Frankford Community Blog | Local News, Events, Community Resources
The Frankford CDC will be hosting a presentation on proposed changes to the zoning code on Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 P.M. This is one of those boring sounding issues that has a tremendous impact on life in the city. It will potentially change everything. Come and and hear what is going on.
Zoning for most of us is not an exciting topic. However, Philadelphia is in the midst of rewriting the zoning code and this presents new opportunities for correcting past wrongs. Why is it that we have to put up with a recovery house on every block in Frankford? Because there are few legal ways to prevent it. The zoning code, as it is now, allows it. The Frankford Civic has been monitoring this issue and has submitted a letter below to the Zoning Code Commission. Click here to read the letter.
We are hoping that the Northwood Civic will support this effort with a similar letter.
The meeting of the Frankford Civic Association covered quite a few issues, so I haven’t had the time to report on an important piece of news that did come out. When the Frankford Special Services District (FSSD) came into being several years ago it included a zoning overlay. That was to take some control over what types of businesses would open up in the district. When the FSSD legislation expired in December of 2005 the zoning overlay also expired.
The city law department has determined that since the FSSD has now been resurrected, the zoning overlay is also now in effect. The result is that the community once again has some influence over the opening of certain types of businesses. This places a greater burden on the board of the Frankford Civic as our representatives in these zoning issues. There will be more cases that they will have to review.
It also makes it imperative that the Civic, State Rep and City Councilperson work together on these issues. Can we count of all of these folks working together for the bettement of Frankford?
The Frankford Civic held their monthly meeting tonight with 36 people in attendance. Some routine zoning business came up first with approvals for
The electricians presence was greated with applause and welcome to the community.
A property owner made a presentation to convert a 3 story single home into a triplex. That issue was set for further study. The owner of a property on Frankford Avenue near Church Street is looking to open a business and wants to work with the civic to try to find a good use for the building. The owner of the property on Frankford Avenue seeking to add 2 apartments to the first floor thereby reducing the size of the retail space was not present.
Upcoming events are the mayor’s budget information meeting at St. Dominick’s on 2/12. The 15th district captain’s town hall meeting at St. Joachim’s on 2/17 and an informational meeting on the new 311 phone system at Tacony Baptist on 2/18.
Several representatives from groups serving the rehab community attended the meeting for the first time. There were discussions of the need for the services they provide and it was generally agreed that yes they are needed. The big question is why are so many of them needed in Frankford. Many people spoke on the quality of the services they provide and how that is the real source of the problem.
On that issue, we beg to differ. If every one of the various drug rehab services was the top in its field, it would still mean that Frankford was over full of A+ drug rehab services.
We are closed now. We are full. Those that remain in Frankford will have to be good or they will go and those that go do not need to be replaced.
Although there were some strong positions taken, the meeting was civil and fairly amiable considering the depth of feeling on both sides the the fence. It ran a bit late which is unusual for the Civic.
We’ll be posting something tomorrow on the issue of the old Frankford Day nursery building being used for another drug rehab residence.
Zoning affects our property, our community and our City. The Zoning Code is a collection of laws regulating the requirements and use of every parcel located in Philadelphia.Mayor Nutter has appointed a zoning commission and charged them with the task of streamlining and updating Philadelphia’s Zoning Code.As part of the public outreach, an on-line survey is available and I strongly urge you to participate by taking the survey .
