Walnut Street Corridor Study

The Walnut Street Corridor study is a project being completed jointly by the City of Harrisburg, the Borough of Penbrook, Suquehanna Township and Lower Paxton Township, to look at conditions and issues along the roadway known sequentially as State Street, Walnut Street, Jonestown Road, and Allentown Boulevard. The study also includes Herr Street from Cameron Street to its intersection with Walnut Street. The four municipalities have a cooperation agreement, have sought joint funding from federal, state and county levels, and have hired McCormick Taylor to lead a consultant team to seek solutions.

The scope of the Walnut Street Corridor study is extensive and the potential impact of the project on the local economy will be lasting. Eight miles in length, the Walnut Street Corridor provides a classic case study of the patterns of the historic urban and suburban development within the greater Harrisburg region. Stretching from the Pennsylvania Capitol Complex in the west through the early streetcar suburb of Penbrook to the suburban regional mall and roadside commercial development of Lower Paxton Township, the Walnut Street Corridor showcases the challenges of regional economic development, transportation, and urban redevelopment planning.

The Walnut Street Corridor study is intended to address three specific areas of concern across the entirety of the corridor: 1) economic development, 2) traffic movement & pedestrian safety, and 3) aesthetic improvements.

All four municipalities recognize that any successful long-term revitalization and transportation improvement strategy must be rooted in intergovernmental cooperation between the local governments, Dauphin County, state and federal agencies, as well as private and non-profit entities within the region. With challenges to the continued success of the region's transportation systems, as well as concerns about how to maintain the high quality-of-life and economic strength of the businesses within the corridor, the various partners in this corridor study view the project as a critical first step in developing far-reaching and sustainable development strategies for the region.You won't see immediate changes, but each of the four municipalities will have a solid plan and direction set out for it to implement. This plan will open the door for future funding of roadway improvements, residential and/or business development, and a greater sense and awareness of the Walnut Street Corridor.

How can you learn more? Visit www.walnutstreetcorridor.com for up-to-date information on meetings, findings, and future improvements. Maps, photos, and drawings will be posted that detail the current conditions and direction of the plan.

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    Download PDF file   Accessibility Guidelines are now available.

This design guide is intended to serve as a resource for Harrisburg business and commercial property owners to find solutions to make their premises accessible to persons with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires all new commercial construction and renovations, as well as previously existing buildings to remove barriers to access to the extent that it is readily achievable. This is very important because businesses that do not make a good faith effort toward barrier removal risk legal consequences. The guide was developed in concert with the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania.

"I encourage the use of this Guide as a valuable tool in assessing accessibility in your places of business. The Department of Building and Housing Development, Plans and Permits Unit, and Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania are eager to help you increase accessibility. We hope you join the City of Harrisburg as a partner in our efforts to create a city that offers abundant accessibility for all people." - Mayor Stephen R. Reed

Good Access is Good Business!

2008 Planning & Zoning Code....Download PDF file

2008 Planning & Zoning Code Amendment Application....Download PDF file

                      Glossary of Terms Codified Ordinances....Download PDF file

The Planning and Zoning Code, containing information and regulations pertaining to the development of the City is now available on-line. Also on-line is the Codified Ordinances' Glossary of Terms providing definitions. These documents are in addition to the Zoning Map which is already on-line.

Disclaimer: The City Clerk's Office has the official version of the Harrisburg Planning & Zoning Code.

Users should contact the City Clerk's Office for official copies of said ordinances.

Planning Bureau staff may be contacted at (717) 255-6407 with questions.

Current Zoning Maps Available Online

Downloadable versions of the base zoning map and overlay districts are now available in Planning. Interested persons may download copies of the standard zoning districts, special intensity districts, historic districts, and flood plain. While these are unofficial copies, they are of great use for referencing the situation for a particular property—you can “zoom in” to where you can see property addresses and building forms.

NOTE: Property lines are approximations and NOT surveyed. Building footprint information is based upon aerial photography taken in 2003 and does not include updates since that time.

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Application Forms Now Available Online

Downloadable versions of applications for the City’s Land Use Boards are now available. Interested persons may download copies of the latest application forms for Harrisburg’s Planning Commission, Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) and Zoning Hearing Board requests. The application forms include Land Development Plans/Subdivisions, Right-of-Way Easements, Street Vacations, Historic District work, and Special Exceptions/Variances. When necessary, instructions regarding the completion of the forms are included.

The regular meeting and application deadline schedule for the land use boards is also available for downloading.

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