Pittsburgh Zoning Districts - OPR-A Overview
By Kathleen Oldrey
Introduction
Zoning districts are a fundamental building block of zoning regulations and set the base use, height, and density standards for the area they cover. Pittsburgh has over 50 distinct mapped zoning districts. This series of guides is unpacking each of these districts.
In this post, we provide an overview of the OPR-A (Oakland Public Realm Subdistrict A) zoning district. Additional posts dive into the use and density regulations for the OPR-A and provide an overview of the full OPR and the other subdistricts: OPR-B, OPR-C, and OPR-D.
Refer to our Introduction to Pittsburgh’s Zoning Districts for the complete list of base zoning districts in the city. Pittsburgh’s interactive zoning map can be used to verify the project site’s zoning district.
Overview
The OPR-A (Oakland Public Realm Subdistrict A: Atwood Street District) zoning district covers 0.01 square miles or 0.02% of Pittsburgh, and is located along Atwood Street, roughly bound by Sennot Street, York Way, Bates Street, and the rear lot lines of parcels along the northeast side of Atwood Street.
Challenges
Per Section 908.03.D.1, the purpose of the OPR-A subdistrict is to encourage a mix of uses while maintaining a residential urban form. A brief list of non-residential uses permitted by-right (to be further discussed in our post focusing on OPR-A uses) does allow for the incorporation of small-scale restaurants, retail, and other uses in the subdistrict.
However, further text (Section 908.03.D.1(d)) requires that non-residential buildings and buildings with non-residential uses incorporate elements characteristic of residential design. Compliance with this code provision may be reviewed under the city’s design review process. Additional provisions cover build-to lines, the location of accessory parking, and entrance location.
At the time of writing, the OPR-A subdistrict does not contain any environmental overlay areas, such as the Landslide-Prone or Steep Slope overlays. The OPR-A subdistrict does fall entirely within a Registered Community Organization area; any proposed development that meets or exceeds the zoning code’s RCO thresholds would be subject to the RCO process.
Conclusion
OPR use and density standards vary across its subdistricts, which will be discussed in future posts, but regardless of the subdistrict, zoning reviews of development in the OPR may require public processes or additional documentation beyond basic review requirements.
