Table of Contents

Form-Based Zoning

These statutes grant power to municipalities in Pennsylvania to adopt zoning that incorporates prescriptive building form standards and public street standards. 

Home Occupations

The state’s planning and zoning enabling statutes preempt certain local regulations for low-intensity home-based businesses. The code defines “no-impact home-based” businesses (§107). The state requires all zoning ordinances to permit no-impact home-based businesses by right in all residential zones (§603.l). No-impact home-based businesses must comply with location and space, employee, signage, sales and display, dwelling modification, traffic, parking, and nuisance standards (§107, “no-impact home-based business” §1-8).

Planning and Zoning Enabling Laws

Pennsylvania requires all counties and some and some boroughs, cities, towns, and townships to prepare comprehensive plans. And it authorizes counties, boroughs, cities, towns, and townships to adopt zoning regulations.

Transfer of Development Rights

Pennsylvania’s planning and zoning enabling statute authorizes municipalities to enact a local ordinance declaring the severance and separate conveyance of the development rights from the estate to which they were originally connected (§619.1). The statute also authorizes the transfer of rights between municipalities when a joint municipal zoning ordinance has been enacted.