The City of Allentown today announces the release of the second Public Review Draft for ZONE Allentown, a comprehensive update to the City’s zoning ordinance and revisions to the subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO).
City of Allentown Announces Release of Second Public Review Draft for ZONE Allentown Project
February 19, 2025 – The City of Allentown today announces the release of the second Public Review Draft for ZONE Allentown, a comprehensive update to the City’s zoning ordinance and revisions to the subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO). This revised draft incorporates extensive feedback from the community gathered throughout the public review period in Summer 2024.
Since the release of the first public review drafts, planning and zoning staff has carefully reviewed over 300 emails and hundreds of individual comments. Community concerns, priorities, and suggestions have been addressed through revisions that remain consistent with the project’s core goals. These updates represent the City’s commitment to transparency, collaboration, and ensuring that the zoning regulations reflect the values of Allentown residents.
The ZONE Allentown project is focused on updating the City’s zoning ordinance, revising the SALDO, and establishing a new zoning map to guide the future development of the City. The first public review drafts were presented to the Zoning Hearing Board, the Allentown City Planning Commission, the Historic Architectural Review Board, and City Council. Additionally, feedback was sought from adjacent municipalities, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the Allentown School District, and various community organizations.
The second public review drafts reflect responses to comments and suggestions received during the initial review period. These drafts include both minor editorial revisions and more substantive changes to better align the regulations with public input. The proposed changes in the updated drafts are marked clearly, with deletions shown in strikethrough text and additions underlined.
Public Review Drafts 2.0 of the Zoning Ordinance, SALDO, and the updated zoning map are available for review on the ZONE Allentown project website. The City is requesting feedback from the community by no later than March 21, 2025. All feedback will be considered as staff works toward finalizing the drafts for adoption by City Council later this year.
The City encourages residents, developers, and all interested parties to review the updated documents and share their thoughts. Comments can be submitted via email to zoneallentown@allentownpa.gov.
For more information, including access to the public review documents, visit the ZONE Allentown project website at www.allentownpa.gov/zoneallentown.