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Back to search resultsBill 210075

Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by revising and clarifying certain provisions and making technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.

AI summary

This enacted bill amends Philadelphia’s zoning code by revising definitions and measurement rules, including how the city calculates gross floor area, ground floors, occupied area, window-sill height, and off-street parking requirements. The changes affect how properties and development proposals are measured and evaluated under the city’s zoning rules.

File details

Status
ENACTED
Introduced
February 4, 2021
View official record ↗

Full text

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1. Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

Key: In Tables and Table Notes, deletions shall be denoted by {curly brackets}, and not by [square brackets].

TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING

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CHAPTER 14-200. DEFINITIONS

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? 14-202. Rules of Measurement.

In the application of this Zoning Code the rules of measurement of this ? 14-202 (Rules of Measurement) shall be observed and applied.

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(4) Gross Floor Area.

The sum of the gross horizontal areas of all the floors of a building, measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls or center lines of walls separating two buildings.

(a) Measurement Includes

(.10) Roof deck access structures

* * *

(b) Measurement Excludes.

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(.12) Roof decks (notwithstanding any roof deck access structures)

(5) Ground Floor.

* * *

(b) In the case of buildings fronting on two or more streets, the ground floor is the story at the average of the ground level of the [two] street frontages.

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(12) Occupied Area.

[The total of the areas of all buildings on the lot. The area of each building is the area of a horizontal section of such building on any floor at or above ground level taken at its greatest outside dimensions, including all structures, except fences and decks. Architectural recesses or other portions of a building wall at street level that are set back from the street line to create building wall articulation shall count as occupied area.] The aggregate area of the greatest outside horizontal dimensions of all structures, except fences and decks, above grade plane on the lot, as would be depicted in a top view plan of the lot.

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(13.1) Off-Street Parking.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following rules of measurement apply when calculating off-street parking requirements:

(a) No minimum number of sq. ft., units, beds, seats, or other criterion must be met for the required parking standard to be applied.

(b) Whenever the calculation of required off-street parking spaces results in a fraction of a parking space, and the fraction is equal to or greater than one-half, the number of required spaces shall be rounded up to the next whole number. If the calculation results in a fraction less than one-half, the fractional portion of the requirement or maximum shall be ignored.

(c) The following types of parking spaces shall count towards the satisfaction of minimum off-street parking requirements:

(.1) Accessible parking;

(.2) Vanpool and carpool parking;

(.3) Auto-share parking space;

(.4) Underground parking, and parking within, above, or beneath the building(s) it serves; and

(.5) Accessory parking spaces required for residential uses within mixed-use developments.

(d) Parking required for extensions or additions for nonresidential uses in Residential districts and for all uses in Industrial districts shall be computed for the floor area of the extended or added portion only.

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[(15.1) Second Floor Window Sill.

This measurement shall be based on the second story of a building that is fully above grade plane, not measured as including basement, cellar, or other space below grade plane.]

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(21.1) [Third Floor] Window Sill in Calculating Sign Height.

This measurement shall be based on the [third] floor of a building with which the window is associated, which [that] is fully above grade plane, not measured as including basement, cellar, or other space below grade plane.

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? 14-203. Definitions.

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[(35.1) Bed and Breakfast.

See ? 14-601(7)(n)(.1) (Bed and Breakfast).]

* * *

(44) Building, Attached.

(a) For intermediate lots, a building with both si

File history

Sometimes city council's record keeping is not complete. This timeline reflects the information on the council's legistar website.
  1. Council actionMAYOR

    Signed

  2. Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Read and ordered placed on next week's second reading calendar

    Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Ordered placed on this day`s first reading calendar

    Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Suspend the rules of the council

  3. Council actionCommittee on Rules

    Reported favorably, rule suspension requested

    Council actionCommittee on Rules

    Amended

    Council actionCommittee on Rules

    Hearing held

    Council actionCommittee on Rules

    Hearing notices sent

  4. Council actionCITY COUNCIL

    Introduced and Referred