Major Development Advisory Meeting

Major development advisory meetings are offered to larger-scale projects to explain the City’s development review process. Each meeting brings together relevant review agencies, authorities and City Departments. They are designed to give applicants an overview of each department’s requirements so that they can successfully navigate the development review process. In addition, these meetings serve to notify City departments of proposed major projects.

During a pre-application meeting, Zoning staff will identify if the project qualifies for a Major Development Advisory Meeting. If it does, the applicant will be invited back once the project has passed beyond the conceptual stage so that department and agency staff will be able to provide project-specific guidance through the appropriate permitting and review processes.

What is a major development?

Large-scale developments are generally any one of the following projects:

• New construction costs more than $2 million.
• New construction totaling more than 50,000 sq ft.
• New construction in overlay and special purpose districts with additional development guidelines.

City Planning staff will determine whether a project will be considered a major development based on the specific project information. For example, a parking garage with a large square footage may be a relatively simple development without water and sewer hookups.

When are meetings held?

Major development advisory meetings may be held the second Monday each month at 11 a.m. via Zoom. The dates may occasionally change based on holidays. The meeting date will be confirmed two weeks before the scheduled date. When the meeting is scheduled, the Zoom link will be provided.

What is required for the presentation and when is it due?

Please email the Zoning staff the presentation two weeks prior to the meeting, so they can distribute to the meeting invitees. Drawings do not need to be finalized but should generally include: 

Helpful items to bring include:

• Site plan or survey
• Photos of site and context
• Landscape plan
• Building elevations
• Perspective renderings

Who will be there?

Representatives from any of the relevant local permitting and reviewing for the specific project scope will be present. These may include:

• Department of City Planning
• Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections
• Department of Public Works
• Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority
• Allegheny County Health Department
• Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The applicant is welcome to invite anyone involved in the project such as the property owner, architect, developer or other parties.

What happens after the meeting?

The prospective applicant will be advised at the meeting what the next steps will be in the development review process. This will vary by project type. Department representatives will also inform the applicant if additional meetings with their particular departments will be necessary.

For more information, please contact the Division of Zoning and Development Review at 412-255-2241 or zoning@pittsburghpa.gov.