About DCP
Mission
The Department of City Planning establishes and sustains an orderly and consistent approach to land use in the City of Pittsburgh that incorporates sustainability, city design, resilience, equity and opportunity in its’ work. To achieve this end, City Planning works with communities, civic organizations and public entities to develop policy, projects, and programs at the neighborhood and citywide scale and implements these policies through regulations, public commissions, and review of land development plans, master plans, and projects for compliance with those policies and regulations. The overriding goal is to sustain and enhance a thriving city of neighborhoods for the people who live, work, learn and visit here. Planning works to integrate completed and evolving citywide strategies – the OnePGH resilience strategy, the Climate Action Plan, and the People, Planet, Place, and Performance (p4) model into our everyday practice, policy, code, and Comprehensive Plan.
Public History, Art & Design Division
Promotes and ensures high-quality public art and civic design in order to sustain and enhance meaningful, memorable and enjoyable experiences. Develops and supports the inclusion of art and programming that reflect the city's history, diversity, and culture. Key tasks include staffing the City's Public Art & Civic Design Commission, the Historic Review Commission, conserving and maintaining the City's collection of public artwork, monuments, and memorials, and planning and implementing new commissions of public art and programs.
Strategic Planning Division
Develops planning for quality of life within the City of Pittsburgh. Neighborhood Planners serve to empower communities to plan their future, providing a key link to city government and resources. The division coordinates and develops the City’s Comprehensive Plan, a resource combining analysis of neighborhood and system-wide interrelated challenges, from affordable housing to community development and open space. Conducts project development reviews related to Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, stormwater management, and environmental reviews.
Sustainability & Resilience Division
Partners to protect and improve the environment for present and future generations. Leadership for the integration of sustainability and resilience into the City’s operations, policies, and investments, and implementation of Pittsburgh’s climate planning and resilience strategies. Principal activities include performance benchmarking, policy research for City operations, community education for sustainability, and identification of innovation investment opportunities.
Zoning & Development Review Devision
Staffs Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Contextual Design Advisory Panel. Functions include developing zoning code to adopt best planning and management practices and promote high quality and sustainable development. Reviews all permits for compliance with the City's zoning code, reviewing for and providing consultation on a project basis, and interdepartmental coordination for project review.
