Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Pennsylvania (2026)

10 rules on the books across Pennsylvania, 7 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.

Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions

Density Bonus Law

California Density Bonus Law (Gov Code §65915) and local implementations granting up to 50% density bonuses for affordable-housing projects.

Philadelphia's Zoning Code lets developers in the RM-1, CMX-1, CMX-2, and CMX-2.5 districts build more dwelling units…

Non-residential projects pursuing LEED certification can get up to a 20% floor-area-ratio and height bonus over the…

Reading's Transit-Oriented Development Overlay lets developers add one market-rate unit for every workforce housing…

In the C-3 Traditional Downtown Business District, Upper Darby offers up to 40 extra feet of building height, on top of…

LA's Downtown Design Guide and Community Plan governing high-rise massing, ground-floor activation, and adaptive-reuse standards in DTLA.

Downtown building projects in the Golden Triangle involving more than $250,000 of exterior work must pass Planning…

Pottstown's older neighborhoods and downtown-adjacent areas sit inside a Conservation District overlay that applies…

Allentown's Downtown Zone applies a three-part base, middle, and cap design test to any high-rise using bonus…

Erie's Zoning Ordinance Section 205.20 forbids any front setback in the C-3 Central Commercial District: new buildings…

Large Philadelphia developments, over 100,000 sq. ft. or 100 units citywide, or 50,000 sq. ft./50 units near homes…

Upper Darby's C-3 Traditional Downtown Business District rules require new development to match the district's historic…