Zoneomics Logo
search icon

Wilkes Barre City Zoning Code

ARTICLE 5

- ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS

USES PERMITTED BY ZONING DISTRICT

NOTE: X = Use permitted by right.
SA = Special Exception Use requiring approval from the Zoning Hearing Board.
SB = Special Exception Use requiring approval from the Zoning Hearing Board preceded by comment and recommendation from the Planning Commission.

 


Section 501.- Table of residential uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Single Family Detached Dwelling X X X X
Two Family Dwellings, including detached or semidetached dwellings containing not more than two-dwelling units X X
Multi-Family Dwellings X X X
Boarding House Rooming House SA SA
Communal Dwelling Unit SA SA
Home Occupation SA SA SA X X X X X X
Home Office X X X X X X X X X
Accessory Residential Uses X X X X X X X X
Mobile Home (permanent foundation) X
Dormitory SA SA
Dwelling Units on Upper Floors X X X X X X
Garden Apartments SB
Townhouses X X
Group Residences SB SB SB SB

 

Section 502. - Table of commercial retail uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Antique Stores X X X X
Artist Supplies X X X X X
Book and Stationary Stores X X X X X
Bottle Club SB
Camera Shop X X X X X
Candy Stores
Cigar Store X X X X X
Clothing and Accessory Store X X X X X
Convenience Store X X X X
Convenience Store w/ Gas Sales X X X X
Custom Tailor X X X X X
Dairy Products Store X X X X X
Department Stores X X X
Drug Stores X X X X
Electrical Supply Stores X X X
Farm Equipment X X X
Flea Market SB
Florist Shop X X X X X
Fruit Stores and Vegetable Markets X X X X
Fuel Dealers X X X
Furniture and Home Furnishings X X X
Furrier and Fur Shops X X X
Garden Supply Stores X X X X X
Gasoline Service Stations SA X X X X X
Gas Stations SA X X X X
Gift Shop X X X X X
Grocery Stores X X X
Grocery Stores not exceeding 2,000 sq. ft. (gross floor area) X
Hardware X X X X
Heating & Plumbing Equipment Dealers X X X
Hobby Shop X X X X X
Household Appliances, Radio and TV Shops X X X X X
Junkyard SB
Jewelry Stores X X X X
Limited Price Variety Store X X X X
Liquor Stores X X X X
Luggage and Leather Goods X X X X
Lumber and Other Building Materials X X X
Mail Order House X X
Meat and Fish (Seafood) Markets X X
Miscellaneous Marine and Heavy Equipment Sales X X X X
Miscellaneous General Merchandise Store X X X X
Automotive Sales (New and Used Cars, Trucks X X X
News Dealer X X X X
Office Machines and Equipment X X X X
Optical Shop X X X X
Outdoor Storage SA X X
Paint, Glass, Wallpaper, and related products store X X X
Pet Store X X X
Pet Day Care Services X X
Religious Goods Shop X X X X
Restaurants X X X X X
Restaurant, Fast-Food X X
Retail Bakeries X X X X
Secondhand Stores X X X
Self-Storage Facility X X X
Sexually Oriented Uses C
Shoe Store X X X X
Shopping Center SB
Sporting Goods Stores and Bicycle Shops X X X X X
Solid Waste Facility C
Surgical Supply Store X X
Tattoo Parlor/Body-Piercing Studio X X
Taverns SA X X X X X
Tire, Battery and Accessory Dealers X X X
Toy Stores X X X X X
Trucking Facility X X
Truck Repair and Storage SA X X
Vending Machine Merchandising X X X
Warehouse and Distribution Facility X X X

 

Section 503. - Table of commercial services uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Ambulance Service, Private SA SA X X
Automatic or Coin-operated Car Wash SA X X X
Automobile Rentals X X
Automobile Repair Shops (also includes Major Repairs) X X X
Banking and Financial Institutions X X X X X
Beauty and Barber Shops X X X X X X
Bed and Breakfast X X X
Cleaning and Dyeing Plants, Rug Cleaners and Repair Plants X X X
Clinics (Medical) SB SB X
Clinics (Methadone) SB
Commercial/Industrial Laundries, including Alteration and Garment Repair X X X
Continuing Care Facility SB SB SB
Day Care Center SA X X X
Day Care Center (Adult) X X X
Day Care Home SA SA SA SA
Dry Cleaning Pickup X X X X X
Duplicating, Blue Printing, Photocopying Services X X X X X X X
Funeral Services X X
Hotel and Motels X X X X X
Indoor rifle and pistol ranges X
Professional Offices X X X X X
Service Offices X X X X X
Massage Establishment SA
Miscellaneous Repair Services X X X X X X X
Night Club SA SA
Parking Area
  Limited SA SA SA X X X X X X X
  General X X X X X
  Accessory X X X X SB X SB X X X X
Accessory parking for special exception uses for 10 or more vehicles SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB
Parking Garages
  Limited Parking SB SB SB X X X SB X X X SB
  General Parking SB X SB X X X SB
  Accessory Parking X X X X X X X SB X X SB
No Impact Home Based Business X X X X X X X X X
Personal Services X X X X X X
Photographic Studios, including Commercial Photography X X X X
Tailor, Seamstress, Garment Alterations and Repair services X X X X X
Research Laboratory X X X
Scientific Research Agencies X X X
Self Service Laundries X X X X X
Veterinarian Hospital/Clinic X X X

 

Section 504. - Table of communication and utilities uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Bus Station (Public) X X
Charter Bus Passenger Station X X
Commercial Communication Antenna Mounted Existing Structure X X X X X X X
Commercial Communications Facility SA SA SA
Gas Production Plant SB
Motor Freight Terminal, or Large Vehicular Storage X X X
Natural and Manufactured Gas Storage and Distribution SB SB
Outdoor Wood-Fired Boilers SA SA
Public Utilities Facilities (Essential) X X X X X X X X X X X X
Radio, Television Transmitting Tower SB X X X SB
Radio, Television Broadcasting Studio SB X X X SB
Railroad Freight Terminal X X X
Railroad Passenger Service X
Transportation Storage, Equipment Repair and Maintenance Facility X X X
Wind Energy Conversion System (Small) SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

 

Section 505. - Table of culture and entertainment uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Arboreta and Botanical Gardens SB SB SB SB SB
Auditoriums or Exhibition Hall X X SB
Billiards or Pool Hall or similar establishment X X X
Community Center SB SB SB X X
Dance Hall or Dance Studio SA SA SA
Entertainment Facilities X X X
Health Club/Recreation Facility SB X SB
Motion Pictures and Legitimate Theatre X X X
Sports Stadium or Arena C
Private Club or Lodge, operated not for profit and members only X X X SB
Recreational Facilities (Commercial) SB SB X
Recreational Facilities (Private) SB SB X
Recreational Facilities (Publicly owned) X X X X X X X X X X X X
Recreational Facility owned or operated by a non governmental non profit agency such as a YMCA, YWCA, CYC, JCC etc. SB SB SB SB
Social Hall SB SB X

 

Section 506. - Table of institutional uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Church, Parish House or Convent SB SB SB SB SB SB
College or University SB SB
Detention Facility SB
Dormitory SA SA
Municipal Owned Buildings SB SB SB SB X X X X X X X X
Fire or Police Station SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB SB
Public Schools SB SB SB SB
Hospitals SB SB SB SB SB
Religious, Sectarian and Non-Sectarian Denomination Private Schools (non-profit) SB SB SB SB SB
Library SB SB SB X X X X SB
Museum, Art Gallery X X X X SB
Park (municipal governmental) SB SB SB SB SB
Private Vocational/Technical Schools X X X X SB
Institutional Use SB
Continuing Care Facility SB SB SB SB
Intermediate-Care Facility SB SB SB SB
Personal-Care Home SB SB SB SB
Skilled Nursing Facility SB SB SB SB

 

Section 507. - Table of manufacturing and industrial uses by zoning district.

R-1 R-2 R-3 C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Animal and Vegetable Products
(a) Processing, packaging, dressing and treatment (but not slaughtering), of meat, poultry, and fish products SB X
(b) Processing, packaging, and treatment of dairy products X X
(c) Processing, packaging, preserving and treatment of fruit and vegetables X X
(d) Processing, packaging, and treatment of flour, animal feeds, cereal preparations or other grain products X
(e) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of bakery products SA X X
(f) Processing, packaging and treatment of sugar, confectionery and related products X
(h)[g] Distilling, rectifying, blending, brewing, processing and packaging of liquors, malt liquors, wines and brandy X X
(i)[h] Manufacturing, Processing, and packaging of soft drinks, carbonated waters, flavor extracts and flavoring syrups X X
Chemicals and Synthetics
(a) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of industrial inorganic and organic chemicals SB
(b) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of plastics, materials and synthetic rubber, synthetic and other man made fibers SB
(c) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of drugs, medicinal chemicals and pharmaceutical preparations X
(d) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of soap and detergents, cleaning, polishing and sanitation preparation surface active agents, finishing agents and sulfonated oils SB
(e) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of perfumes, cosmetics and other toilet preparations X
(f) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of paints, varnishes, lacquers, enamels, gum and wood chemicals, and allied products SB
(g) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of agricultural chemicals, including fertilizer, pesticides, soil conditioners and similar products SB
(i)[h] Manufacturing, processing and packaging of miscellaneous chemicals and chemical preparations not elsewhere listed SB
Electroplating
Electroplating, plating polishing, anodizing, coloring, coating, engraving and finishing of metals and formed products X
Fabricated Metal Products
Manufacturing, assembling, fabricating, working and packaging of ferrous and non ferrous metal products, and products of predominantly metal construction by using other materials also, including metal cans, cutlery, hand tools, general hardware, metal furniture, heating apparatus, plumbing apparatus and fixtures, fabricated structural steel products, screw machine products, rivets and washers, metal stampings, fabricated wire products and miscellaneous fabricated metal products X
Instruments, Appliances, and Miscellaneous Goods
Manufacturing, assembling, processing and packaging of electric lighting and wiring equipment, radio and television receiving sets; electronic components, equipment and accessories; instruments and tools for measuring, controlling and indicating surgical, medical and dental instruments and apparatus, including orthopedic, prosthetic and related appliance machines; household and institutional appliances; photographic equipment and supplies; ophthalonic goods; optical instruments and lenses; watches; clocks; clockwork operated devices and parts; jewelry, silverware, flatware, and plated ware; musical instruments and parts, games sporting and athletic goods (except arms and gun powder or explosives); office and artists materials and supplies, not elsewhere listed; notions and novelties; housewares, sundries, and personal accouterments SA X X
Lumber and Wood Products
Manufacturing, working, processing, assembling and packaging of wood and wood products, including sawmills and planning mills, special sawmill products, millwork, veneer and plywood, prefabricated wooden buildings and structural members, hardware dimension and flooring, wooden containers, household and institutional furniture, partitions shelving, lockers, fixtures, and similar wood products X X
Machinery and Equipment, Vehicles and Arms
Manufacturing, assembling, processing and packaging of engines and turbines; farm machinery and equipment; construction and mining machinery and equipment; electric transmission and distribution equipment; aircraft and aircraft parts, ships or boats and parts and equipment for ships or boats; railroad equipment; small arms, guns (except gun powder and explosives), artillery, and similar weaponry, ordinance and accessories not elsewhere listed X
Paper and Wood Products
(a) Treatment and packaging of pulp and pressed or molded pulp and pressed or molded pulp goods, including paper, paperboard, building paper and building board X
(b) Manufacturing, processing treatment and packaging of paper and paperboard products including envelope, bags, wallpaper die cut paper and paperboard, sanitary paper products and paperboard containers X
Petroleum
Petroleum refining; manufacturing, processing and packaging of petroleum products, including paving mixtures and blocks, asphalt felt and coating, lubricating oils and greases, and other products of petroleum and coal SB
Printing
Printing, Graphic reproduction, and allied services, including manufacturing of manifold business forms and greeting cards, bookbinding, typesetting, photo engraving electrotyping and stereotyping SA X X
Rubber and Miscellaneous Plastics
(a) Reclaiming of rubber X
(b) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of molded and fabricated rubber and plastic products X
Stone, Clay and Glass
(a) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of flat glass and pressed or blown glass and glassware products X
(b) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of hydraulic cement, ready mixed concrete, concrete products, gypsum and gypsum products X
(c) Manufacturing, processing of structural clay products, vitreous china, porcelain and earthenware products X
(d) Cutting, shaping and finishing marble, granite, slate and other stone for building and miscellaneous uses X
(e) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of asbestos products, abrasive products, metal wool and similar non metallic mineral products not elsewhere listed X
(f) Crushing, grading, pulverizing and otherwise processing earth's, rocks and minerals X
Textiles and Apparel
(a) Manufacturing, processing and packaging of broad and narrow woven fabrics, knit goods, rugs and carpets, yarns, and threads, felt goods, lace goods, padding and upholstery filling, cord, artificial leather, oil cloth and other impregnating or coating fabrics, and recovering of fibers and flock X X
(b) Manufacturing, assembling, processing and packaging of apparel, footwear, luggage, house furnishings, and other finished products made from fabrics, leather, rubber and similar materials X X
Retail outlet provided however that the sales shall include only those products manufactured or assembled on the premises X X
Wholesale Trade and Storage
(a) Storage buildings and warehouses; provided that any manufacturing, assembling, processing or treatment of materials carried on in conjunction with warehousing operation shall be permitted only as listed above X X X
(b) Wholesale trade, including storage and warehouse facilities incidental to wholesaling operations provided that any manufacturing, assembling, processing or treatment of materials carried on in conjunction with wholesaling operations shall be considered separately and shall be permitted only as listed above X X X
(c) Establishments primarily engage[d] in assembling, breaking up, sorting and wholesale distribution of scrap and waste materials; and including auto wreckers engaged in dismantling automobiles for scrap, but excluding those engaged in dismantling cars for the purpose of selling second hand parts on a retail basis SA

 

Section 508. - Residential uses: Table of area and bulk regulations.

District
Residential
R-1 R-2 R-3
Minimum Lot Area per dwelling unit (sq. ft.) 5000 5000 SF
3500 TF 		5000 SF
3500 TF
2500 MF
Lot Width (feet) 50 SF 50 SF
75 TF 		50 SF
75 TF
100 MF
Lot Depth (feet) 100 100 100
Minimum Yard Size (feet):
  Front Yard 25 20 20
  Rear Yard 25 20 20
  One Side Yard 8 8 SF
8 TF 		8 SF
8 TF
8 MF
  Both Side Yards Combined 20 20 SF
18 TF 		20 SF
18 TF
16 MF
Maximum Building Height
(stories) 


(feet) 		2.5 



35 		2.5 SF
3.5 TF
4.0 MF

60 		2.5 SF
3.5 TF
15.0 MF

180
Maximum Building Coverage of Lot % 40 50 60
SF—SINGLE FAMILY
TF—TWO FAMILY
MF—MULTI-FAMILY

 

Section 509. - Nonresidential uses: Table of area and bulk regulations.

ZONING DISTRICTS
C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Minimum Lot Area none none none none 10,000 15,000 20,000 20,000 10,000
Minimum Lot Width none none none none 100 100 100 100 100
Minimum Lot Depth none none none none 100 150 200 200 200
Maximum Lot Coverage 50% 60% 70% 90% 50% 50% 50% 50% 60%
Maximum F.A.R a 1.0 5.0 2.0 6.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 5.0

 

Minimum Setback Requirements:

ZONING DISTRICTS
C-N C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 M-1 M-2 S-1 OSP
Front Yard 10 10 b 10 b 10 c 10 b 10 b 10 b 20 20
Rear Yard 10 d 5 d 10 d 10 20 d 20 d 20 20 20
Side Yard (per side) 10 d 5 de 5 de 0 e 5 e 5 de 5 e 15 15

 

a.  Floor Area Ratio.

b.  Twenty (20) feet required when abutting State Route 315 or State Route 309.

c.  No front yard setback is required for properties fronting upon Public Square or the first block of South Main Street.

d.  Thirty (30) feet required when abutting an R zone.

e.  Ten (10) feet required when abutting public right-of-way.