Property Maintenance in Reading, PA (2026)
4 verified property maintenance rules for Reading, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Trash Bin Storage
Reading's Quality of Life ordinance enumerated at Codified Ordinance Chapter 180, Part 12 (QOL.013) requires waste containers to be durable, watertight, and fitted with tight-fitting covers. Bins must be stored at the rear of the property and may be placed curbside no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before scheduled collection; containers must be removed from the curb after pickup. Residential units are limited to four 55-gallon bags or equivalent containers per collection day, and recycling bins are City property assigned to the address.
Reading Trash Bin Rules: Durable, Watertight, Lidded Containers Stored at Rear (QOL.013)
Some RestrictionsProperty Blight
Reading's blighted-property program is codified at Chapter 23, Part 9 of the Codified Ordinances (Sections 23-903A, 23-904, and 23-906). Properties meeting statutory blight criteria - such as a vacant or unimproved lot that has become an accumulation point for trash or vermin, or a vacant property not rehabilitated within one year of corrective-action notice - are referred to the Blighted Property Review Committee (BPRC) for a determination hearing. Owners receive at least 30 days' advance written notice; if blight is certified the BPRC issues an Order giving approximately 60 days to rehabilitate before further enforcement (including the City's option to acquire under the Urban Redevelopment Law).
Reading Blighted Property Process: Codified Ordinance Chapter 23, Part 9 BPRC Hearings with ~60-Day Cure Window
Heavy RestrictionsVacant Lot Maintenance
Vacant lots and structures in Reading are subject to three layered requirements: (1) mandatory registration with the Property Maintenance Division's online Vacant Property Registry under the City's vacant and abandoned property ordinance, with mortgagees of defaulted properties required to register within 10 days of inspection; (2) a 6-inch maximum vegetation height under QOL.004 of Chapter 180, Part 12; and (3) eligibility for blight referral under Codified Ordinance §23-903A if the lot becomes an accumulation point for trash or vermin or remains unrehabilitated for one year after notice. A nonrefundable annual registration fee applies under the City Fee Schedule.
Reading Vacant Lots: Mandatory Vacant Property Registry + 6-Inch Vegetation Cap + Blight Trigger
Heavy RestrictionsSnow & Sidewalk Clearing
Reading Codified Ordinance §508-202 requires every owner or occupant of a building or lot fronting a paved sidewalk to clear snow and ice from a path at least 36 inches wide on the abutting sidewalk and within 36 inches of every fire hydrant. The Quality of Life provision QOL.012 at Chapter 180, Part 12 sets the deadline: snow and ice on sidewalks abutting main streets must be removed within 2 hours after precipitation ceases, and on all other streets within 4 hours. When ice cannot be removed without damaging the sidewalk, cinder or other abrasive material must be applied to make travel reasonably safe.
Reading Snow Clearing: §508-202 Requires 36-Inch Path; QOL.012 Sets 2-Hour Main-Street / 4-Hour Other Window
Some RestrictionsLooking for Berks County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Reading city rules.
Property Maintenance in Berks County →