SB 1281 — An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in planned residential development, providing for expedited high density housing approval.

PRINTER'S NO.   1589

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 1281
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY ROTHMAN, PICOZZI, STEFANO, LAUGHLIN, PHILLIPS-
        HILL, DUSH AND VOGEL, APRIL 14, 2026

     REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, APRIL 14, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled
 2      "An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third
 3      class, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships of the first
 4      and second classes including those within a county of the
 5      second class and counties of the second through eighth
 6      classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development
 7      and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land
 8      development ordinances, planned residential development and
 9      other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of
10      certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition
11      of such land; to promote the conservation of energy through
12      the use of planning practices and to promote the effective
13      utilization of renewable energy sources; providing for the
14      establishment of planning commissions, planning departments,
15      planning committees and zoning hearing boards, authorizing
16      them to charge fees, make inspections and hold public
17      hearings; providing for mediation; providing for transferable
18      development rights; providing for appropriations, appeals to
19      courts and penalties for violations; and repealing acts and
20      parts of acts," in planned residential development, providing
21      for expedited high density housing approval.
22      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
23   hereby enacts as follows:
24      Section 1.    The act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known
25   as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, is amended by
26   adding a section to read:
27      Section 707.1.    Expedited High Density Housing Approval.--(a)
 1   No later than one year after the effective date of this
 2   subsection, the board shall adopt rules requiring the governing
 3   body of a municipality to issue a land use decision,
 4   notwithstanding any comprehensive plan or land use regulations
 5   or Statewide land use planning goals, approving the development
 6   of specified residential development types on certain lots or
 7   parcels under specified conditions under this section.
 8      (b)   A rule established under this section shall only apply
 9   to lots or parcels that are zoned residential and served by
10   public utilities.
11      (c)   The residential development types that may be approved
12   under this section shall only include:
13            (1)   Attached or detached housing, including accessory
14      dwelling units, prefabricated or modular housing or mixed use
15      with residential.
16            (2)   Types with a buildable area of:
17                  (i)    A size of not more than 2,200 square feet for a
18            single-unit dwelling, accessory dwelling unit, duplex,
19            triplex, quadplex or townhouse.
20                  (ii)   An average per-unit size of not more than 1,400
21            square feet for cottage clusters or a multiunit dwelling.
22            (3)   A multiunit dwelling with fewer than 50 units.
23            (4)   Housing that complies with the maximum density
24      requirements of the applicable comprehensive plan or land use
25      regulations for the lot or parcel.
26            (5)   Housing types whose building plans have been
27      approved under subsection (f).
28      (d)   The board may specify for the approved residential
29   development types allowed under this section:
30            (1)   Processes that the municipalities may apply to the

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 1      development, except for public facilities or traffic impact
 2      analysis processes, which the municipality may establish and
 3      implement.
 4            (2)   Applicable design standards and the scope of the
 5      design review, which may include requiring the approval of
 6      the use of any material, design or method of construction
 7      that is approved under the applicable building code or
 8      approved under subsection (f).
 9            (3)   Allowable variations or adjustments, or variation or
10      adjustment types, from the specific approval. A municipality
11      is not required to grant a request for adjustments to
12      development authorized under this section except as specified
13      by the board.
14      (e)   (1)   In adopting rules under this section, the board
15      shall coordinate with the review of building construction
16      plans by the department under subsection (f).
17            (2)   In implementing this section, the department shall
18      coordinate with approvals of land use plans by the board
19      under this section.
20      (f)   The department shall designate a process by which an
21   applicant for a building permit for a residential structure of a
22   type described in subsection (c)(1), (2) and (3) may receive
23   building construction plan approval from the municipality,
24   including through the use of:
25            (1)   Typical drawings and specifications created by the
26      department.
27            (2)   Review of plans and specifications approved by the
28      department. Plans and specifications submitted under this
29      paragraph shall remain proprietary unless the submitter
30      requests otherwise.

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 1      (g)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
 2   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
 3   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 4      "Board."     The State Planning Board under section 451 of the
 5   act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The
 6   Administrative Code of 1929.
 7      "Department."    The Department of Labor and Industry of the
 8   Commonwealth.
 9      "Municipality."    A county, city, borough, incorporated town
10   or township.
11      Section 2.    This act shall take effect immediately.




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