Property Maintenance in Bethlehem, PA (2026)
4 verified property maintenance rules for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Trash Bin Storage
Bethlehem's Codified Ordinance Article 1162, Solid Waste Collection and Enforcement (enacted by Ord. 2016-14, passed 6/7/2016), requires under §1162.03 that all containers used to store solid waste be composed of a rigid material and leak proof, with tight fitting lids to prevent scavenging by animals. Under §1162.07(b) containers may not be stored in the front of any building (unless there is no rear or side access) and may not be stored more than five feet from the front, rear or sides of a building. Bagged loose trash placed without an approved primary container violates §1162.08(c). Penalties under §1162.99 escalate from $200 (first offense) to $1,000 (third).
Bethlehem Trash Bins: Article 1162.03 Rigid, Leak-Proof, Tight-Lid Containers; Not in Front of Building (1162.07)
Some RestrictionsProperty Blight
Bethlehem addresses property blight through three layered authorities: (1) locally, Article 1732 (Abandoned Real Property, Ord. 2013-19, effective 8/28/2013) creates a mandatory registry administered by the Bureau of Housing for properties in default, foreclosure, or transferred under deed in lieu, and defines 'Blighted Property' at §1732.02; (2) Article 1733 (Ord. 2017-35/2022-10) adopts the 2018 ICC International Property Maintenance Code with local amendments, including §304.20 boarded-window 60-day rule and §308.4 prohibition on indoor furniture stored outdoors; (3) statewide, Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act (Act 90 of 2010, 53 P.S. §6101) and the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act (68 P.S. §1101) provide additional remedies including extraterritorial owner liability and court-appointed conservatorship.
Bethlehem Blight Framework: Article 1732 Abandoned-Property Registry + Article 1733 (2018 IPMC) + PA Act 90 of 2010
Heavy RestrictionsVacant Lot Maintenance
Vacant lots and buildings in Bethlehem are subject to layered requirements: (1) Article 1732 (Abandoned Real Property) requires every mortgagee holding a mortgage on Bethlehem property to inspect upon mortgagor default and, if vacant, register within 10 days with the Bureau of Housing under §1732.05, with a $200 non-refundable annual fee; (2) the 2018 IPMC at §302.4 (as adopted by Article 1733) caps weeds/plant growth at 12 inches; (3) §1732.07 requires vacant structures to be maintained in a 'secure manner' with broken windows re-glazed and doors locked; (4) failure to register carries the most severe civil-penalty schedule in city code at $1,000-$10,000 per §1732.99.
Bethlehem Vacant Lots: Mandatory Article 1732 Registry (10-Day Window) + IPMC 12-Inch Weed Cap + Security Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsSnow & Sidewalk Clearing
Bethlehem Codified Ordinance §721.03 (Article 721 - Streets and Sidewalks) requires every person owning, controlling, or occupying any lot adjoining or fronting upon a street in the City to remove snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours after the rain, snow, sleet, or hail has ceased to fall. The City's official Snow Plowing/Removal FAQ from the Department of Public Works clarifies that compliance is satisfied if a cleared portion at least 3 feet wide has been made on the sidewalk. The handicap-ramp at the corner is the abutting owner's responsibility. Shoveling or plowing snow into the street or right-of-way is a separate nuisance violation under the same section.
Bethlehem Snow Clearing: §721.03 Requires 24-Hour Removal After Precipitation Ceases; 3-Foot Cleared Path
Some RestrictionsLooking for Lehigh County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Bethlehem city rules.
Property Maintenance in Lehigh County →