Welcome To Ben Avon Heights Borough!
Brief Borough History
The Borough of Ben Avon Heights is situated on a hill above the Ohio River just nine miles from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. The approximately two square mile area Borough is primarily a residential community with 142 homes, a lovely community park, and one commercial property, the Shannopin Country Club. Some have described the neighborhood as A Norman Rockwell Kind of Community.
The Borough is governed by a mayor and borough council all of whom serve as elected volunteers. The Borough has a storied past and has included many past mayors and burgesses and well as an interesting history of places where voting has occured.
The current borough real estate tax rate is 7.95 mills and a wage or earned income tax of one half of one percent. The borough’s annual budget is about $500,000. Demographics from 2010 are available.
For a complete history of the formation of Ben Avon Heights Borough, please visit the Borough History page.
New Zoning Ordinance Adopted
At its regular Council Meeting in June 2026, the Borough Council of the Borough of Ben Avon Heights voted to adopt the Borough's new Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, Ordinance No. 355 replacing the previous Zoning Ordinance originally adopted as Ordinance No. 261, as amended.
The adopted Zoning Ordinance establishes the Borough's purpose, findings, and community development objectives. It includes updated definitions and yard type illustrations, establishes the Borough's zoning districts, and provides tables outlining lot sizes, widths, principal structure heights, setbacks, and lot coverage requirements for each district. The Ordinance also includes expanded standards for accessory uses and structures, conditional uses and special exceptions, performance standards, screening and lighting, outdoor storage, utilities, exterior finishes, temporary uses, parking and loading requirements, signage, nonconforming uses, structures and lots, zoning administration and enforcement procedures, and the duties of the Planning Commission, Zoning Officer, and Zoning Hearing Board. An updated Zoning Map is incorporated as part of the Ordinance.
A copy of the adopted Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map is available on the Borough's Ordinances page. A printed copy may also be obtained through the Borough Secretary by appointment by calling (412) 766-1561 or emailing bahb.secretary@gmail.com.
2025 Annual Report
The Ben Avon Heights Borough Council is pleased to make available the 2025 Annual Report.
Ben Avon Heights Borough is in very good financial health.
In 2023, Ben Avon Heights Borough was awarded two grants ($149,000 and $257,054) from the State of Pennsylvania to improve the quality of its sewer system. These were major wins in our continuing effort to improve the sanitary infrastructure in the borough. We implemented Phase I of the Sanitary O&M Project in 2024 and will utilize the $149,000 grant for this Phase. We intend to implement Phase II in 2025-2026 and will utilize the second grant.
In 2024 and 2025, Ben Avon Heights Borough was awarded additional grants for $181,000 and $250,000 to improve the curbs and sidewalk on Canterbury, in an effort to increase pedestrian safety and improve ADA access. We will start this project in 2026 and apply this work to the grant.
We encourage each Resident to review the 2025 Annual Report to find out all the details.