Frankford Community Blog | Local News, Events, Community Resources
The TreePhilly program is back for the spring season, offering residents free trees to plant in their yards to help boost the city’s tree canopy count.
Source: How to get a free tree in Philly for your yard this spring – Curbed Philly
At the Frankford NAC zoning meeting on March 9th residents turned out to hear the proposal by the owner of 4200 Torresdale Avenue for signs, a set of stairs and an entrance ramp. The address, under the previous ownership has been a source of trouble and residents were concerned about its future. The new owner is going to use it as an auto body and repair shop for their used car lot at 4530 Torresdale Avenue.
Neighbors were concerned about parking which is always a problem on the blocks near Torresdale Avenue and sidewalks being blocked by car dealers. The owner gave assurances that the location would only be used for repairs and it has capacity for storage of 30 vehicles inside.
Unfortunately, a vote on the case could not be held because the zoning notice was not displayed according to regulations. The case will come up again at a future meeting for a vote.
Doctor Anthony Panossian presented the case for a special exception for a dental office at 4821 Frankford Avenue. The exception is needed because this will be a group dental practice. The practice, ArtisanSmiles, will be a full service facility providing dental, dental surgery and orthodonture. Anesthesia will also be available which many dental offices do not provide. ArtisanSmiles has offices now in Clifton Heights and York PA.
One resident raised the issue of parking for clients coming to the facility. Dr. Panossian said they are willing to look into available parking spaces in a nearby lot but his architect pointed out that it is not a requirement for buildings in this zoning area. Most clients will be coming by public transportation.
One one resident was eligible to vote and the vote was a No.
5300 Marsden Street: PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF A CARPORT FOR ONE PARKING SPACE (SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN IN THE APPLICATION), ACCESSORY TO AN EXISTING ONE STORY SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING. The applicant was represented by a friend who made the case for moving his existing handicapped parking space from the front of his home to the side. It was agreed to support the variance with that proviso.
1257 Pratt Street: PERMIT FOR INCREASE IN DWELLING FROM SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING TO FOUR (4) FAMILY DWELLING (MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING) IN AN EXISTING STRUCTURE. The building has been a ground floor bar with 2 apartments above. The owner wants to convert the bar into 2 apartments. After much discussion, eligible residents voted unanimously to support the variance.
The next meeting of the Frankford NAC zoning board will be held on April 13th at 7 PM at Second Baptist Church 1801 Meadow Street.
Al Houston took a walk around the neighborhood last Fall and sent me some of these pictures. In a few short weeks the warm weather will be back.
A few people had pointed out how the flag at Large and Pratt Street had deteriorated since it was replaced a few years ago. The folks at State Senator Tartaglione’s office took action this week and pulled down the old and raised the new one.
Thanks to Kat Hardy for the pictures.
The 2016 election cycle proved to be a bitter, hard-fought battle with surprising results to many. After such a conclusion, it is only natural to feel discouraged or depressed. It is tempting to react by retreating from the constant news coverage and choosing to remain willfully ignorant of the nation’s new political realities. However, I strongly urge that anyone who has been feeling hopeless with recent events treat this past election and first weeks of this new administration as a rallying cry to action. Any sadness and frustration with America’s political system is the finest motivation to fight for change, justice and increased accountability for all.
While we may feel disappointed in our nation’s electoral surrogates for not fulfilling our founder’s vision, it is critical to keep a sense of perspective. America’s democracy has withstood countless tests of its integrity including wars, secession threats and political upheaval. The values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, so crucial to our nation’s founding, are too fundamentally ingrained in America’s fabric to be taken away by the results of a single election.
As Americans, we are still the beneficiaries of the greatest nation. Even if it feels as though we have been kicked – we have been kicked before. Even if it feels as though we are down – we have been down before. We have always overcome these challenges to emerge as a stronger nation, so this time will be no different.
This is the time to draft battle plans for the coming years. Mid-term elections will be crucial, so it is never too early to organize communities and mobilize people for action, as strength in numbers encourages political clout. In addition to looking toward the future, we need to work to hold our leaders’ feet to the fire as we work to implement policies.
Whoever is in office, regardless of party, must be held accountable for their promises and actions. As a state representative, I strive to ensure that my actions in Harrisburg reflect the will of my constituents.
Do not despair for America’s democracy. Instead, aspire to organize, keep abreast of current events and hold our elected officials accountable. More than ever before, it is crucial to remain politically engaged. Hope for a better future starts with you.
State Rep. Jason Dawkins represents the 179th Legislative District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
