Pittsburgh Zoning Districts - R1D Density
By Carolyn Ristau
Density and Height Standards
Zoning districts regulate the height of primary uses and the density. In the residential zoning districts, density is regulated through minimum lot sizes and setbacks (the distance between the property line and the building, structure, or use) and varies depending on the subdistrict listed below. If there is a site-specific hardship that prevents a project from meeting these standards, a dimensional variance may be sought from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Note: accessory uses may have more restrictive height standards and more permissive setback regulations. We will discuss this more in a later post.
Each of the R zoning districts have up to five subdistricts for density from very low to very high. The R1D is the only district that has all five of the density subdistricts associated with it: VL = very low density, L = low density, M = moderate density, H = high density, and VH = very high density. The regulations for each are listed below.
Note: The zoning code standards listed in this post were those available in the online zoning code as of March 2021. Whenever there is a code amendment it often takes months for the online version to be updated. Zoning staff have access to the most recent code amendments, which can also be found on the city’s online legislation center.
Height Standards
Maximum height in the R1D zoning district is 40 ft, not to exceed 3 stories. Yes, the proposal must comply with both the height in feet and the height in stories or else seek a dimensional variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Very Low Density Standards
The R1D-VL zoning district covers 1.95% of the city.
Minimum lot size: 8,000 sq ft
Minimum front setback: 30 ft
Minimum rear setback: 30 ft
Minimum exterior/street side setback: 30 ft
Minimum interior side setback: 5 ft on one side; 10 ft on the other
No, the code doesn’t explain which side gets which.
Low Density Standards
As the second largest zoning district, the R1D-L zoning district covers 14.34% of the city.
Minimum lot size: 5,000 sq ft
Minimum front setback: 30 ft
Minimum rear setback: 30 ft
Minimum exterior/street side setback: 30 ft
Minimum interior side setback: 5 ft
Moderate Density Standards
The R1D-M zoning district covers 7.27% of the city.
Minimum lot size: 3,200 sq ft
Minimum front setback: 30 ft
Minimum rear setback: 30 ft
Minimum exterior/street side setback: 30 ft
Minimum interior side setback: 5 ft
High Density Standards
The R1D-H zoning district covers 7.37% of the city.
Minimum lot size: 1,800 sq ft
Minimum front setback: 15 ft
Minimum rear setback: 15 ft
Minimum exterior/street side setback: 15 ft
Minimum interior side setback: 5 ft
Very High Density Standards
Only 0.01% of the city falls into an R1D-VH zoning district.
Minimum lot size: 1,200 sq ft
Minimum front setback: 5 ft
Minimum rear setback: 15 ft
Minimum exterior/street side setback: 5 ft
Minimum interior side setback: 5 ft
For Additional Information:
See our overview of the R1D for more about this district and our Introduction to Pittsburgh’s Zoning Districts for the complete list of base zoning districts in the city.
