Lehigh County sets no lot-coverage cap; municipalities do. Allentown limits building coverage by building type, e.g. 60% for the Suburban Rowhouse, 70% for the Town Rowhouse, and up to 85% for the Lane Rowhouse.
Maximum building (lot) coverage is a municipal zoning standard under the PA MPC. Allentown's Zoning Ordinance sets a building-coverage maximum for each building type in Article 4: 60% max for the Suburban Rowhouse (§660-27), 70% max for the Town Rowhouse (§660-24), and 85% max for the Lane Rowhouse (§660-26). Coverage is measured as the ground-level footprint of all buildings divided by the lot area (§660-131.I). Denser, urban building types are allowed higher coverage; lower-density suburban types are capped tighter. These figures apply to the county seat; other Lehigh County boroughs and townships set their own coverage limits, so verify your parcel's building type and zone.
Building beyond the coverage maximum is a zoning violation; the zoning officer can deny the permit or certificate of occupancy, and relief requires a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lehigh County, PA
Pennsylvania sets no numeric hoarding limit, but the state's animal-neglect law makes it a crime to keep animals without providing each one adequate food, wa...
Lehigh County, PA
Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations make it unlawful to intentionally feed bear or elk anywhere in the Commonwealth, including Lehigh County. Feeding th...
Lehigh County, PA
Home composting is permitted in Lehigh County; Pennsylvania's Act 101 encourages diverting yard waste. There is no county composting permit. Keep piles maint...
Lehigh County, PA
Lehigh County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any limits on impervious coverage or front-yard use, depends on your m...
Lehigh County, PA
No Lehigh County rule limits native plantings, and Pennsylvania encourages them. The catch is Allentown's 10-inch weed limit: a deliberate, maintained native...
Lehigh County, PA
Pennsylvania has no law restricting rainwater collection, and Lehigh County imposes none. Homeowners may install rain barrels and cisterns for non-potable us...
See how Lehigh County's lot coverage limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.