Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside the City of Bethlehem; the city enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and amends its fee section

  • Source is the city's UCC fee article; it shows city enforcement of the UCC but does not recite an adoption ordinance or code edition.

  “article 1702 fees for the enforcement of the pennsylvania uniform construction code, act no. 45-1999”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside the City of Bethlehem, PA

  • Administered by the city zoning officer under the Department of Community and Economic Development.

  “the provisions of this ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the zoning officer.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts inside Bethlehem city

  • Districts include RR, RG, RT, R-RC residential; CB, CL and other commercial; OMU, CMU, institutional overlay and RR-T/RR-F overlays.

  “for the omu district, see section 1314. (amended 12/16/15, ord. 2015-39) for additional regulations in the cmu mixed use commercial district, see section 1313. for the institutional overlay district, see section 1312. for the rr-t and rr-f overlay districts, see section 1310.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in the RR Residential district, City of Bethlehem

  • Open space development option (rr district, 3-acre tract) allows 10,000 sq ft lots with 80 ft width.
  • Other residential districts (rg, rt, r-rc etc.) have separate rows not fully mapped here.

  minimum lot area: >= 15000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 100 feet

  “single family detached dwelling 15,000 15,000 100 25 40 15 2.5 35 15% 50%”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in the RR Residential district, City of Bethlehem

  • Setbacks measured from existing street right-of-way; unenclosed front porch may intrude 10 ft; averaging and corner-lot provisions apply.

  front yard: >= 25 feet · rear yard: >= 40 feet · each side yard: >= 15 feet

  “single family detached dwelling 15,000 15,000 100 25 40 15 2.5 35 15% 50%”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in the RR Residential district, City of Bethlehem

  • Impervious coverage maximum 50%.

  maximum building coverage: <= 15 percent · maximum impervious coverage: <= 50 percent

  “single family detached dwelling 15,000 15,000 100 25 40 15 2.5 35 15% 50%”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-family detached dwelling in the RR Residential district, City of Bethlehem

  • Whichever of stories or feet is more restrictive applies; side and rear yards increase 1/2 ft for each foot over 35 ft.

  maximum height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

  “single family detached dwelling 15,000 15,000 100 25 40 15 2.5 35 15% 50%”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on residential lots inside Bethlehem city

  • Storage of an RV on a residential lot requires: under 40 feet long, in a side or rear yard behind the front facade and meeting accessory-structure setbacks, sight-screened by 6 ft fencing or landscaping, on a macadam or concrete pad, and kept clean, operational, licensed and inspected.
  • Guest RV parking is limited to 7 days, no more than 3 times per year; loading/unloading up to 3 days.
  • Parking for compensation in residential districts is barred.
  • The opened text does not expressly address living in an RV.

  guest RV parking: <= 7 days, max 3 times per year

  “a recreational vehicle may be parked on a residential lot when guests visit for up to seven (7) days and no more than three (3) times per year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes inside identified floodplain areas of Bethlehem city only

  • Only the floodplain rule was found; the use rules for manufactured homes outside the floodplain were not opened.

  “within any identified floodplain area manufactured homes shall be prohibited. no variance shall be granted.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

  Every dwelling unit and principal building in all zoning districts inside Bethlehem city

  • Stated in the general introduction to the dimensional requirements; individual districts (omu, cmu, institutional overlay, rr-t, rr-f) have cross-referenced additional sections.
  • No distance threshold is stated; the rule is unconditional.

  “each dwelling unit and each principal building shall be served by both public water and public sewer service.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Recreational vehicles in identified floodplain areas of Bethlehem city; the floodplain article also bars manufactured homes and certain facilities

  • No variance is allowed for RVs or manufactured homes in the floodplain.
  • Article 1317 also lists prohibited activities such as hospitals, nursing homes and jails in the floodplain; full development-permit rules not opened.

  “within any identified floodplain area recreational vehicles shall be prohibited. no variance shall be granted.”

• Permit feesPublished

  UCC building permit fees inside Bethlehem city

  • Type 1-3 construction: $180 up to 500 sq ft plus $0.20 per additional sq ft.
  • Type 4-5 (frame): $150 up to 500 sq ft plus $0.25 per additional sq ft.
  • Alterations: $60 for first $5,000 of cost, then 1.2% up to $500,000.
  • A state fee is added to all permits; electrical and other fees are in the same article.
  • Fee schedule not dated in the opened text; a newer schedule may exist.

  frame construction base fee: 150 USD up to 500 sq ft (plus $0.25 per sq ft over 500)

  “the fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) up to and including five hundred (500) square feet of floor area.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits inside Bethlehem city

  • The zoning officer may condition a zoning permit on proof of compliance with other city regulations.
  • Building (UCC) permit procedure not opened; a forms page exists on the city site.

  “review all applications for zoning permits, and issue permits when there is compliance with the provisions of this ordinance. the zoning officer may condition the issuance of a zoning permit upon the applicant proving compliance with other applicable city regulations.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Bethlehem or Northampton County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Bethlehem city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Bethlehem city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Bethlehem city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Bethlehem city
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Bethlehem city

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.