UPDATED: Tacony, Holmesburg open civic season with zoning and street questions

UPDATE (Sept. 15, 9:28 pm) — HCA President Fred Moore tells us the Holmesburg Library will re-open in two weeks. This information came from the office of Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.

Last night was the first of many bi-monthly and monthly meetings for the Tacony Civic Association and Holmesburg Civic Association, respectively.

The two, who worked together on zoning issues over the summer, held their first civic meetings of the 2010-2011 seasons. Each drew between 20 and 30 residents, and board members at both tackled questions about zoning and I-95 roadwork.

Zoning

While current zoning issues in Tacony range from play areas to illegal take-out restaurants to auto body shop applications, Holmesburg residents were concerned mostly with Summerdale Mills.

The property, which has met the ire of HCA President Fred Moore in the past, became an issue over the summer when the owner of Summerdale Mills at 8101 Frankford Ave. was found to be using a private residence at 4116 Welsh Rd. for storage, in addition to illegally parking trailers at 8053 Charles St.

L&I is expected to cite the owner again today, which Moore said will put a lien on the property, forcing the owner to eventually appear in court if he does not comply with the law.

About 30 people attended the September meeting of the Tacony Civic Association.
(About 30 people attended the September meeting of the Tacony Civic Association.)

In Tacony, TCA Zoning Committee Leader Lou Iatarola is gearing up for the upcoming Oct. 19 hearing with the Zoning Board of Adjustment, in which the owner of a home on the 6500-block of Torresdale Avenue will appear regarding a fence on his property.

The six-foot fence is non compliant with the city’s three-foot rule, but the owner contends he needs the height to protect a wheelchair lift. Residents living within 500 feet of the property will be invited to voice their opinions at a zoning-specific TCA meeting in the near future.

I-95 Developments

The below video from the TCA meeting includes important updates on Phase I of the I-95 construction at Cottman Avenue. TCA Public Works Committee Leader Anthony Naccarato explains the timeline. While this phase is expected to take another year to complete, westbound traffic on Cottman Avenue should be moving again by next week.

Phase II, however, will be much more involved, as I-95 will be widened at Cottman Avenue to increase the traffic flow, and a southbound ramp will be constructed at Cottman Avenue.

Neighborhood Developments

Both neighborhood are taking steps forward — and backward, figuratively speaking.

Plans for Lardner Point Park, a five-acre stretch of land along the Delaware River in Tacony, are moving “full-steam ahead,” according to the TCA. The area, just south of the Tacony/Palmyra Bridge, will include a waterfront trail.

Meanwhile, the HCA is revamping the former Holmesburg Historical Society. What will now be called the Holmesburg History Workshop will include monthly meetings to take place at the Holmesburg Rec Center before the HCA meetings. The first meeting will be Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

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