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Neighborhood groups uneasy with proposed zoning changes (UPDATED)
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Neighborhood groups uneasy with proposed zoning changes (UPDATED)
Over the past few weeks, word that City Council is looking to make changes to Philly's brand new zoning code has trickled down to civic associations around the city — and not all of them are pleased. As outraged as developers were at a City Council hearing a couple weeks ago — they said the changes in Bill 120656, which would, in particular require parking for certain multifamily homes in dense areas, would potentially put the brakes on planned developments — some community zoning advocates are also worried: That developers will shy away from their neighborhoods, that the zoning code hasn't even been tested yet, and that the number of building proposals that have to go through the red tape of obtaining special zoning variances will go way up.
"That people in civic associations are objecting should tell you something, because it would give us more power," says David Goldfarb, who is on the zoning committee of East Passyunk Crossing Civic (but is only speaking for himself, not the group). "This is contrary to most of the city that's already built, which is something that zoning should never be." He said he's heard from zoning reform advocates in other neighborhoods who are also concerned: they argue that the zoning code should be reviewed after a year, as the city had planned to do when it was enacted.
The changes, outlined in great detail here, could increase the number of appeals coming before community groups. Jordan Rushie of the Fishtown Neighbors Association says his group had finally seen the number of hearings slow down after the zoning code took effect two months ago. "We were having meetings almost every Tuesday, which is way more meetings than we're supposed to be having. We were overwhelmed with the amount of variances."
The impact along Frankford and Girard avenues in Fishtown — like Passyunk Avenue in South Philly — could be significant. "This bill represents poor urban planning and a devotion to an auto-centric environment that is not appropriate to an urban neighborhood like ours," Rushie added.
The FNA wrote to City Council this morning to ask that the bill be killed."Our zoning code," the letter reads, "when delineating the requirements for our dense urban zones like RM-1 and CMX-2, should aim to reflect the strong urban fabric of our existing neighborhoods and work to leverage their positive characteristics. Bill #120656 would roll back the major advancements towards strong, sensible, and sustainable development made in the new code."
Though Inga Saffron in today's Inquirer suggests that the legislation was masterminded by Council President Darrell Clarke to deal with issues around Temple University, First District Councilman Mark Squilla has said he'd consider putting forward amendments. "We're trying to find a happy compromise between the gist of the zoning code reform, and some of the communities who have concerns about lack of paking," said Squilla, who acknowledged that he had heard critiques of the proposed legislation from zoning groups in Queen Village, Bella Vista, Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Pennsport (ie. most of his district).
Squilla said one idea was to create a parking requirement that would not kick in in RM1 (mixed use residential) areas until a building contained four or more units; and in CMX2.5 (commercial) until a building had perhaps seven or more units. He said Clarke had been amenable to such a change. However, he disagreed that meddling with the new zoning code so early in the process was problematic. "The administration already started the process during what they called the technical amendments. We knew all along once this happened that there would be changes to it as more and more people started understanding hte impact of the new zoning code, and I predict even more changes would go in as we move forward."
It is so frustrating that city council is not willing to make the badly needed changes to move Philadelphia towards the future. Many people in my row home neighborhood have 2 and 3 cars even with increased gas prices and car share. We will never meet the parking demands as they will continue to grow unless we all change our mindset and make it easier and more viable to use public transit. It would be better for individual health and the environment.— followthemoney
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