July 8, 2024 – The City of Allentown is excited to announce the launch of ZONE Allentown, a comprehensive project aimed at updating the City’s Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, and strategic revisions to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO). This initiative will ensure that Allentown’s zoning regulations reflect current needs and future growth, allowing for more housing production and promoting a vibrant, walkable, and sustainable urban environment.

ZONE Allentown is derived from the Allentown Vision 2030 plan, the City’s comprehensive 10-year blueprint for guiding economic growth and physical change. One of the key “catalytic actions” recommended in the plan is a complete update and modernization of existing zoning regulations.

Key Goals of ZONE Allentown:

• Remove obstacles to the city’s economic development goals,
• Streamline development review and approval procedures,
• Encourage development in targeted growth locations,
• Incorporate updated design standards and new place-making tools,
• Promote walkable mixed-use development patterns,
• Protect stable residential neighborhoods,
• Offer a variety of housing choices for city residents,
• Ensure consistency with applicable laws, and
• Incorporate illustrations, graphics, and navigational features to make the updated ordinances easy to use and understand.

The ZONE Allentown project was developed through a multi-year, multi-phase effort involving city staff, consultants, and a project advisory committee composed of community members. The project is still currently in a draft stage, and its next phase includes discussing the proposed changes with residents and stakeholders to obtain feedback and suggestions.

The City’s Planning & Zoning Bureau will hold the following open houses:

• Tuesday, July 9, 2024: East Side Youth Center, 6-8pm
• Wednesday, July 10, 2024: Fearless Fire Company, 6-8pm
• Thursday, July 11, 2024: Theatre514, 6-8pm

Planning & Zoning will also hold office hours at City Hall on July 10 and July 11 from 9 to 11am each day.

After considering comments received during this public review phase, the draft ordinances will be revised and proceed to a formal review and adoption process. The goal is to adopt and implement the new ordinances by the end of 2024.

The Public Review Draft of the proposed Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, and SALDO can be found at  www.allentownpa.gov/zoneallentown. For questions or comments on the Public Review Drafts, please contact zoneallentown@allentownpa.gov or attend one of the upcoming meetings.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Genesis Ortega
Communications Manager
Office of the Mayor
http://www.AllentownPA.gov

---