Explore zoning districts and recent rezoning activity in Philadelphia, PA. ZoneWire monitors council meetings to track every zoning change.
Live records updated through October 15, 2026
Updated with meetings through October 15, 2026.
The zoning information on this page comes from official sources. Confirm the zoning of a specific parcel with the Philadelphia planning department.
Zoning classifications used in this jurisdiction, from the adopted local code.
Permits detached houses on individual lots with a minimum lot area of 10,000 sq. ft.
Permits detached houses on individual lots with a minimum lot area of 5,000 sq. ft.
Philadelphia rowhouse district permitting attached and semi-detached houses on individual lots, with a 38 ft. maximum height and a minimum lot area of 960 sq. ft. or 1,440 sq. ft. depending on Council district.
Permits two-family, semi-detached houses on individual lots.
Permits moderate- to high-density multi-unit residential buildings with a minimum lot area of 1,440 sq. ft.
Permits moderate- to high-density multi-unit residential buildings with a minimum lot area of 2,500 sq. ft.
Permits residential and mixed-use development, including master plan development.
Permits a range of destination-oriented commercial uses, often in the form of shopping centers, with a minimum lot area of 5,000 sq. ft. and a 38 ft. maximum height.
Permits neighborhood-serving retail and service uses, including pedestrian-friendly retail commercial corridors.
Permits neighborhood-serving retail and service uses along commercial corridors, with a 38 ft. maximum height.
Permits community- and region-serving mixed-use development, including retail and service uses.
Permits mixed-use development in the central core area of Center City.
Permits a mix of low-impact industrial, artisan industrial, residential, and neighborhood commercial uses, with a 60 ft. maximum height and 500% maximum floor area ratio.
Permits commercial and low-impact industrial uses.
Permits low-impact uses including light industrial, fabrication, offices, and research and development.
Preserves and protects land set aside for park and open space use, allowing active and passive recreation (the companion SP-PO-P subdistrict allows passive recreation only).
These parcels came up for a zoning decision in Philadelphia in the last 30 days, often before they hit the market. See what changed, how the vote went, and hear the moment it happened. According to ZoneWire's analysis of official public meeting records, each decision below links to its timestamped source.
Philadelphia · Sep 29, 2026
Approved · UnanimousParkway Northwest High School site, Awbury Superblock, Upper Northwest Planning District
Zoning change from RSA-2 to SP-CIV, approved unanimously on Sep 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.
Philadelphia · Sep 29, 2026
Approved · UnanimousFormer Ada Lewis Middle School site, Awbury Superblock, Upper Northwest Planning District
Zoning change from RSD-3 to SP-CIV, approved unanimously on Sep 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.
Philadelphia · Sep 29, 2026
Approved · UnanimousGeneral Lewis Wagner Middle School site, Shelton Avenue, West Oak Lane
Zoning change from RSD-3 to SP-CIV, approved unanimously on Sep 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.
Philadelphia · Sep 29, 2026
Approved · UnanimousFitler Academics Plus school site, West Germantown, Upper Northwest Planning District
Zoning change from RSA-3 to SP-CIV, approved unanimously on Sep 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.
Applicant
Unlock who filed this with ProPhiladelphia · Sep 29, 2026
ApprovedSt. Joseph's Preparatory School campus, 17th Street to 19th Street, Girard Avenue to Cabot Street, North Philadelphia
Zoning change from CMX-3 to SP-CIV, approved on Sep 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Entitlement cleared. The parcel just got more buildable.
Applicant
Unlock who filed this with ProPhiladelphia · Oct 15, 2026
First readingIntroduced: zoning code amendment defining tobacco sales use, advanced on first reading on Oct 15, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Your move: Still pending. Track the next hearing before it's decided.
In Philadelphia, 98% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Land use / comp-plan amendment clear 100%, Commercial / office / retail 100%. ZoneWire analyzed 72 land-use board decisions in Philadelphia over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Land use / comp-plan amendment | 26 | 100% |
| Commercial / office / retail | 10 | 100% |
| Industrial / warehouse | 10 | 100% |
| Single-family homes | 9 | 100% |
| Mixed-use | 6 | 83% |
The official Philadelphia zoning map is maintained by the local planning department. The zoning information on this page comes from official sources, and ZoneWire monitors council meetings for rezoning activity and zoning changes in Philadelphia.
Zoning districts in Philadelphia include RSD-1 (Residential Single-Family Detached), RSD-3 (Residential Single-Family Detached), RSA-5 (Residential Single-Family Attached), RTA-1 (Residential Two-Family Attached), RM-1 (Residential Multi-Family), RM-4 (Residential Multi-Family), RMX-1 (Residential Mixed-Use), CA-1 (Auto-Oriented Commercial). Each district has specific permitted uses, setbacks, and density requirements set by the local code.
ZoneWire reads every council meeting in Philadelphia to detect rezoning discussions, variances, and zoning amendments. Start a free trial to receive alerts when rezoning activity is detected.
ZoneWire monitors Philadelphia commission, city council, and planning commission meetings in Pennsylvania for rezoning requests, variances, conditional use permits, planned unit developments, comprehensive plan amendments, and development approvals.
ZoneWire automatically monitors public Philadelphia government meetings, transcribes the audio with AI, scans each transcript for zoning keywords, and sends email alerts linked to the exact moment a relevant topic was discussed.
Key zoning terms to watch in Philadelphia include rezoning, variance, conditional use permit, PUD (Planned Unit Development), comprehensive plan amendment, site plan, and annexation. ZoneWire tracks all of these automatically across every Philadelphia governing body.
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Our Philadelphia record holds 6 land-use decisions heard in the last 60 days, with the vote where one was recorded.
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