Allentown Zoning & Land Use Guide
Notable local initiatives in Allentown
Named ordinances, statutes, and reforms specific to Allentown — each linked to an official source you can verify directly.
Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ) — Act 50 of 2009 / Act 52 of 2013(2009)
The Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone is a Pennsylvania-special TIF-like financing tool created by Act 50 of 2009 (expanded by Acts 26 of 2011, 87 of 2012, 52 of 2013, and 84 of 2016) and codified in PA's Tax Reform Code. Only Allentown qualifies under the statute. The NIZ covers a 128-acre district in center city and along the western Lehigh River; developers within the zone may apply nearly all state and local tax revenue generated inside the zone toward debt service on private development. The program is administered by the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority (ANIZDA) and has spurred more than $1 billion in redevelopment.
Source · pa.govZONE Allentown — 2025 Zoning Ordinance Rewrite(2025)
After a multi-year rewrite (begun ~2020), Allentown City Council adopted the new Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) at the October 15, 2025 public hearing, with an effective date of January 1, 2026. The rewrite shifts many former 'commercial' districts to mixed-use, broadens by-right multifamily and townhouse forms, includes affordable-housing density bonuses (e.g., a 'two-story bonus'), legalizes ADUs more broadly, and reduces regulatory barriers consistent with the 2024 Housing Plan and the 2024 federal Recompete Plan.
Source · allentownpa.govChapter 660 Zoning (Current Ordinance, Pre-2026)
Until the ZONE Allentown rewrite takes effect on January 1, 2026, the controlling document is Chapter 660 of the Allentown City Code, hosted on eCode360. The current code defines districts such as R-M (Residential Medium Density), R-MH (Residential Medium-High Density), and B-2 (General Business), and governs setbacks, lot coverage, and use tables.
Source · ecode360.comPennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code — 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
Allentown is a Third Class City; its zoning power derives from the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) at 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq., which enables comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and official maps. Pennsylvania has no general statewide preemption of local zoning, so the MPC, plus the NIZ statute, are the principal state-law anchors for Allentown land-use regulation.
Source · palegis.usANIZDA — Allentown NIZ Development Authority
ANIZDA is the public authority created under the NIZ statute to administer the Neighborhood Improvement Zone. It approves projects, manages bonds backed by zone tax revenues, and publishes the official NIZ boundary map and project list. Because the zone is uniquely Allentown's, ANIZDA effectively functions as a parallel regulator alongside the city's Bureau of Planning and Zoning for projects within the 128-acre district.
Source · allentownniz.com
Key Zoning Facts
Regulatory Layers That Apply in Allentown
Your property is subject to ALL of these regulatory layers. Each one can impose additional requirements beyond the others.
Federal
- FEMA Flood Zones: Applicable
- View FEMA Flood Map
State — Pennsylvania
- Building Code: PA Uniform Construction Code (2018 IBC)
County — Lehigh County
- Role: Property records, tax assessment, unincorporated area planning
City / Municipal
The city's zoning ordinance, building codes, and local permits form the primary layer of land-use regulation for your property.
Overlay Districts
No overlay districts identified.
Private Restrictions
- HOA / CC&Rs common: Yes
- Check HOA CC&Rs for additional restrictions.
Primary Zoning Districts
- Min Lot
- 3,000 sq ft
- Max Height
- 35 ft
- Front Setback
- 15 ft
- Side Setback
- 5 ft
- Rear Setback
- 20 ft
- Min Lot
- None
- Max Height
- 45 ft
- Front Setback
- 15 ft
- Side Setback
- 5 ft
- Rear Setback
- 20 ft
- Min Lot
- None
- Max Height
- 50 ft
- Front Setback
- 0 ft
- Side Setback
- 0 ft
- Rear Setback
- 10 ft
ADU Rules in Allentown
- Max Size
- N/A
- Max Height
- N/A
- Rear Setback
- N/A
- Side Setback
- N/A
- Parking
- N/A
- Owner Occupancy
- N/A
- Permit Timeline
- N/A
Permit Costs & Timelines
Permit Costs & Timelines
Specific permit fee schedules for Allentown are available from the local planning department. Fees vary based on project type, scope, and valuation.
Check Allentown permit fees →Official Sources
City-specific