ADU rules in Reading, PA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Reading is a third-class city in Berks County (population approximately 95,000) governed by the Reading Zoning Ordinance (a comprehensive 2014 rewrite, separate from the Reading City Code on eCode360 at https://ecode360.com/RE1294). Pennsylvania has no statewide accessory dwelling unit preemption statute, so ADU permissibility, density, owner-occupancy requirements, and design standards in Reading are determined entirely by the Reading Zoning Ordinance under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (53 P.S. §10101 et seq.). Property owners must consult the Zoning Ordinance and Reading Department of Community Development for whether ADUs (variously called accessory apartments, in-law suites, or second dwelling units) are permitted by right, by special exception, or by conditional use in the applicable residential district.
Pennsylvania, unlike California (Gov. Code §66313 et seq.) or Oregon (ORS 197.312), has not enacted statewide legislation requiring municipalities to permit ADUs. The legal framework for housing regulation in Pennsylvania flows from the Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247 of 1968, as amended; 53 P.S. §10101 et seq.), which authorizes cities, boroughs, and townships to adopt zoning ordinances and assigns interpretation to local zoning hearing boards. Reading's Zoning Ordinance was comprehensively rewritten in 2014 and divides the city into residential districts (typically R-1, R-2, R-3, and mixed-use overlays) along with commercial and industrial districts. Whether an ADU is permitted as an accessory use, a two-family dwelling conversion, or a special-exception use depends on the underlying district and lot dimensions. Owner-occupancy, off-street parking, minimum/maximum unit size, separate entrance restrictions, and rental limitations are all set by the local ordinance rather than state law. The Reading Zoning Hearing Board (created under 53 P.S. §10901-10916) hears variance and special-exception applications. Building construction must additionally comply with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa Code §§401.1-405.42), which adopts the 2018 IRC and IBC with state amendments. Applicants should request a zoning interpretation in writing before investing in design work, because Reading's dense rowhouse fabric (especially in older neighborhoods near Penn Street and Centre Avenue) creates lot-coverage and side-yard issues that frequently require variances.
Building or occupying an unpermitted ADU is a zoning violation enforceable under 53 P.S. §10617 (enforcement remedies). Reading's Department of Community Development may issue a notice of violation, a cease-and-desist order, and seek civil penalties up to $500 per day per violation under 53 P.S. §10617.2. Continuing violations are treated as separate offenses. Unpermitted construction additionally violates the Pennsylvania UCC (34 Pa Code §401.7) and can result in stop-work orders from the Reading Building Code Official.
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