourth Floor in Downtown Pittsburgh) weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Map Counter accepts only checks or money orders. For information, please call
(412) 255-2231.

Please contact the Department of City Planning's Zoning office at
(412) 255-2231 with any questions about the zoning code.

Who do I contact regarding group homes, personal care boarding homes, fair housing, and day care?
You should call Susan Tymoczko, Planner, at (412 ) 255-2470 .

Who do I contact regarding flood plain information?
Contact Dan Sentz, Environmental Planner, at (412) 255-2233.

How can I obtain a handicapped parking space on the street, have yellow lines painted, etc?
Contact the Traffic Division in the Department of Public Works at
(412) 255-2872.