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to promote civic engagement in the Philadelphia region.City says Sugarhouse is to blame for slow going
Friday, January 23rd, 2009 at 6:35 pm - by Matt Campbell. Filed under: Casinos.
(Sugarhouse response added)
In the latest go-round between Philadelphia and the casinos, the city says it is Sugarhouse’s fault that they don’t have a foundation permit yet. This comes from the city’s response filed yesterday to Sugarhouse’s request for “A Special Master” (ouch!) to make Philly move faster on the permitting process.
In the document the city says a foundation permit “could have been issued months ago - if only HSP had wanted it.” HSP Gaming is the developer for one of the two casinos licensed to build along the Delaware River. Wow. Could Sugarhouse really have been so stupid? Read on. The city goes on to say “HSP chose to continue working under its previously issued rough grading permit…HSP chose to tell the City specifically just one month ago that it did not yet want the foundation permit.” Sugarhouse of course disagrees saying it applied for the permit 13 months ago. So whom are we to believe?
Special thanks to the It’s Our City reader who emailed us the court doc.
(Editor’s note: I had left messages for Sugarhouse for their response to this and they did respond via email)
Here’s what Leigh Whitaker told me.
The City’s response is designed to mask their continued attemps to delay our project in violation of the Court’s order.
We did in fact ask for our permit and the city told us that we never applied for it. And so we had to show them a time-stamped copy of our application from December 2007. First they said that we didn’t apply and now they are claiming that all we have to do is pick it up.
Just as they did in the Submerged Lands license case, the City keeps changing its story.
January 24th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
The City states that Sugarhouse did not receive the REQUIRED sign-off from the Water Dept until September 2008. So an application filed in December 2007 without the Water Dept’s approval is INCOMPLETE.
When I need a permit from the City, I have to follow-up on the various requirements. Why does Sugarhouse think it deserves special treatment?
January 24th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
@Norton. I’m not sure Sugarhouse feels it is asking for special treatment. The casino claims it filed for the foundation permit more than a year ago. the city claims that the casino chose to go ahead with something called a rough grading permit and didn’t actually ask for the right permit. Who should we believe? I’ll leave this one up to the court.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
If the foundation permit was applied for in December 2007, but was incomplete because the Water Dept had not signed off on it — and did not sign off until September 2008 — who is responsible for making sure the final and complete application is processed? In my experience, there is almost no communication between the various City departments, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to present all of the necessary paperwork for a permit to be issued. It sounds like Mayor Street gave Sugarhouse special consideration, and the casino now expects all of its needs to be expedited by the City. The rough grading permit is a separate issue. And the Army Corps of Engineers approval seems to be the real obstacle. . .
January 26th, 2009 at 9:47 am
@Norton. Thank you for for helping me understand the time line. You’re saying Sugarhouse can’t say “where’s my permit?” because the city’s process took at least till Sept and that is behind what Sugarhouse believes is a “delay?”
January 29th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Getting permits approved in this City is always a long and involved process — unless one is politically connected. There appear to be two sets of rules: one for the politically juiced and another for everyone else. So, what Sugarhouse may think is a “delay” is actually the reality and normal situation for most citizens of Philadelphia. But most Philadelphians cannot complain to the PA Supreme Court and ask for special consideration — they have to go to the appropriate City depts and sit and wait to consult with a City employee and try to straighten it all out. Not a pretty prospect, I can assure you, but the reality for most people.