Zoning Update

PROJECT UPDATE (January 23, 2026)

The Planning Board issued a recommendation letter to the Town Board for consideration of adopting the Draft Zoning Law and Subdivision Regulations Update (Zoning Update) at the meeting of January 20, 2026. The Town Board will discuss the Zoning Update at the February 11, 2026 meeting. View the Draft zoning law and subdivision regulations updates.

PROJECT UPDATE (November 19, 2025)

A public meeting was held on November 18, 2025. A video recording of the meeting can be found on the town's meeting portal (due to technical issues audio begins at 13:36). Meeting materials including the display boards and presentation slides are provided below:

1. Presentation Slides	8. Multi-Use Districts
2. Code Updates At-a-Glance	9. Building and Site Design
3. Zoning Map Comparison	10. Circulation, Parking and Landscaping
4. 2022 Comprehensive Plan Alignment	11. Industrial Districts
5. Residential Districts	12. Special Purpose Districts
6. Residential Design Standards	13. Subdivision and Incentive
7. Hamlet Districts

PROJECT UPDATE (October 22, 2025)

The Town of Bethlehem zoning and subdivision updates codifies policies and recommendations from the 2022 Comprehensive Plan Update to ensure the Town’s land use regulations are aligned with key smart growth development principles. Since 2023, over the course of 24 meetings, the Planning Board has utilized its regularly scheduled monthly meetings to work with planners from Colliers Engineering and Bethlehem Planning Department to lead this effort.

View the Draft zoning law and subdivision regulations updates at:

The updates to the code are intended to:

Improve regulatory support for mixed use development, and redevelopment opportunities;
Foster more walkable and bikeable neighborhood design practice;
Support a range of housing opportunities, choices, and densities;
Incorporate regulations addressing climate resiliency, clean energy, and green infrastructure;
Support existing agricultural uses and balance development opportunities with open space conservation best practice;
Utilize a more user-friendly format for increased clarity and understanding by all users; and
Foster more community and stakeholder collaboration in planning and development review processes.

Following the November 18, 2025 public meeting, after considering public feedback, the Planning Board is expected to convene in December to advance the zoning updates to the Town Board. By the Spring of 2026, the Town Board is expected to officially adopt the zoning update.

If you would like more information about this event, please contact the project team at BethlehemForward@bethlehemny.gov

This project is partially funded through a NYS DOS Smart Growth Community Planning and Zoning Program grant secured by the Town.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Planning Board Advisory Session #27
Tuesday, 1/20/2026 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the revisions that the Board had requested on the full Draft Zoning Law and Subdivision Regulations after the January 6, 2025 meeting. Staff prepared a memo that summarized modifications to the Zoning map, Zoning Law Parts 1-3 and the Subdivision Regulations. The Board made a recommendation to advance the document to the Town Board.

Planning Board Advisory Session #26
Tuesday, 1/6/2026 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the comments received on the revised full Draft Zoning Law and Subdivision Regulations after the December 16, 2025 meeting. Staff prepared a memo that summarized minor modifications to the Commercial Multi-Use minimum building height and agritourism sections of the proposed update. Revisions to the Cluster Subdivision section were also discussed as part of a discussion of the NYS DEC wetland permit changes. The Board discussed public comments and suggested changes to the document as well as requesting more information from staff on certain Zoning change requests.

Planning Board Advisory Session #25
Tuesday, 12/16/2025 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the comments received on the revised full Draft Zoning Law and Subdivision Regulations after the public open house on November 18, 2025. Staff prepared a written comment response summary as well as documentation of the comments received. The Board discussed public comments and suggested minor changes to the document based on staff response summary as well as requesting more information from staff on items such as the conservation subdivision open space calculation, building height in the CMU district, certain Zoning change requests and a question on the agritourism definitions.

Planning Board Advisory Session #24
Tuesday, 10/7/2025 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the revised full Draft Zoning Law and Subdivision Regulations prior to the public open house scheduled for November 18, 2025. The staff memo highlighted the content and changes of Parts 1-4 of the Zoning Law as well as Chapter 103 Subdivision Regulations.

Planning Board Advisory Session #23
Tuesday, 9/2/2025 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the draft regulations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to be included in the Zoning Law. Town staff explained what battery energy storage systems were and why there was a need for them to be added to the Zoning Law as a use allowed in certain zones. The staff memo highlighted the regulations to address BESS in the code and explained how NY State’s fire code has addressed the use.

Planning Board Advisory Session #21
Tuesday, 6/17/2025 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the Incentive Zoning section of the Zoning Law. Colliers Engineering discussed the existing code procedure and the revisions to the incentives and benefits that reflect the recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan Update. The Incentives and benefits were previously discussed at the May 6, 2025 meeting.

Video Recording
Documents
- Staff Memo
- Bethlehem Incentive Zoning Draft 061225

Planning Board Advisory Session #18
Tuesday, 3/18/2025 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a discussion of the public comments received (by email, mail and in person) to date on the proposed Zoning map, including context for the zoning districts shown in certain locations. Staff used the Summary of Public Comments on the Draft Zoning Map document to review the comments with the Board..

Video Recording
Documents
- Staff Memo
- Summary of Zoning Map Public Comments Final

Planning Board Advisory Session #15
Tuesday, 11/19/2024 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a second presentation and discussion on the proposed Zoning map. The first discussion was at the October 15, 2024 Planning Board meeting (meeting #14). Please refer to meeting #14 attachments below for the proposed map and link to interactive map, draft zoning district language, staff memo explaining methodology and table showing change in zoning districts.

Planning Board Advisory Session #10
Tuesday, 6/18/2024 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a presentation and discussion on design standards and guidelines for non-residential uses within the code. The consultant provided an overview of different building placements, orientation, architectural features and materials that can be considered as part of design standards. There was also a discussion on parking, circulation and access design standards that can be included in a code update to meet recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan Update.

Planning Board Advisory Session #9
Tuesday, 6/4/2024 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a presentation and discussion on wetland and watercourse protection. Staff provided an overview of current regulations on the State, Federal and town level as well as options that were available for the town if it were to choose to regulate wetlands further. Implementation and administration of a local wetland permit was discussed.

Planning Board Advisory Session #8
Tuesday, 5/7/2024 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

The focus of the meeting was a continuation of the draft Additional Use regulations; Agricultural Use and Right to Farm, Keeping of Animals, Residential, Home Occupations, and Live/Work Units were reviewed. The status of Supplemental Regulations was also discussed. The Colliers team then presented an introduction of elements of the Design and Development Standards.

Planning Board Advisory Session #4
Tuesday, 1/16/2024 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium;

Consultant gave an update on the schedule and the task items performed to date. They presented a summary the preliminary Hamlet Districts Framework and the preliminary Multi-Use Districts Framework.

Planning Board Advisory Session #3
Thursday, 11/16/2023 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

Consultant gave an update on the schedule and the task items performed to date. They presented a summary of the Code Assessment document and the Preliminary Residential Districts Framework. The preliminary district framework is focused on establishing the district identity including defining the purpose, density, and general character. Design and development standards as well as additional regulations for each district will be created under Part 3 in the schedule during the first part of 2024.

Planning Board Advisory Session #2
Tuesday, 8/1/2023 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

Consultant presented a framework for assessing the Town’s current zoning code, identifying issues and opportunities (written code assessment will be posted here in the coming weeks); reported on results of public input, including the development preference survey and feedback from the May public workshop.

Public Workshop #1
Wednesday, 5/31/2023 | 6:00 pm | Town Hall Auditorium

Consultant led a presentation about the project scope and process, introduction to land use and smart growth principles, and launch of a visual community preference survey. Attendees had an opportunity to visit breakout activity stations to discuss and provide feedback on key topic areas including land use, natural resources, and clean energy.

ADVISORY BODY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The Bethlehem Planning Board will serve as the advisory body during development of the project. Pursuant to Zoning Law 128-92, the Planning Board shall provide a final recommendation on the zoning updates to the Town Board, prior to Town Board adoption. The consultant will attend several regularly scheduled Planning Board meetings coinciding with key milestones during the project to gather input and share its latest findings. As with all Planning Board meetings, these advisory sessions are open to the public.

All Planning Board meetings that include Zoning Update sessions will be noted in the Meetings and Events section below, as well as through featured news items on the Town’s website. All meeting materials will be included on the associated Planning Board agenda (links to these agendas will be included below.) In addition, there will be several community workshops and stakeholder focus groups held throughout the course of the project. Meeting dates and materials will be included below and through featured news items.