30,000 Homes: Strengthening Philadelphia's TOC Bills
Mayor Parker introduced five transit-oriented zoning bills (Bills 260516–260520). Here's what they do, and how City Council can build on them.
Our Three Asks to City Council
Build Philly Now and our coalition partners are asking Council to do three things this session.
Pass Bills 260516–260520
Advance the Mayor's five Transit-Oriented Communities bills without weakening their housing or parking provisions.
See what the bills do →Add the stations in your district
The bills cover only 13 MFL stations. District Council Members should introduce companion amendments adding stations across six high-potential corridors — Broad Street Line, Girard Avenue, Regional Rail, and the remaining MFL.
See the six corridors →Eliminate minimum parking requirements
The bills reduce parking mandates but don't eliminate them — and CMX-3 parking minimums still bind on the most valuable parcels. Mandated parking raises rents, encourages car ownership, and undermines walkable neighborhoods.
See the parking analysis →The Five Bills
HOME II: TOC Overlay
IntroducedBill 260517
- ●Expands TOC overlay from 500 ft to 1,320 ft (¼ mile) around 13 MFL stations
- ●50% dwelling unit bonus in CMX-1, CMX-2, CMX-2.5, RM-1
- ●30% FAR bonus in CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, RMX-3 (except /MIN overlay)
- ●Height increase to 45 ft in CMX-1, CMX-2, RM-1
- ●50% parking reduction (or 5-space minimum, whichever greater)
- ●Doubled bicycle parking requirements
- ●Single-family zones (RSA, RSD) explicitly excluded
Transit Station Use By-Right
IntroducedBill 260520
- ●Makes transit station use permitted by-right in all commercial zones
- ●Removes special exception requirement from CMX-2, CMX-2.5, CA-1
- ●SEPTA can upgrade stations without Zoning Board approval
- ●Exceeds the coalition's original ask (all commercial zones, not just select ones)
TOC Ground-Floor Uses
IntroducedBill 260519
- ●Exempts residential districts from active ground-floor use requirements
- ●Modernizes ground-floor standards for transit areas
- ●Allows retail, commercial services, office, and public uses on ground floor
- ●Standalone fix in case main TOC bill is delayed
CMX-1 Reform
IntroducedBill 260516
- ●Eliminates adjacency rule (CMX-1 no longer must match most restrictive neighboring residential)
- ●Multi-family housing now permitted by-right with non-residential ground floor
- ●Removes 2,000 sq ft cap on first-floor commercial
- ●Allows commercial uses above first floor
- ●Adds child care centers, community centers as permitted uses
Transit Improvements Density Bonus
IntroducedBill 260518
- ●Doubles the §14-702(8) Transit Improvement Bonus, an earned bonus tied to spending a share of hard costs on transit improvements
- ●CMX-3 within /TOC and CMX-4: max FAR bonus raised from 100% to 200%
- ●CMX-5: max FAR bonus raised from 200% to 400%
- ●Introduced May 14, 2026 (Gauthier for Council President Johnson)
- ●Stacked with other bonuses, can lift CMX-3 buildings past the cost cliff — but only when developers fund the transit improvements
Which Zoning Gets What
| Bonus Type | Eligible Zones | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Density Bonus (50%) | CMX-1, CMX-2, CMX-2.5, RM-1 | 50% more dwelling units |
| FAR Bonus (30%) | CMX-3, CMX-4, CMX-5, RMX-3 | 30% FAR bonus (except /MIN overlay) |
| Height to 45 ft | CMX-1, CMX-2, RM-1 | Height increased to 45 ft |
| Excluded | RSA, RSD, RM (non-RM-1), RTA, SP-PO | Explicitly excluded from density provisions |
The 13 MFL Stations
The Parker bill only covers Market-Frankford Line stations. The entire Broad Street Line, all trolley routes, and Regional Rail are marked “Reserved” for future legislation.
Zoning District Guide
Philadelphia uses zoning codes to regulate what can be built on each property. Here are the codes referenced throughout this analysis:
Pass the Bills. Add the Stations. End the Parking Minimums.
Three asks for City Council: support Bills 260516–260520, add stations in your district, and remove minimum parking requirements from the TOC overlay.
See Your District