/TOC, Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District.
Philadelphia Code § 14-513
in effect§ 14-513. /TOC, Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District.
Notes
509 | Amended, Bill No. 170162 (approved July 11, 2017); Caption and Section amended, Bill No. 260517 (approved June 12, 2026).
(1) Purpose.
The /TOC Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District is intended to foster vibrant, sustainable, mixed-use communities near transit stations. This includes improving the safety and quality of the pedestrian environment; the inclusion of places to live, work, shop, and play; and enhanced access to transit. Taken together, these features will support the use of transit, biking, and walking, while reducing reliance on motor vehicles.
(2) Applicability.
The standards of the /TOC Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District shall apply to new construction and expansions of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of gross floor area on lots located within area described in § 14-513(3) (Designation).
Notes
510 | Amended, Bill No. 120774-A (approved January 14, 2013).
(3) Designation.
Any lot that meets the conditions set forth in subsection § 14-513(3)(b) shall be subject to the /TOC Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District rules of this section. A Designated Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Transit Station may include any rail stop or station; any water taxi stop; any intercity bus station; and any bus or trolley stop that is located within 500 feet of a rail stop or station, includes permanent structures outside of the right-of-way, or includes dedicated passenger infrastructure.
(a) Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Transit Station, Designated. 511
The following transit stations are designated as Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Transit Stations. Any renaming of a station shall not affect its designation herein.
(.1) The L (Market-Frankford Line).
(.a) Frankford Transportation Center. 512
(.b) Erie-Torresdale Station. 513
(.c) Tioga Station. 514
(.d) Allegheny Station. 515
(.e) Somerset Station. 516
(.f) Huntingdon Station. 517
(.g) Berks Station. 518
(.h) Spring Garden Station. 519
(.i) 46th Street Station.
(.j) 52nd Street Station.
(.k) 56th Street Station.
(.l) 60th Street Station.
(.m) 63rd Street Station.
(.2) The B (Broad Street Lines).
(.a) Reserved.
(.3) Regional Rail Lines.
(.a) Reserved.
(.4) The T (Subway-Surface Trolley Lines).
(.a) Reserved.
(.5) Other Transit.
(.a) Reserved.
(b) Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) Lots, Designated.
The /TOC Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District shall include all lots in the areas described below. The Commission shall maintain a map of all /TOC Overlay District areas and shall be responsible for determining whether a given lot lies within the /TOC Overlay District.
(.1) Any lot lying, in whole or in part, within 1,320 ft. of any entrance to, or exit from a (TOC) Transit Station listed under subsection (3)(a)(.1), (3)(a)(.2), or (3)(a)(.3), above or a subterranean (TOC) Transit Station listed under subsection (3)(a)(.4) or (3)(a)(.5), above.
(.2) Any lot lying, in whole or in part, within 500 ft. of any entrance to, or exit from, a non-subterranean (TOC) Transit Station listed under subsection (3)(a)(.4) or (3)(a)(.5), above.
(.3) For (TOC) Transit Stations that are located at grade or otherwise lack a clearly defined entrance or exit, these distances shall be measured from the edges of waiting areas (boarding platforms or permanent shelters).
Notes
511 | Amended, Bill No. 170986 (approved January 3, 2018); amended, Bill No. 220452 (approved August 31, 2022); amended, Bill No. 230007 (approved April 25, 2023).
512 | Added, Bill No. 220323 (approved August 31, 2022).
513 | Added, Bill No. 180008-A (approved December 11, 2018).
514 | Added, Bill No. 220323 (approved August 31, 2022).
515 | Added, Bill No. 180008-A (approved December 11, 2018).
516 | Added, Bill No. 220323 (approved August 31, 2022).
517 | Added, Bill No. 220323 (approved August 31, 2022).
518 | Added, Bill No. 220323 (approved August 31, 2022).
519 | Added, Bill No. 180008-A (approved December 11, 2018).
(4) Use Regulations.
Notwithstanding other provisions of this Zoning Code, lots located in the /TOC Overlay District shall comply with the following use regulations.
(a) Maximum Number of Dwelling Units. 520
For any lot within a CMX-1, CMX-2, CMX-2.5, or RM-1 district, the maximum number of dwelling units permitted is increased by fifty percent (50%).
(b) Active Ground-Floor Uses.
Except in any RSA, RSD, RM, RTA, or SP-PO district, at least one of the following uses, which use must be permitted under the base zoning district, is required along one hundred percent (100%) of the ground floor frontage and within the first 30 ft. of building depth, measured from the front building line. If the property is bounded by two or more streets, only the primary frontages as designated in § 14-701(1)(d)(.4) (Primary Frontage) shall be subject to this requirement. 521
(.1) Retail sales;
(.2) Commercial services;
(.3) Public, civic, and institutional uses;
(.4) Office uses;
(.5) Enclosed public space, enclosed gardens, public rooms, through-block connections; or
(.6) Lobbies associated with multi-family household living, visitor accommodations, live theaters, movie theaters, or structured garages.
(c) Non-Accessory Parking Garages.
Where non-accessory parking garages are otherwise permitted by the base zoning district, non-accessory parking garages shall require a special exception.
(d) Prohibited Uses and Development.
The following uses are prohibited:
(.1) Vehicle and vehicular equipment sales and services uses;
(.2) Wholesale, distribution, and storage uses;
(.3) Non-accessory surface parking; and
(.4) Drive-throughs.
Notes
520 | Amended, Bill No. 210075 (approved March 29, 2021).
521 | Amended, Bill No. 260519 (approved June 12, 2026).
(5) TOC Form and Design Standards.
(a) Dimensional Standards.
(.1) Properties in a CMX-1, CMX-2, or RM-1 zoning district are subject to a maximum height of 45 ft. 522
(.2) Except if located within the /MIN, Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Overlay District, properties in a CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, or RMX-3 zoning district are subject to a base maximum floor-area ratio that is thirty percent (30%) greater than that indicated in § 14-701 (Dimensional Standards). 523
(.3) The minimum building height shall be 25 ft. in all districts.
(.4) New buildings must be built to the street line at ground level, along at least eighty percent (80%) of the primary street frontage, excluding curb cuts, except as follows:
(.a) If a lot fronts an elevated rail line, this provision does not apply and the maximum height shall be increased by an amount equal to the shortest distance between the front facade and the street frontage.
(.b) If a public space is provided between the building and a curb line, then this requirement only applies to the length of the primary street frontage that does not abut the public space. To qualify for this exemption, the public space must meet all of the criteria in § 14-702(6)(a) (Qualifying Criteria for Open Space, Public Parks, and Public Plazas) except for § 14-702(6)(a)(.2).
(.c) If a lot includes multiple buildings, then only buildings located, entirely or in part, within one hundred (100) linear ft. of the primary street frontage are subject to this provision.
(b) Parking. 524
The following standards apply in the /TOC Overlay District:
(.1) Reductions in Parking Minimums.
(.a) For lots within a CMX-3, RMX-3, or RM-4 district, any parking requirement otherwise applicable under § 14-802(2) (Required Parking in Residential Districts) or § 14-802(3) (Required Parking in Commercial Districts) is reduced by five spaces or by fifty percent (50%), whichever reduction is greater.
(.b) For lots within any other base zoning district, any parking requirement otherwise applicable under § 14-802(2) (Required Parking in Residential Districts), § 14-802(3) (Required Parking in Commercial Districts) or § 14-802(4) ( Required Parking in Industrial Districts) is reduced by five spaces.
(.2) Accessory surface parking lots and accessory parking garages are prohibited between the principal structure and the street frontage.
(.3) For non-residential uses, accessory parking requirements otherwise applicable under § 14-802 may not be exceeded by more than fifty percent (50%), except for parking accessory to the following uses:
(.a) All uses in the Public, Civic, and Institutional use category; and
(.b) Group Medical, Dental, and Health Practitioner.
(.4) For residential uses, no more than one auto parking space may be provided per every two housing units, rounding up to the nearest whole number.
(.5) No more than one curb cut may be permitted along each street frontage of a property; provided, however, that additional curb cuts may be permitted if a minimum of 200 linear ft. is provided between each curb cut.
(.6) If any bicycle parking spaces are required under the provisions of § 14-804 (Bicycle Parking Ratios and Standards.), then the number of required bicycle parking spaces is double what would otherwise be required.
Notes
522 | Amended, Bill No. 170986 (approved January 3, 2018).
523 | Amended, Bill No. 210633-A (approved January 18, 2022), effective July 18, 2022.
524 | Amended, Bill No. 120774-A (approved January 14, 2013).
Source: City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Code and Home Rule Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/philadelphia/latest/philadelphia_pa/0-0-0-291277Fetched: 10/27/2026