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Update 2/18/02 @ 5:00 p.m. FINAL REPORT released.

Common Ground Principles

PRINCIPLE 1 Every neighborhood should have a similar, widely known way to convene civic groups and concerned individuals for input into project review.

PRINCIPLE 2 All projects of a certain level of impact, whether as-of-right or requiring variances, would benefit from public input.

PRINCIPLE 3 When assessing a project’s impact, go beyond size to look at how a project impacts or fits into its surroundings.

PRINCIPLE 4 Issues of design and aesthetics should be reviewed, but on a basis separate from the parameters of zoning.

PRINCIPLE 5 Early and effective notification about project proposals helps improve outcomes both for the neighborhood and the developer.

PRINCIPLE 6 The project review process should be more transparent and predictable, in ways that inform, invite and engage constructive participation.

PRINCIPLE 7 Clear review time lines should be set as part of a predictable public input process. This would reduce uncertainty and cost for the developer while ensuring the community gets sufficient time to assess, discuss and comment.

PRINCIPLE 8 The role of City Council members in zoning and project review should be made explicit and transparent.

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update: 2/1/10 11:58 a.m.

Developers and Neighbors meet

The third and final meeting by the Phila AIA and PPCE was held Wednesday Jan 27 and brought developers and neighborhood activists face-to-face. The goal was to recommend ways to improve public input during Philadelphia’s zoning process. One memorable line from the night was this one from a developer. “Just one person with a beef has the ability to harpoon a project that could turn a struggling neighborhood around.” You can see that the two sides have a lot to discuss.  During the meeting neighborhood leaders and developers discussed zoning changing in small working groups. Each group was asked to list their concerns and suggestions for improvements. Here are a summaries of those discussions.

Chris Satullo commentary on the zoning workshops

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Conclusions

PlanPhilly has full coverage of the meeting.

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By Alan Tu

Few in Philadelphia will remember that in May 2007 voters were asked whether the city’s zoning code should be rewritten. Here’s the question that was put on the ballot.

Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to provide for the creation, appointment, powers and duties of an independent Zoning Code Commission which would recommend amendments to the Philadelphia Zoning Code to make the Code consistent and easy to understand, and to enhance and improve Philadelphia’s city planning process while encouraging development and protecting the character of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods?

The ballot measure was approved by 80 percent of voters. The last time zoning laws were updated here was in 1960. Imagine how much our neighborhoods have changed. Much of Northern Liberties is still zone as industrial even though it’s become an attractive spot for condos and lofts for Philly’s young urban workers. The goal of this process is to make it easy to understand, preserve the character of the neighborhoods and promote positive development to benefits everyone.

Fast forward 2 1/2 years and you’ll be happy to know that that process is well underway. A Zoning Code Commission was created to drag Philly’s development process into the 21st Century. In October of last year, the Commission held a series of public meetings to help residents understand how zoning currently works, and to present some of the recommendations already being considered. A summary of those meetings were released in Nov. (pdf)

This month, the Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), along with the Penn Project for Civic Engagement (PPCE) independent of the Zoning Code Commission, are holding a series of three meetings focusing on how to improve public input on new projects planned for their neighborhoods. Full disclosure: WHYY is the media partner for this series of meetings on public input. Chris Satullo, who is Executive Director, News and Civic Dialogue at WHYY, is helping moderate some of these discussions.

The first meeting on January 19 was held to get the perspective of developers. One thing that came out of that meeting was that developers say they are willing to work with neighbors but find it frustrating because they can reach an agreement with one civic association only to later face opposition from local group. Who speaks for a neighborhood? Who has standing? Here are some summaries from that discussion.

Moderator reports from the developers discussion

Group 1

Group2

Group 3 (addition notes)

Group 4

News Coverage

Plan Philly

Fix It Philly

This past Saturday, nearly 75 people representing neighborhood civic groups gathered in North Philadelphia to offer their suggestions on establishing clearer channels for how the public can raise concerns about local development. The actual discussions were led by trained moderators from the Penn Project for Civic Engagement (PPCE) led by Professor Harris Sokoloff. The idea was to break the participants into smaller groups of 10 people and try to get people to focus the ideal vision of what their communities would look like, and offer changes to the public input process under the city’s zoning laws. The moderators wrote down key points in discussion for a report that the Zoning Code Commission will consider. I will post the moderator reports here as they come in. Also, the final meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27. It will bring the developers and the neighborhood leaders together to see if they can reach any consensus on how to improve the zoning code process, as it relates to public input.

Moderator reports from the neighborhood groups discussions

Group 1 (additional notes)

Group 2 (additional notes)

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

News coverage

Fix it Philly

Plan Philly

WHYY News

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Radio Times program 1/27/10 on Phila’s zoning rewrite.

This show looks at proposed changes in Philadelphia’s zoning code, and what role various stakeholders — neighbors, developers, government and more — will have in the process. Joining guest host CHRIS SATULLO, WHYY’s Director of News and Civic Dialogue, was ALAN GREENBERGER, Philadelphia’s Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission; SAM SHERMAN, immediate past president of the Building Industry Association of Greater Philadelphia; and PENELOPE GILES of the Francisville Neighborhood Development Corp.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

PlanPhilly synopsis of the show

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Websites

Zoning Code Commission

AIA Philly

Penn Project for Civic Engagement

Plan Philly

Fix It Philly

Related stories

Zoning Code Commission poised for heavy start to 2010/PlanPhilly 1/13/10

Hole in Philadelphia zoning board filled - eventually/Philadelphia Inquirer 1/11/10

New zoning code nearing end of first major hurdle/PlanPhilly 12/9/09

ZCC begins arduous task of fine-tuning draft/PlanPhilly 11/18/09

ZCC debates zoning recommendations for public input/FixItPhilly 10/14/09

Clarke proposes changes to Zoning Board/Phiadelphia Inquirer 9/18/09

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During the 2nd meeting with the neighborhood groups, WHYY was on hand to record 2-minute video testimonials. Shown below are neighborhood civic leaders sharing their experiences in trying to influence a project using the city’s current zoning process.

Eric Werner with Blue Bell Hill Civic Association

Nicole Young is a resident of West Philadelphia

Larry Freedman with Northern Liberties Neighbors Association

Karen Brown with Southwark Civic Association

Gwendolyn Avstein

Al Alston with the African-American Business and Residents Association in Brewerytown

Adam Lang with Sharswood Community Civic Association in Brewerytown