Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting Summary - October 8, 2026

On October 8, 2026, the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment had a short day. Most of the morning's cases were rescheduled. The Board heard a Garfield request to legalize a long-informal two-unit house and a Squirrel Hill South request to go from four units to three. It approved the Squirrel Hill South request in a written decision the same day. A South Side Slopes protest appeal carried over from October 1 was rescheduled to November 5. Here’s what happened, by case.

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd09l4e2urs

Hearing and Action

Zoning Case 130 of 2026 — 5105 Dearborn Street (Garfield)

City materials: Case packet · Meeting agenda

Summary of Case

Review under Section 911.02 of using the house for two dwelling units in an R1D-H district, where two-unit residential isn't permitted (BDA-2026-05675). The case was continued from October 1 for late exhibits. Applicant James Roberts said the house was used informally as two units for years before his partner bought it about two years ago. There's a second kitchen and bathroom upstairs and a privacy door at the stairs, and from the age of the fixtures he thinks the conversion dates to the 1970s. That doesn't match the 1991 certificate of occupancy. The house has been empty for at least 10 years and needs an extensive remodel, including separate utilities.

Discussion

Chair Alice Mitinger asked when and how the conversion happened, about the zoning history, and how the house fits an R1 block. She noted that examples a mile away don't help much, so Roberts pointed to multi-unit buildings within a block on Dearborn. The houses on either side are single-family. There's no legal off-street parking now, but Roberts said a rear gate off the alley could fit two cars. LaShawn Burton-Faulk and John Richardson had no questions. No public comment.

Decision

Hearing closed; decision deferred. The Board accepted the exhibits, said it would look at the nearby examples and the zoning map, and will issue a written decision within the 45 days the code allows.

Zoning Case 136 of 2026 — 5648 Beacon Street (Squirrel Hill South)

City materials: Meeting agenda

Summary of Case

Special exception under Section 921.02.A to change a nonconforming use, converting a three-story building with four one-bedroom units, permitted by a 1976 certificate of occupancy, to three units with one per floor (DCP-ZDR-2026-04087). The site is zoned R2-L. Applicant Medha Singh said three units would be closer to conforming in a two-unit district. The one-car garage built into the hillside along Beacon Street stays.

Discussion

Mitinger noted the request lowers the unit count rather than adding units. She asked about parking, rear access (the back of the lot is wooded), and the character of the block. The applicant team said the building next door has four units and larger multi-unit buildings sit behind it. Burton-Faulk and Richardson had no questions, and no one testified in opposition.

Decision

Approved. The Board issued a written decision the same day, October 8, 2026, approving the special exception to change the nonconforming use from four units to three. You can view the full decision here.

Also on the Agenda

Zoning Case 124 of 2026 — 1811 South 18th Street (South Side Slopes)

City materials: Case packet

Protest appeal of the Zoning Administrator's approval of a general construction-contractor use (DCP-PAP-2026-00199). The case was continued from October 1 and was rescheduled to November 5, 2026, at 9:50 a.m..

Rescheduled to October 15

The emailed October 8 agenda also listed six cases that the Chair announced were rescheduled to the October 15 hearing: Zoning Case 132 of 2026 (43 Paul Street, Mount Washington), Zoning Case 131 of 2026 (148 Plymouth Street, Duquesne Heights), Zoning Case 134 of 2026 (119 Walter Street, Allentown), Zoning Case 118 of 2026 (500 Avery Street, East Allegheny), Zoning Case 128 of 2026 (1400 Ingham Street, Marshall-Shadeland), and Zoning Case 126 of 2026 (808 Brookline Boulevard).

Summary prepared with the assistance of AI from the public YouTube recording. This is not an official City of Pittsburgh record.