Bethlehem, PA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited districts
- RR, RS, R-RC, RG, RT, RR-F, RR-T
- Cap elsewhere
- 2,000 gallons per installation
- Governing section
- IFC §6104.2 as amended
- Enforcing agency
- Bureau of Inspections Fire Code Official
- Adopted by
- Ord. 2022-15 (8/2/2022)
Summary
Bethlehem forbids storing liquefied petroleum gas in its most residential zoning districts entirely, and caps it at 2,000 gallons per installation everywhere else. Article 1501.05 rewrote IFC § 6104.2 to name the RR, RS, R-RC, RG, RT, RR-F and RR-T districts as off-limits for LP gas storage of any size, tightening the fire code's older, vaguer language.
(oo) § 6104.2 of the IFC which presently reads as follows: Maximum capacity within established limits. Within the limits established by law restricting the storage of liquefied petroleum gas for the protection of heavily populated or congested areas, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons (7570 L) shall be amended to read as follows: ... 6104.2 Maximum capacity within established limits. There shall be no storage of liquefied petroleum gas in the following City of Bethlehem Zoning Districts: RR, RS, R-RC, RG, RT, RR-F, and RR-T. In all other Zoning Districts of the City of Bethlehem, the storage of liquefied petroleum gas in any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons (7570 L).
Full Breakdown
The base International Fire Code capped liquefied petroleum gas storage at 2,000 gallons per installation only "within the limits established by law" for congested areas, without naming those limits. 05, clause (oo), replaces that with an explicit citywide rule: no LP gas storage at all is permitted in the RR, RS, R-RC, RG, RT, RR-F, and RR-T zoning districts, while every other zoning district in the city keeps the 2,000-gallon (7,570 liter) cap per installation. 2), showing a deliberate city-wide policy of keeping large fuel and gas storage out of its residential zoning districts.
01 as the City of Bethlehem Fire Marshal or a representative, administers and enforces the rule. Article 1501 was restated and re-enacted by Ordinance 2022-15, passed by City Council on August 2, 2022, signed the next day, and effective 35 days after enactment under state law.
Violations & Fines
Storing LP gas in a prohibited district, or exceeding the 2,000-gallon cap elsewhere, is a fire-code violation under amended §110.4: up to $1,000 total for the first two continual, uncorrected violations on the same property, and up to $5,000 for the third and any subsequent violation. If the storage poses a threat to health, safety or property, the fire code official may pursue $500 to $10,000 per citation or up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a propane tank at my house in Bethlehem?
What's the storage cap outside the listed residential districts?
Why did Bethlehem single out those particular zoning districts?
Who enforces the LP gas storage limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
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