Lehigh County does not zone; your city or township does under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. In Allentown, home occupations split into Type 1 (no-impact home-based businesses) allowed by right and Type 2 (with employees or clients), which face stricter siting and are only by right on arterial-street lots.
Pennsylvania land use is municipal, so home-business zoning comes from Allentown or your specific borough/township, not the county (MPC, 53 P.S. § 10601+). Allentown Zoning Ordinance Section 660-48 defines two types. A Type 1 home occupation must meet the MPC 'no-impact home-based business' definition and may not produce light, noise, vibration, or odor beyond the lot lines, with no customers on site. A Type 2 may have limited employees and clients but must stay accessory, use no more than 25% of the building's floor area, and needs a special exception unless on an arterial street.
Running a non-conforming home business is a zoning violation; Allentown can issue enforcement notices and municipal fines under the MPC until the use complies or ceases.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lehigh County, PA
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See how Lehigh County's zoning restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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