Pittsburgh Zoning Districts - RIV 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. In some cases, the district also sets the required level of zoning review. 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 RIV (Riverfront) zone. Additional posts cover the RIV’s five subdistricts: the RIV-RM, RIV-MU, RIV-NS, RIV-GI, and RIV-IMU. Further posts will address the complexities of the RIV regulations, including the RIV’s density, height, and parking regulations, design standards, environmental standards, as well as the application of the performance points system in the RIV district.
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 RIV (Riverfront) zoning district covers 5.2 square miles or 10.68% of Pittsburgh. The RIV district was established in 2018 to shape development along Pittsburgh’s rivers through use, density, environmental, and other standards.
The RIV district stretches along much of the riverfronts of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers, traversing many neighborhoods and sharing boundaries with many other zoning districts. What riverfront areas are not within the RIV zoning district are generally instead within the Parks (P) zoning district or within a Specially Planned (SP) zoning district.
Like the UPR, the RIV zoning district uses the Performance Points system. In the RIV, performance points can be applied to height and structure placement regulations; Chapter 905.04.K.1 details the performance points system as it functions in the RIV.
Challenges
Many project scopes located in the RIV zoning district can be subject to a high level of review. In addition to the criteria for site plan review applicable throughout the city, in the RIV, site plan review is required for new primary structures, exterior work on existing primary structures, new or expanded surface parking, new parking structures, and some accessory structures depending on their distance from the rivers.
Beyond the significant expansion of project scopes requiring site plan review, Planning Commission review is required for projects that include building construction of more than 15,000 square feet, structured parking with 50 spaces or more, and new primary structures within 200 feet of one of the rivers.
Planning Commission review requires documentation beyond what is required for a basic zoning review, as well as presentation of the project at two Planning Commission meetings. There is an additional fee for this level of review.
Much of the RIV is also located within a Registered Community Organization (RCO) area; if a project within an RCO area requires Planning Commission review or review by another board, such as the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Historic Review Commission, or Art Commission, that project must go through the additional public outreach processes with the community organization.
Areas of the RIV that are directly adjacent to the rivers are, unsurprisingly, impacted by the 125-foot Riparian Buffer; these same areas can often fall within the Potential Steep Slope Area Overlay (Chapter 906.08) as the riverfront land drops steeply toward the rivers. Parts of the RIV also fall within floodplains or within the Landslide-Prone Overlay (Chapter 906.04).
In all Riverfront zoning districts, a 50 percent Parking Reduction zone applies for all uses. Parking reduction zones are mapped on Pittsburgh’s interactive zoning map.
Conclusion
The Riverfront zoning district has significant public process requirements, with a wide range of project scopes needing either site plan review or review by Planning Commission. RCO and environmental regulations in addition to regulations unique to the RIV mean that projects in this district may require additional documentation and costs during the review process.
