Frequently Asked
Questions
How do I open a business in the
City of Reading?
What does Reading
have to offer my business and why should I move or expand
my business to Reading?
What are the incentives?
How do I apply for a small business
loan?
What is going on in Reading in
terms of economic development?
Where can I find a site for my business?
How/where do I get zoning information?
How do I apply for a business license?
How do I purchase an Our City Reading
(OCR)/Boscov House?
Does this office provide assistance
to private landlords?
How do I purchase a home if I am a low to moderate
income family?
How do I get a home repair loan?
How many historic districts are
located within the City of Reading?
Are all of the City’s historic
districts regulated?
What is the difference between
a National Register Historic District and a locally regulated
district?
What are the rules and regulations
for properties located within a historic district?
What is a Certificate of Appropriateness
and how do I obtain one?
When does the HARB hold its meetings?
Do I need to attend the HARB meeting?
How long does the HARB approval
process take?
How do I open
a business in the City of Reading?
Your first step to opening your own business is to come
to the zoning office to make an appointment to meeting
with one of our Zoning Administrators.
What
does Reading have to offer my business and why should
I move or expand my business to Reading?
The advantages to moving your business to Reading are
clear; there are 100 million people who have easy access
to your business. The City is only 55 miles from Philadelphia,
125 miles from New York and 145 miles from Washington
D.C. The City has a skilled and diverse work force. You’ll
find that doing business in the City will be most cost
efficient as we have many sites and buildings to match
your needs.
What are the incentives?
To view the incentives that are offered in the City of
Reading, please go to www.gobep.com
How do I apply for
a small business loan?
To apply for a small business loan, please go to www.sba.gov
What is going on in
Reading in terms of economic development?
Please go to www.gobep.com
Where can I find a site for
my business?
Please go to www.gobep.com
How/where do I get
zoning information?
Anyone who is interested in zoning information is encouraged
to visit our office in City Hall, room 3-03.
How do I apply for
a business license?
You must visit the tax office in City Hall, room 1-27
to apply for you new business license.
How do I purchase an
Our City Reading (OCR)/Boscov House?
You may contact an OCR representative by calling 610-370-3990
and someone will be able to assist you with obtaining
an application.
Does this office
provide assistance to private landlords?
At this time, the City does not have any programs that
can be offered to private landlords.
How do I purchase
a home if I am a low to moderate income family?
You can contact the following organizations for assistance.
Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) at 610-372-8433
Habitat For Humanity at 610-373-3439
How do I get a home
repair loan?
Call Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) at 610-372-8433
How many historic
districts are located within the City of Reading?
There five historic districts in the City of Reading:
Callowhill, Prince, Centre Park, Penn’s Common and
the Queen Anne District.
Are all of the City’s
historic districts regulated?
No. Only the Callowhill, Prince, Centre Park and Penn’s
Common Historic Districts are locally regulated by the
Reading Board of Historical Architectural Review (HARB).
The Queen Anne Historic District is Reading’s only
National Register District and changes to structures located
within its boundaries are not subject to review by the
HARB.
What is the difference
between a National Register Historic District and a locally
regulated district?
A National Register Historic District is a district that
has been designated by the National Park Service as worthy
of preservation and therefore has been placed in the National
Register of Historic Places, a federal list of historically
significant resources. National Register districts may
or may not be locally regulated but are afforded some
protection by municipality oversight when federal funds
are used in a project that may have a negative effect
on historic resources. A locally regulated historic district
is a district established by a municipality that may be
listed in or is eligible to the National Register of Historic
Places. A locally regulated district is governed and protected
by the Historic District Ordinance which establishes a
review board (HARB) to review changes to buildings. Listing
in the National Register of Historic Places does not necessarily
protect buildings within a historic district from being
altered or demolished whereas the historical integrity
of structures located within a local historic district
are provided protection through the Historic District
Ordinance
What are the rules
and regulations for properties located within a historic
district?
If a property is located within one of Reading’s
four local historic districts, all proposed exterior changes
that can be seen from a public right of way require review
by the HARB. The Preservation Officer has been authorized
to approve certain in kind building improvements and painting
of exterior surfaces. Certain proposed improvements may
require review by City Council as per the Historic District
Ordinance. The first step in the HARB process is to complete
a Certificate of Appropriateness application.
What is a Certificate
of Appropriateness and how do I obtain one?
A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is required for
all new construction and exterior alterations to structures
in a historic district that can be seen from a public
right of way, including those visible from public streets
and alleys. The application must be completed to include
all specifications for proposed exterior work (submit
paint color samples, material samples, and detailed drawings
illustrating finished dimensions for signs, new construction
and alterations). Apply to the Historic Preservation Officer
for a COA prior to obtaining any required building permits.
A COA application is available from the City’s Historic
Preservation Office, City Hall, 815 Washington Street,
Room 3-03, Reading, PA, 19601.
When does the HARB
hold its meetings?
The HARB meets every third Tuesday of the month and COA
applications must be submitted to the Preservation Officer
ten working days before the regularly scheduled meeting.
The meetings are open to the public
Do I need to attend
the HARB meeting?
Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
If a property owner or person representing the project
is not in attendance and therefore cannot answer pertinent
questions, the HARB may table its review until the owner
can attend and more information on the project can be
obtained.
How long does the HARB approval
process take?
The HARB will review a project at the regular monthly
meeting and in most cases will issue approval for a COA
at the hearing. Once the COA is issued, a building permit
may be obtained.
