Public input sought on Phila. zoning law overhaul

    Today more than 50 developers, architects, and lawyers gathered in Center City Philadelphia to talk about zoning. It was the first of three workshops planned to give input to a commission drafting a new zoning code for the city.

    Today more than 50 developers, architects, and lawyers gathered in Center City Philadelphia to talk about zoning.  It was the first of three workshops planned to give input to a commission drafting a new zoning code for the city. [audio:1001ZONE02.mp3]

    Linda Bernstein, Harris Sokoloff, and Kiki Bolender helped organize the workshops
    Linda Breitstein, Harris Sokoloff, and Kiki Bolender helped organize the workshops

    The question at hand was “How and when should the public be involved in the development review process?”

    Philadelphia architect Kiki Bolender is a co-chair of the effort. Just moments after the workshop ended, with pages of ideas stuck all around the room, Bolender said she wants everyone involved in development and planning to participate, so they have a stake in seeing reforms enacted.

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    Bolender: The thing that got me interested in this project was hearing Eva Glastein from the Zoning Code Commission say after two and a half years of work, when the new code is presented to City Council they’ll either accept it or reject it in its totality. So if, civic groups or the development community get their Councilpersons to have no faith in the code, all that time of work will be down the drain.

    Community leaders will get to give their input at the second workshop on Saturday, June 23.

    WHYY is the media partner for the workshops. Results of the sessions will be posted later this month on this website.

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