title
Communication from Mayor Corey O’Connor submitting Executive Order No. 2026-01, dated January 6, 2026.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh’s existing permitting regimen is outdated, inefficient, and insufficient to meet the needs of residents and applicants; and
WHEREAS, in line with this administration’s commitment to continuous improvement of municipal operations and delivery of core services, the existing permitting and project approval processes must be modernized and reformed to establish policies that prioritize clarity, ease of access and understandability, predictability, and efficiency; and
WHEREAS, operational and structural changes are necessary to ensure these processes are applicant-focused and designed for the benefit of the public; and
WHEREAS, improvements to these processes will enable the City of Pittsburgh to achieve better outcomes in its efforts to promote housing production, the success of small business, neighborhood investments, and economic growth and development.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Corey O’Connor, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Home Rule Charter of the City of Pittsburgh and the laws of the City of Pittsburgh do hereby direct the following:
1. The City of Pittsburgh shall begin a comprehensive review of its permitting, licensing, design and project review, and application processes and propose and adopt improvements to improve the customer service experience of applicants, simplify application and approval processes, streamline review requirements, and institutionalize more transparent, predictable, responsive, and efficient permitting operations.
2. The Directors of the Departments City Planning, Mobility and Infrastructure, and Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, as well as all other City of Pittsburgh departments, offices, and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Mayor shall, as directed, participate in and contribute to the efforts to reform these processes and achieve the goals set forth herein as needed.
3. All participating departments, offices, and agencies shall work to identify system deficiencies and propose transformational corrective actions including, but not limited to, changes to the City of Pittsburgh’s Code of Ordinances, Zoning Code, internal policies and procedures, application requirements and review, design standards, project qualifications, notification timelines and policies, approval processes, and public-facing and applicant-focused operations. All such recommendations shall be reported to the Mayor within 60 days of the issuance of this Executive Order.
4. Participating City parties shall seek the counsel and input of the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council, the Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh branch of the American Institute of Architects, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Pittsburgh, NAIOP Pittsburgh, a local attorney experienced in zoning and land use matters, and City Council.
5. This Executive Order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with all applicable laws and nothing herein shall be construed so as to impede or otherwise affect the statutory authority held by and granted through law to any City of Pittsburgh department, office, agency, board, authority, commission, or body.
6. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately and remain in effect until amended or rescinded in writing by the Mayor.