Stream buffer debate continues | Pedestrian pains, gains at Dilworth Plaza | Society Hill neighbors vs. Toll Brothers at ZBA | Fishtown and Obama | Wissahickon Gateway meeting

Good morning, Streeters. The moon was visible last night and this morning sunrise was pink and gold against the clouds. This weekend is even supposed to be sunnier, and like the clearing weather, we hope your lives are getting back to normal after the mess that was Sandy. Regional rail commuters should expect delays due to slippery rail conditions, otherwise it seems like SEPTA is running normally.

City Council’s Rules Committee still hasn’t reached a decision about the zoning for riparian buffers along city waterways, reports PlanPhilly’s Jared Brey. The Committee heard loads of public testimony about the proposed 50-foot buffer zone, and discussed exceptions and amendments to the legislation, but postponed action. Councilman Bill Greenlee promised that the bill would make its way out of Committee on November 14th.

Dilworth Plaza’s reconstruction has inconvenienced and confused pedestrians, but fewer are walking in the street to get around City Hall, reports PlanPhilly’s Christine Fisher. Christine checked in on the Dilworth Plaza project, and learns it’s running on schedule and is on target to finish in spring 2014. So don’t expect to walk around Dilworth Plaza until then.

At a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing Society Hill neighbors contested Toll Brothers’ request for extra height at their proposed New Market development site on basis of shadows and property-line privacy, backgrounding arguments about parking entitlement, reports PlanPhilly’s Kellie Patrick Gates. ZBA did not reach a decision about the zoning request, and in the meantime protesting neighbors and Toll are continuing negotiations.

“This family was for Roosevelt; This family was for Kennedy; This family was for Clinton; This family is for Fairness; This family is for President Obama,” reads a yard sign in Fishtown. City Paper’s Isaiah Thompson returns to Fishtown to take the neighborhood’s temperature on Tuesday’s election and finds tepid, reluctant support for the president rooted more in the neighborhood’s Democrat slant than being particularly pro-Obama.

Tonight Philadelphia Parks and Recreation will present their study about building the Wissahickon Gateway, a trail segment that would fill an important Schuylkill River Trail gap. Complications include traversing the Wissahickon Creek as well as SEPTA and PECO properties, as the Bicycle Coalition notes on their blog. Learn all about it tonight at a public meeting at Gustine Rec Center (4700 Ridge Avenue) at 6:30pm. PlanPhilly will report back on the meeting tomorrow.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along.