Zoning Reform Commission unveils suggestions to 3rd & 4th Districts

October 28, 2009

By Nicole Contosta | UC Review Staff | 28.OCT.09

There wasn’t an empty seat in the community room of 3901 Market St., last Thursday, October 22nd. That’s when Eva Gladstein, the Executive Director of the Zoning Commission, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, city officials, representatives from the Powelton Village, Walnut Hill and Garden Court Community Associations as well other residents assembled for a Zoning Reform Workshop.

The objective? For the past year, the Zoning Commission has hosted similar meetings citywide to gage what aspects of the current code are most in need of reform. The call for such reform was heard when in the May 07 primary election, 80% of voters approved Ballot Question #6, which asked for the creation of Zoning Code Commission to reform and modernize Philadelphia’s Zoning Code. The current code hasn’t been altered since its creation over forty years ago.

"Right now we have more ZBA hearings than any other city our size," said Gladstein. One of the eight key reforms that is necessary is simplifying approvals. The sheer volume of such hearings could be reduced by either leaving more minor requests for zoning variances such as porch renovations up to an administrative staff and/or by implementing fast track legislation.

"If something needs a variance and there isn’t any protest, it should be approved automatically without a hearing," said Gladstein of the guiding principle behind fast track legislation. Gladstein then proceeded to offer those in attendance a brief overview of what each reform would entail.

"We need to improve public notice requirements," said Gladstein of facilitating public involvement, adding, "whether or not a community meeting is required as well as hearing with planning and zoning commissions." It is also suggested under facilitating public involvement that applicants assume the responsibility for making certain such meetings are held.

As for simplifying base districts, "there are fourteen in Center City," said Gladstein, adding that the commission recommends consolidating them into one. The same concept was then applied to simplifying overlay districts. The city has 10 commercial corridors and the commission recommends reducing it to one.

Promoting quality and design standards would focus on parking structures and parking lots, whereas protecting neighborhoods would seek to implement standards to protect residences from commercial corridors and vice versa, said Gladstein.

"When our zoning code was written forty year’s ago, no one took this into consideration," said Gladstein of promoting sustainability, which among other things includes incorporating more farmers markets on corners to curtail traffic, creating more community gardens as well encouraging green roofs.

"The Zoning Code now has twenty-one chapters with information scattered [haphazardly] through it," said Gladstein of the need to improve the code’s readability and organization. The commission’s suggests reducing its size from 21 to 6-8 chapters as well as incorporating more charts and graphs.

Once Gladstein completed her presentation the room then divided into groups to discuss two of the eight topics each group deemed most relevant. In nearly every instance, the two reforms considered most significant included facilitating the public process and protecting neighborhoods.

While nearly every group agreed that more transparency regarding when and where community meetings on zoning issues were held, just as many took issue with requiring the applicant to host them.

Councilwoman Blackwell vocalized this concern the most clearly when she explained that the current process requires the councilperson who represents the district where the variance is requested, to be responsible for making sure such meetings are held.

According to Blackwell, once the variance application is filed, the ZBA then instructs the applicant to get in touch with the district’s respective councilperson. The zoning official for that councilperson, in Blackwell’s case, Marty Cabry, then sets-up a meeting between the applicant and community.

"A developer coming down from New York isn’t going to know the neighborhood, he isn’t going to know who to talk to," said Blackwell.

Isaac Barber, President of the Walnut Hill Association and George Stevens of the West Powelton Neighbors Association, also stressed the importance of parking reform.

"There aren’t enough meters on Lancaster Ave…and the streets aren’t well-lit," said Stevens.

The influx of college students in Walnut Hill has made parking for residents virtually impossible, said Barber of the need for parking reform in residential neighborhoods.

"The kids are not getting nicer, but more brash," Barber added.

At least three more Zoning Reform Meetings will be held for the 3rd and 4th Districts in February, April and July, said Gladstein. After July’s meeting, the commission will take the proposals to the Planning Commission for a hearing, followed by a City Council Hearing. "The process should be complete by the fall of 2010," Gladstein explained.

For more information or to view the proposal in more detail, visit www.zoningmatters.org