In today’s 24/7 economy, warehouses are no longer large buildings for the storage of goods. While warehouses still serve as holding centers for goods, they can also serve as logistics centers that contain multiple phases of the retail chain. Unfortunately, these new facilities also bring concerns related to noise, traffic, design, and environmental impacts to the communities they are built. To address these concerns, local municipalities can leverage their zoning ordinances to successfully manage the development of these facilities.

The environmental group PennFuture has developed a standard model ordinance for Pennsylvania municipalities to sensibly manage the development of these facilities within their jurisdiction. On this page we connect you to key points, zoning standards of PennFuture’s model ordinance, and provide a high-level analysis of where logistics facilities could be developed within the County.

PennFuture is an environmental group that advocates for equitable outcomes at the local, state, and federal levels to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. A large portion of their work focuses on public policy to address current and future environmental issues. Their model warehouse and logistics ordinance have become standard model ordinance for municipalities throughout the state.