Allentown Zoning Map & Districts 2026
Explore zoning districts, official map resources, and recent rezoning activity in Allentown, PA. ZoneWire monitors council meetings to track every zoning change.
Zoning Districts in Allentown
Common zoning classifications used in this jurisdiction. Exact district names and codes may vary.
Highest-intensity downtown mixed-use with ground-floor storefronts and upper-story offices, residential, and other commercial uses.
Walkable storefronts along citywide street corridors providing neighborhood shopping and services with residential and office uses above.
Regional-scale mixed-use nodes where uses are accessible by walking and automobile.
Small-scale nodes at corners or along small corridors with storefront and converted residential buildings serving daily neighborhood needs.
Areas surrounding the downtown core with single- or mixed-use buildings, mainly offices, residences, and supporting commercial uses.
Corridor and node locations mixing residential/office with artisan production and limited commercial service; larger and more intensive than GX-N.
Corridor and neighborhood-node locations with smaller-scaled buildings housing residential, office, artisan production, and limited commercial service uses.
Allows a mix of residential buildings in a neighborhood development, typically with multiple buildings on a single lot.
Maintains and enhances the physical form of the city's oldest existing rowhouse neighborhoods.
Maintains and enhances the form of the city's turn-of-the-century rowhouse neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods of primarily twin-houses and houses on small lots with a few small apartment buildings and some rowhouse nodes.
Existing neighborhoods with a mix of twin-houses and houses on small- and mid-sized lots.
Neighborhoods with a wide range of house types on small-, mid-, and large-sized lots.
Vehicle-oriented commercial, low-impact manufacturing, and warehouse/wholesaling uses outside of commercial corridors.
Preserves locations for low- and moderate-impact manufacturing uses and industrial services.
Focus on a wide range of manufacturing and associated industrial uses and industrial services.
Open space including permanent parks, recreation spaces, cemeteries, and water buffers.
Civic and institutional facilities and campuses such as houses of worship, cultural centers, city hall, hospitals, schools, and civic infrastructure.
Overlay zone regulating student residences within its mapped area.
Overlay encouraging new mixed-use riverfront development with public riverfront access and a walkable street network.
Overlay managing potential demolition of historic buildings to prevent loss of valuable historic assets.
Optional overlay allowing planned residential development flexibility along the Lehigh Riverfront with continuous public riverfront access.
Optional overlay allowing mixed-use planned residential development over the underlying zone to widen housing opportunities.
Recent Rezoning Activity in Allentown
Explore Zoning Topics in Allentown
Frequently Asked Questions
The official Allentown zoning map is maintained by the local planning department. You can access the interactive GIS map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/2316ac49fd23417597e809092c944e4b. ZoneWire also tracks rezoning activity discussed in council meetings.
Common zoning districts in Allentown include residential (R-1, R-2, R-3), commercial (C-1, C-2), industrial (I-1, I-2), mixed-use (MU), and planned development (PD). Each district has specific permitted uses, setbacks, and density requirements.
ZoneWire reads every council meeting in Allentown to detect rezoning discussions, variances, and zoning amendments. Start a free trial to receive alerts when rezoning activity is detected.
Allentown's zoning is governed by a new Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 16166), which City Council adopted on October 15, 2025 as part of the ZONE Allentown project. It took effect on January 1, 2026, replacing the prior 2015 ordinance, and was adopted alongside a new Zoning Map and updated Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO, Ordinance No. 16167). The rewrite uses a form-based code approach that regulates the physical form and character of development, aiming to streamline procedures and encourage walkable, mixed-use patterns.
The ZONE Allentown ordinance organizes the city into several families of base zones. Mixed-use zones include the Storefront Mix zones (MX-D Downtown Core, MX-C Corridors, MX-S Suburban Centers, MX-N Neighborhood Centers) and the Residential-Office Mix zones (GX-D, GX-C, GX-N). Neighborhood zones range from NX and N1 (Urban Neighborhood) through N2 (Town Neighborhood), N3, N4, and N5. The ordinance also establishes Industrial zones and Public-Institutional zones (including Open Space). Each zone sets which building types and uses are permitted.
The city recommends two steps. First, use the interactive online Zoning Map (an ArcGIS platform) to search by address and click the parcel to see its zoning district and whether it falls in a historic district or overlay. Second, consult the Zoning Ordinance's Use Table to see which activities are permitted in that district. The full ordinance is posted online, and physical copies of the ordinance or map can be purchased at the Zoning office at City Hall, 435 Hamilton Street, 4th Floor.
Yes. Under the zoning ordinance, a zoning permit is required from the Zoning Officer before commencing a new or expanded use of land or a structure, constructing or placing a structure, installing signs, or creating additional dwelling units through interior alterations. The Zoning Officer reviews the application and may issue the permit only if the proposal complies with the ordinance. Zoning permit applications are handled by the Bureau of Planning and Zoning at City Hall, 435 Hamilton Street, 4th Floor.
The Zoning Hearing Board is a three-member board (with alternate members appointed as needed) established under the zoning ordinance. It holds public hearings and decides appeals of the Zoning Officer's decisions and determinations, applications for variances, and applications for special exceptions. The city provides an appeal application form, an appeal checklist, and a 60-day decision waiver form, and posts the board's meetings and agendas through its Legistar portal.
Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Allentown at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.
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