Bethlehem, PA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

The Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance (separately adopted, with last comprehensive amendments ~2023) sets off-street parking ratios for residential and non-residential uses and the design standards for driveways, including width, drainage, surface and sight-distance requirements. Single-family dwellings typically require a small number of off-street spaces per unit; non-residential uses scale with floor area or occupancy. Driveway aprons and curb cuts crossing the City right-of-way require a street-opening / right-of-way permit issued by the Bethlehem Department of Public Works, which reviews location, width, drainage, sight distance and any impact on street trees, sidewalks and stormwater facilities. The Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (35 P.S. §7210.101 et seq.) and the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code §§401-405) adopt the IBC, IRC and supporting codes statewide and require building permits for driveway-related structures (retaining walls, garages, slabs that support enclosed structures); these are issued locally by the Bethlehem Bureau of Code Enforcement within the Department of Community and Economic Development. Parking on lawns or other unimproved surfaces in residential districts is generally prohibited under the Zoning Ordinance's off-street parking design standards and is enforceable as a zoning violation.