Overview
Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
mixed
Pittsburgh is a Second Class City under 53 P.S. §§22101 et seq. (Second Class City Code), operating under home-rule charter authority (53 Pa.C.S. §§2901 et seq.). Although Pittsburgh's home-rule charter typically tracks MPC procedure, the city is not formally bound by the Municipalities Planning Code. Residential zoning uses an unusual two-axis system: a Use Subdistrict (R1D detached, R1A attached, R2 two-unit, R3 three-unit, RM multi-unit) crossed with a Development Subdistrict (VL very-low, L low, M moderate, H high, VH very-high density) yields up to 25 possible residential district combinations (though R1A omits VL and L; R2 omits VL, L, VH; R3 omits all density modifiers). Non-residential districts use functional category codes (LNC, NDO, UNC, HC, GI, UI, EMI, GT, RIV). Overlays operate under §902.01 with -O suffix. | naming_convention_raw=two-axis-use-density-subdistrict ; sub_flags_raw=[second-class-city-home-rule, two-axis-residential-subdistricts, hillside-undermined-topography, ecode360-blocked-to-scripted-fetch, minimum-lot-size-amendment-may-2025-in-flight] ; narrative_ref=narratives/pittsburgh-pa/e359b268-6136-4a2c-b98f-98cd0ca2a063.json
Worth knowing
- Two-axis Use × Density subdistrict system (up to 25 residential combinations) — Pittsburgh's residential zoning crosses a Use Subdistrict (R1D detached, R1A attached, R2 two-unit, R3 three-unit, RM multi-unit) with a Development Subdistrict (VL very-low / L low / M moderate / H high / VH very-high density) yielding up to 25 possible residential combinations. Not all combinations exist: R1D spans all 5 densities (VL/L/M/H/VH); R1A uses only M/H/VH (no VL or L); R2 uses M only per typical mapping; R3 does not subdivide by density modifier. The combinatorial naming is one of the more complex residential systems in the U.S. — [§902.01.A; §903 Residential Zoning Districts]
- Hillside / Landslide-Prone Overlay (LS-O) covers ~1/3 of city — Pittsburgh's dramatic hillside topography (Mount Washington, North Side hillsides, Lawrenceville plateau edges) gives LS-O coverage to a substantial fraction of city area. Any site on or near slope should be assumed LS-O until confirmed otherwise; geotechnical study required prior to development. — [§902.01.A LS-O]
- Undermined Area Overlay (UM-O) — legacy Pittsburgh Coal Seam voids — 19th-20th century bituminous coal mining left widespread underground voids beneath Pittsburgh. UM-O addresses subsidence risk; uncommon in most U.S. cities. Requires engineering review for development. Coordinates with PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation for legacy void assessment. — [§902.01.A UM-O; PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation]
+ 9 more in Quirks & notes
Districts
res_sf 8res_mf 5com 3ind 3spec 3mu 3off 2cbd 1
| Code | Name | Category | Min lot | Height | Coverage | FAR | Du/ac | Parking | Setbacks F/S/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1D-VL | Single-Unit Detached Residential — Very Low Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1D-L | Single-Unit Detached Residential — Low Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / 0[1] / — |
| R1D-M | Single-Unit Detached Residential — Moderate Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1D-H | Single-Unit Detached Residential — High Density | res_sf | 1,800 sf[2] | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1D-VH | Single-Unit Detached Residential — Very High Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1A-M | Single-Unit Attached Residential — Moderate Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1A-H | Single-Unit Attached Residential — High Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R1A-VH | Single-Unit Attached Residential — Very High Density | res_sf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R2-M | Two-Unit Residential — Moderate Density | res_mf | 3,200 sf[3] | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R3 | Three-Unit Residential | res_mf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RM-M | Multi-Unit Residential — Moderate Density | res_mf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RM-H | Multi-Unit Residential — High Density | res_mf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RM-VH | Multi-Unit Residential — Very High Density | res_mf | — | 40 ft | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| NDO | Neighborhood Office | off | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| LNC | Local Neighborhood Commercial | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| NDI | Neighborhood Industrial | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| UNC | Urban Neighborhood Commercial | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| HC | Highway Commercial | com | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| GI | General Industrial | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| UI | Urban Industrial | ind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| EMI | Educational/Medical Institution | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| GT | Golden Triangle | cbd | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| UC-MU | Urban Center — Mixed Use | mu | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| UC-E | Urban Center — Employment | off | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| R-MU | Residential — Mixed Use | mu | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| RIV | Riverfront | mu | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| GPR | General Parks and Recreation | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
| SP | Specially Planned Districts (SP-1 through SP-8) | spec | — | — | — | — | — | — | — / — / — |
Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found
Overlays
FP-O
Floodplain Overlay
SPECAll land within identified FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (Identified Floodplain Area) per Official Zoning District and Height Maps. Includes portions of Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio River corridors; Saw Mill Run / Streets Run / Nine Mile Run / Negley Run / Four Mile Run tributaries.
LS-O
Landslide-Prone Overlay
SPECAreas identified as landslide-prone on Official Zoning District and Height Maps; substantial coverage due to Pittsburgh's hillside topography (~1/3 of city by area is hillside)
UM-O
Undermined Area Overlay
SPECAreas identified as underlain by coal mine voids or other undermining on Official Zoning Maps. Common throughout Pittsburgh from 19th-20th century Pittsburgh Coal Seam bituminous mining operations.
VP-O
View Protection Overlay
SPECAreas where significant public views are to be protected, per Official Zoning Maps (e.g., Mt. Washington / Grandview Avenue vicinity for downtown skyline view corridors)
IB-O
Institutional Boundary Overlay
SPECAround designated institutional campuses (UPMC, AHN hospital campuses; University of Pittsburgh, CMU, Duquesne, Carlow university edges)
AS-O
Advertising Sign Overlay
SPECSpecific corridors where billboard / advertising sign regulations are modified (highway-corridor, sports-stadium, downtown-edge zones)
IPOD-1
Interim Planning Overlay District — Oakland (IPOD-1)
SPECOakland neighborhood — Pitt/UPMC/CMU university-hospital corridor
PRD
Public Realm District
SPECNamed pedestrian-oriented corridors and streetscape districts (Grandview Avenue, others)
Historic-District
Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission (City Historic Districts)
SPECDesignated City Historic Structures, Districts, Objects, Sites, and Landmarks per Chapter 1101 (operates separately from Title 9 Zoning Code but interacts with permitting)
State preemptions
PA_ACT537_SEWAGE_FACILITIES_PLANNING_1966applies
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Statute trigger_predicate: always. ; city_specific_note=Pittsburgh is a member of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN); ALCOSAN's federal Clean Water Act consent decree (2008-amended; ongoing capital plan) drives CSO-reduction project queue. PWSA coordinates Act 537 modules with the ALCOSAN regional approach.
Effect
Pittsburgh must maintain Act 537 Plan; planning modules required for new on-lot sewage or public-sewer extensions. Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) administers public-sewer system covering essentially all of corporate Pittsburgh; on-lot systems are vanishingly rare. Act 537 practice principally bears on combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) area redevelopment under the ALCOSAN regional consent decree.
PA_ACT167_STORMWATER_MANAGEMENT_1978applies
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Statute trigger_predicate: always; additional NPDES MS4 binding because Pittsburgh is NPDES Phase I MS4-designated (one of two in PA alongside Philadelphia). ; city_specific_note=ALCOSAN regional CSO-reduction consent decree intersects: green stormwater infrastructure on private parcels is a credit-eligible offset under ALCOSAN's Wet Weather Plan. Pittsburgh's Hillside Site / LS-O / Riverfront stormwater regime is materially more onerous than typical PA municipalities.
Effect
Pittsburgh is a federally permitted NPDES Phase I MS4. Allegheny County stormwater plan (under Act 167) governs watershed-based design; Pittsburgh ordinance implements the plan. Post-construction stormwater BMPs binding on earth-disturbance ≥1 acre (Chapter 102 NPDES); city-level thresholds may be more stringent for redevelopment. Pittsburgh adopted a stormwater zoning code amendment (DCP-published 14703_stormwater_zoning_code_amendment_text.pdf) integrating performance-based green-stormwater-infrastructure incentives into Title 9.
PA_HISTORY_CODE_ARCHAEOLOGY_1988applies
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: project.has_state_funding_or_permit = true OR parcel.is_on_state_owned_land = true. ; city_specific_note=Pittsburgh's CLG (Certified Local Government) status under National Historic Preservation Act enables matching grants and state delegation. Federal Section 106 (54 U.S.C. §306108) runs in parallel for any federally permitted/funded undertaking.
Effect
State-funded or state-permitted undertakings require PA SHPO (PHMC) consultation. Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission (Chapter 1101) operates under home-rule authority alongside the state framework and is the principal day-to-day mechanism. Pittsburgh has substantial City Historic Districts (Allegheny West, Mexican War Streets, Manchester, Schenley Farms, Mount Washington, others).
PA_UCC_UNIFORM_CONSTRUCTION_CODE_1999applies
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Statute trigger_predicate: always. ; city_specific_note=Local amendments to UCC require PA Department of Labor & Industry approval and must equal/exceed ICC baseline.
Effect
Statewide UCC applies in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI) administers local UCC enforcement.
PA_FIREARMS_PREEMPTION_6120applies
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: project.use_type IN [gun_store, firing_range, ffl_dealer]. ; city_specific_note=Like Philadelphia (Ortiz), Pittsburgh's home-rule status does not shield it from §6120. Targeted gun-store-only zoning provisions are vulnerable.
Effect
Pittsburgh may not regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation of firearms or ammunition. Zoning may regulate firearms-related uses only via generally-applicable commercial-zoning provisions. Pittsburgh has had multiple firearms-zoning attempts struck down under §6120 (e.g., 'Lost or Stolen' reporting ordinances).
Non-applicable laws (9)
PA_MPC_ACT247_1968under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Pittsburgh is a Second Class City under 53 P.S. §22101 et seq. operating under home-rule charter (53 Pa.C.S. §§2901 et seq.). Pittsburgh's home-rule charter typically tracks MPC procedure but is not formally bound by MPC. MPC's overlay trigger predicate (NOT first_class_city) literally captures Pittsburgh; in practice home-rule charters may supersede. ; city_specific_note=Distinct from Philadelphia (first_class_city, MPC categorically does not apply). Pittsburgh's hybrid status is a frequent source of practice confusion. Practical posture per Pittsburgh ZBA practice: MPC procedural framework is followed. | applies_raw=partial
Effect
MPC procedural requirements (notice, hearing-board structure, curative-amendment / validity-challenge procedure under §10609.1 / §10916.1, exclusionary-zoning doctrine under Surrick) generally apply unless Pittsburgh's home-rule charter has expressly displaced them. Pittsburgh has not adopted a fully MPC-replacing charter; therefore MPC enforcement is the practical regime for substantive zoning. The validity-challenge / curative-amendment procedure is available to developers challenging exclusionary Pittsburgh zoning.
PA_FCCHRA_PHILADELPHIA_1949under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.governance_class = first_class_city. Pittsburgh is Second Class. ; city_specific_note=Pittsburgh operates under Second Class City Code (53 P.S. §§22101 et seq.) + home-rule charter under 53 Pa.C.S. §§2901 et seq.
Effect
Not applicable — FCCHRA reserved to Philadelphia.
PA_MPC_503_1_1_MANUFACTURED_HOUSING_2000under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Same MPC-applicability ambiguity as Act 247 — applies to MPC-governed municipalities; Pittsburgh's home-rule status creates partial applicability. ; city_specific_note=Pittsburgh zoning code does not explicitly differentiate manufactured from site-built SFR; parity protection assumed compliant. | applies_raw=partial
Effect
Manufactured / industrialized housing must be allowed in any Pittsburgh district where other single-family dwellings are permitted, subject only to facially-and-functionally-equivalent compatibility standards. Practical impact in dense urban Pittsburgh is minimal (de minimis manufactured-housing market in core).
PA_SMCRA_SURFACE_MINING_1396_4Eunder_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.is_in_surface_mining_footprint = true AND project.use_type = surface_mining_operation. ; city_specific_note=is_in_surface_mining_footprint = false for active mining; PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation administers UM-O overlay coordination for legacy void hazards.
Effect
Pittsburgh is fully urbanized — no active surface mining within corporate limits. SMCRA preemption not triggered. Note: legacy underground bituminous mining (Pittsburgh Coal Seam) created the UM-O Undermined Area Overlay condition; UM-O addresses subsidence risk, not active mining operations.
PA_ACT13_OIL_GAS_3303under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.is_in_marcellus_utica_footprint AND project.use_type = oil_gas_operation. Allegheny County edges of the SW PA Marcellus core; Pittsburgh corporate limits have limited active drilling, primarily in the southern/western suburbs and on PWSA / industrial brownfield sites. ; city_specific_note=Pittsburgh adopted a 2010 conventional drilling ban that was litigated extensively; current effective regime allows oil-and-gas surface facilities only in specific industrial districts (UI, GI) subject to compatibility review. Marcellus play primarily impacts Allegheny County suburbs (Bridgeville, McDonald, South Park) more than the City of Pittsburgh proper. Robinson Township operational-vs-locational split is fully relevant if/when a city-limits drilling proposal arises. | applies_raw=partial
Effect
Operational/technical aspects (well casing, pressure, safety) preempted to PA DEP. Surface-facility location, setbacks, compatibility remain LOCAL. Robinson Township I/II struck down former §3304 (which had mandated permitting in every district) under Art. I §27 Environmental Rights Amendment — Pittsburgh therefore retains zoning authority over WHERE well pads / compressor stations / processing plants may locate, subject to ERA-balancing.
PA_CHESAPEAKE_BAY_RIPARIAN_BUFFER_CH102under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.is_in_chesapeake_bay_watershed = true. ; city_specific_note=is_in_chesapeake_bay_watershed = false.
Effect
Pittsburgh sits in the Ohio River watershed, not the Chesapeake. Chapter 102 §102.14 riparian-forest-buffer requirement (for EV/HQ waters in Chesapeake watershed) does not apply. Chapter 102 E&S/NPDES permits still apply to ≥1 acre earth disturbance.
PA_COASTAL_ZONE_LAKE_ERIE_DELAWARE_CZMAunder_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.is_in_lake_erie_coastal_zone OR city.is_in_delaware_estuary_coastal_zone. ; city_specific_note=is_in_lake_erie_coastal_zone = false; is_in_delaware_estuary_coastal_zone = false.
Effect
Pittsburgh is inland — not in either PA coastal zone.
PA_AG_SECURITY_AREA_ACT43_1981under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: ASA enrollment requires 250+ contiguous agricultural acres.
Effect
Pittsburgh has no Agricultural Security Areas — fully urbanized.
PA_SCENIC_RIVERS_ACT_1972under_review
Qualifying condition
qualifying_condition=Trigger: city.is_in_scenic_river_corridor = true with classified segment. ; city_specific_note=Allegheny Wild & Scenic River federal designation begins upstream of Pittsburgh.
Effect
Three Rivers within Pittsburgh (Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio) — none designated under PA Scenic Rivers System within corporate limits. Allegheny River has segments classified upstream (north of Pittsburgh) but not within city limits. RIV district governs riverfront zoning under city authority instead.
Adopted building codes
Most jurisdictions opt in
Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.
Quirks & notes
- Two-axis Use × Density subdistrict system (up to 25 residential combinations) — Pittsburgh's residential zoning crosses a Use Subdistrict (R1D detached, R1A attached, R2 two-unit, R3 three-unit, RM multi-unit) with a Development Subdistrict (VL very-low / L low / M moderate / H high / VH very-high density) yielding up to 25 possible residential combinations. Not all combinations exist: R1D spans all 5 densities (VL/L/M/H/VH); R1A uses only M/H/VH (no VL or L); R2 uses M only per typical mapping; R3 does not subdivide by density modifier. The combinatorial naming is one of the more complex residential systems in the U.S. — [§902.01.A; §903 Residential Zoning Districts]
- Hillside / Landslide-Prone Overlay (LS-O) covers ~1/3 of city — Pittsburgh's dramatic hillside topography (Mount Washington, North Side hillsides, Lawrenceville plateau edges) gives LS-O coverage to a substantial fraction of city area. Any site on or near slope should be assumed LS-O until confirmed otherwise; geotechnical study required prior to development. — [§902.01.A LS-O]
- Undermined Area Overlay (UM-O) — legacy Pittsburgh Coal Seam voids — 19th-20th century bituminous coal mining left widespread underground voids beneath Pittsburgh. UM-O addresses subsidence risk; uncommon in most U.S. cities. Requires engineering review for development. Coordinates with PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation for legacy void assessment. — [§902.01.A UM-O; PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation]
- Contextual setbacks as default alternative — Pittsburgh explicitly builds contextual setbacks (matching adjacent properties) and contextual building heights into the code (§925.06, §925.07) as permissible alternatives to fixed base-district standards. In established neighborhoods, effective setbacks are determined by surrounding context — desktop setback analysis without block-level data may be unreliable. — [§925.06, §925.07]
- §916 Residential Compatibility Standards — distance-based height envelope — Non-residential and higher-density residential (RM-M/H/VH) within 100 ft of lower-density residential subject to graduated height/setback/screening/operating-hour/noise/lighting/odor standards: within 50 ft max 40 ft / 3 stories; within 51-100 ft max 50 ft / 4 stories; beyond 100 ft no cap. Materially affects mixed-use redevelopment underwriting on neighborhood-edge parcels. — [Chapter 916 Residential Compatibility Standards]
- Party-wall zero sideyard setback enables rowhouse fabric — When a dwelling is attached to a neighboring unit by party wall or abutting wall, the interior sideyard setback on that side is zero. Explicit provision enabling Pittsburgh's historic rowhouse / Mexican-War-Streets-pattern density. — [§925.06.A, §925.07.A]
- Riverfront (RIV) step-back above 65 ft — Buildings in RIV exceeding 65 ft must step back a minimum 10 ft along the façade parallel to the river for any portion above 65 ft; additional step-back rules apply within 125 ft of Project Pool Elevation. Material constraint on Allegheny / Monongahela / Ohio waterfront highrise development. — [§902.01.A; DCP riverfront-zoning master document]
- ALCOSAN regional CSO consent decree + NPDES Phase I MS4 — Pittsburgh is one of only two NPDES Phase I MS4 municipalities in Pennsylvania (Philadelphia is the other). Member of Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) regional sewage authority operating under federal Clean Water Act consent decree (2008-amended). Pittsburgh's stormwater zoning code amendment integrated green-stormwater-infrastructure performance incentives into Title 9. Earth-disturbance ≥1 acre triggers Chapter 102 NPDES; redevelopment in CSO areas may face stricter city-level thresholds. — [PA Act 167, 32 P.S. §§680.1-680.17; 25 Pa. Code Ch. 92a NPDES; ALCOSAN Wet Weather Plan]
- Second Class City home rule — MPC applies in practice — Pittsburgh operates under the Second Class City Code (53 P.S. §§22101 et seq.) plus a home-rule charter under 53 Pa.C.S. §§2901 et seq. Distinct from Philadelphia (first_class_city — MPC categorically inapplicable). Pittsburgh's home-rule charter typically tracks MPC procedure (notice, hearing-board, curative-amendment) and MPC enforcement remains the practical regime. The MPC validity-challenge / curative-amendment procedure (§10609.1 / §10916.1) is available to developers challenging exclusionary Pittsburgh zoning. — [53 P.S. §§22101 et seq.; 53 Pa.C.S. §§2901 et seq.]
- May 2025 minimum-lot-size amendment in flight — Pittsburgh Planning Commission considered (Dec 2024 hearing) legislation amending Title 9 to modify minimum lot size per unit requirements, intended to remove artificial density caps and enable more multi-family development. ecode360 mirror may not yet reflect post-May-2025 changes; confirm with zoning staff or pittsburgh.legistar.com legislative record before pro-forma underwriting. — [Pittsburgh Planning Commission 12-10-2024 / 01-28-2025 hearings; pittsburgh.legistar.com File numbers 2024-1938, 2025-1545, 2025-1579]
- Allegheny County edge of Marcellus Shale footprint — Pittsburgh corporate limits sit at the edge of the SW PA Marcellus play. Active conventional and unconventional drilling concentrated in suburban Allegheny / Washington / Greene / Fayette / Westmoreland counties rather than within Pittsburgh proper. Robinson Township operational-vs-locational split is fully relevant if/when a city-limits drilling proposal arises; Act 13 §3303 operational preemption survives, but locational zoning of surface facilities (well pads, compressor stations) remains city authority. — [Robinson Township v. Commonwealth, 83 A.3d 901 (Pa. 2013); 58 Pa.C.S. §3303]
- ecode360 source is 403-gated to scripted fetch — ecode360.com (and pittsburghpa.gov DCP) returns Cloudflare 403 to scripted WebFetch. Authoritative dimensional values requires browser-based retrieval (Chrome MCP) or human-in-the-loop. EngagePGH Housing Needs Assessment public materials are the authoritative secondary for select density numerics (R1D-H base 1,800 sf + 750 sf/unit; R2-M base 3,200 sf + 1,800 sf/unit). — [source-portals.md (skill reference); EngagePGH minimum-lot-size analysis]
Formulas
Definitions
- height
- Distance from finished grade to highest point of roof; expressed in both feet and stories; residential districts R1D / R1A / R2 / R3 / RM capped at 40 ft / 3 stories
- du_per_acre
- Dwelling units per acre, derived from minimum lot size per unit per density subdistrict
- density_axis_system
- Two-axis Use Subdistrict × Development Subdistrict (e.g., R1D-L = R1D use × Low density)
- contextual_setbacks
- Front setback may match adjacent lots on same block face or use base district standard, whichever is most restrictive
- party_wall_zero_setback
- Interior sideyard setback = 0 when dwelling is attached by party wall or abutting wall on that side; enables rowhouse / attached density
- residential_compatibility_height
- Non-residential or higher-density residential within 100 ft of lower-density residential: within 50 ft max 40 ft / 3 stories; within 51–100 ft max 50 ft / 4 stories; beyond 100 ft no cap
- riverfront_step_back
- In RIV district: buildings exceeding 65 ft must step back minimum 10 ft along façade parallel to river for any portion above 65 ft; additional step-back rules apply within 125 ft of Project Pool Elevation
Capacity calculations
- du_per_acre_from_lot_size
43560 / min_lot_sf_per_unit- lot_size_per_unit_from_du_ac
43560 / du_ac- r1d_low_density_lot_per_dwelling
Pre-May-2025 framework: 3,000 sf min lot per dwelling in Low Density subdistrict yields ~14.5 du/ac base in R1D-L- r1d_high_density_lot_per_dwelling
1,800 sf min lot + 750 sf per additional unit in High Density yields ~23 du/ac in R1D-H- r2_moderate_lot_per_dwelling
3,200 sf min lot + 1,800 sf per additional unit in R2-M
Massing explorer
Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.
Sort by
Max height
— ft
——
Floor area ratio
—
——
Lot coverage
—%
——
Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
——
Parking
— /unit
——
Max density
— du/ac
——
Min lot size
— sf
——
Copy zoning profile
Loading…
| District | Category | Height | FAR | Coverage | Setbacks | Parking | Density | Min lot | Overlays |
|---|
Sources & references
Primary source
Retrieval failure: ecode360.com returns 403 to scripted WebFetch (Cloudflare per skill source-portals.md). Pittsburgh DCP host (pittsburghpa.gov) returns 403 to scripted UA. Authoritative dimensional values retrieved from EngagePGH Housing Needs Assessment public materials + DCP planning-commission posted PDFs (cited as secondary refs) + Council legislative record at pittsburgh.legistar.com.
Citations
- [1] §925.06.A
- [2] EngagePGH Housing Needs Assessment
- [3] EngagePGH
Research status
Publication gates
| primary url present | passed | |
|---|---|---|
| no aggregator cited | passed | |
| confidence tags full form | passed | |
| overlays have parameters trigger confidence | passed | |
| preempt section city specific | passed |
Verification
| last_verified_at | 2026-05-18T00:00:00Z |
|---|---|
| verifier_specialist | verification-pass |
| verifier_version | 1.0 |
| verification_result | passed |
| atomic_claims_checked | 62 |
| atomic_claims_passed | 62 |
| atomic_claims_failed | 0 |
| notes | All confirmed claims carry §902.01 / §903 / §916 / §916.02 / §925.06 / §925.07 / §926 / Chapter 916 / Chapter 1101 / Robinson Township v. Commonwealth / EngagePGH-published or state-citation references. No aggregator citations (Zoneomics / Zoneomics-Pittsburgh / Steadily). Partial-status fields (most non-residential and mixed-use district dimensional tables, GT subdistrict A/B/C/D specifics, SP-1..SP-8 site-specific standards) have explicit reason for partial status due to ecode360 + pittsburghpa.gov 403 gating to scripted fetch. |
| narrative_ref | narratives/pittsburgh-pa/e359b268-6136-4a2c-b98f-98cd0ca2a063.json |
Other cities in this state
Nearest-alphabetical profiles. Click through to compare zoning patterns side-by-side.