Penn Hills, PA Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- EastGate District only
- Vet offices
- permitted principal use
- Boarding kennels
- excluded from definition
- District created by
- Ordinance 2311 (1999)
Summary
In Penn Hills' EastGate District, veterinarian offices are permitted as by-right professional offices under the zoning code's business/professional office definition, but the definition explicitly excludes boarding kennels, so animal boarding needs separate zoning review.
The office of an accountant, architect, attorney, dentist, doctor, engineer, insurance broker, real estate agent, travel agent, veterinarian (but not including boarding kennels), or other similar professional person or office, and/or any office used for accounting, administration, clerical services, communications, drafting, editing or research. RECREATION, COMMERCIAL A commercial business establishment, indoors or outdoors, for active or passive leisure-time activities and entertainment, including bowling alleys, skating rinks, commercial play facilities intended for children, movie theaters and health and exercise centers. RECYCLING FACILITY A facility intended for the collecting, sorting, processing and/or consolidating of recyclable materials, for on-site treatment or for distribution to other facilities. For the purposes of this chapter, recycling facilities shall include trash transfer stations and junk yards. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY An establishment, including laboratories and testing facilities, which conducts investigations and research in natural, physical, social or medical sciences, and/or in engineering and development, primarily for the purpose of developing and/or testing end products. Such facilities may include supporting storage and shipping facilities and/or pilot manufacturing, as defined herein. RESTAURANT, CONVENTIONAL
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4434863; v5 updated 2025-07-21; through 07-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 1290 (the EastGate District, a designated blighted-redevelopment area along Frankstown Road and Robinson Boulevard in Penn Hills, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania) defines OFFICE, BUSINESS, MEDICAL AND PROFESSIONAL under § 1290.03 to include veterinarians alongside accountants, attorneys, and doctors, explicitly excluding boarding kennels from that use category. Section 1290.04(a)(4) lists business, medical, and professional offices as a principal permitted use in the district, so a veterinary office qualifies for by-right permitting the same as any other listed professional office, without a special exception.
Violations & Fines
Operating a boarding kennel or animal-boarding operation under this office-use classification violates § 1290.03; the Department of Code Enforcement can deny an occupancy permit or issue a cease-and-desist for the misclassified use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a veterinary clinic in Penn Hills' EastGate District?
Are boarding kennels covered by this same permission?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Penn Hills
Compare Penn Hills to another location·View the Pennsylvania animal ordinances overview
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