Deadline extended for Design Committee

Feb. 9

By Thomas J. Walsh
For PlanPhilly

Today’s deadline (Monday, Feb. 9) for comments and suggestions about the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s proposed Design Review Committee has been extended.

Planning Commission Executive Director Alan Greenberger told PlanPhilly this morning that he was responding to requests from developers, real estate attorneys and community groups.

A new deadline has not yet been targeted.

The Design Review Committee, a seven-member group to be appointed by the Planning Commission, would evaluate projects on the basis of their potential impact on “the public realm.” It was proposed publicly at the Planning Commission’s December meeting, but had been discussed and written about for at least a year before that meeting.

Such a committee would also have a significant impact on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The next meeting of the Zoning Code Commission, which oversees the in-process re-writing of the city’s zoning code, is Wednesday (Feb. 11) at 8 a.m. (Agenda is here: http://www.planphilly.com/node/7890.)

The Planning Commission’s next monthly public meeting is scheduled for next week: Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Both meetings will be held at 1515 Arch Street, 18th floor.

Contact the reporter at thomaswalsh1@gmail.com.

Recent PlanPhilly coverage

“Design Review Committee proposed” (Dec. 16, 2008): http://www.planphilly.com/node/5340

January letter from Planning Commission to its mailing list (“PCPC seeks input on design review draft”): http://www.planphilly.com/node/6692

“Design review? ‘Not so fast’” (Jan. 27, 2009): http://www.planphilly.com/node/6918

“Boston accent for Design Review?” (Feb. 2, 2009): http://www.planphilly.com/node/7091