ACED Planning Division:

Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) is the designated planning agency for Allegheny County. ACED’s Planning Division provides a variety of supporting services for land use planning and development to municipalities, county departments and other government agencies, the general public, developers and others. The Division is also responsible for carrying various planning functions mandated by the PA Municipality Code (MPC). See below for more information.

County Approval of Subdivisions and Land Developments:

27 municipalities in Allegheny County have not adopted a subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO). In these municipalities, the Allegheny County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance governs, and the county planning agency is responsible for review and approval of subdivisions and land developments. Click here for more information including a list of the 27 municipalities, application forms, fee schedules, checklists, and fact sheets.

County Advisory Reviews:

As required by the MPC, Planning Division provides advisory reviews to all municipalities in the County except the City of Pittsburgh. Advisory reviews include the following types of applications:

• Site plans and subdivisions in municipalities that have adopted a SALDO
• Proposed land-use ordinances and amendments to land use ordinances
• Proposed comprehensive land use plans
• Record plans of subdivisions, site developments, and PRDs
• Proposed grant and permit applications
• Proposed land use studies for transportation impact fees

Recorded Plans:

After a subdivision, site development or planned residential development (PRD) has been approved by the municipality, the record plan must be submitted to Planning Division for a final check and signing by ACED before the plan can be recorded with ACDRE. This applies to all municipalities except the City of Pittsburgh.

Forms, Fact Sheets, and Other Information

General Information

• Allegheny County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
• PA Municipalities Planning Code (MPC)

Advisory Reviews

• County Reviews Advisory
• MPC Submittals Summary
• Consistency reviews. Here you will find detailed information about permit and grant consistency reviews.

Subdivisions and Record Plans:

• Subdivision Basics: Getting Started. This handout is intended for someone who has never subdivided property before, and heeds help getting started.
• Digital Submittal of Plans Policy
• Subdivision Review Checklist. The Division uses this checklist to review all proposed subdivision record plans.
• Preparation of Record Plans. Appendices 1 – 4 of the county SALDO contain standards, requirements, and other important information applicable to all plans that will be recorded in Allegheny County.
• Final Record Plans. Basic information on submitting finally approved plans to the Division for review and signature, prior to recording with ACDRE.
• ACDRE Subdivision Recording Process. This advisory explains ACDRE’s recording process and gives some examples of when / why deeds are required.
• Recording Time Limits – All finally approved plans must be recorded within a specified period of time. This fact sheet explains the deadline for recording plans, and what to do if your plan is past the deadline.
• Deed Required Notification Clause. This new clause is required to be provided on all subdivision record plans.