The Philadelphia City Planning Commission is seeking residents’ feedback on the draft West District Plan. The draft plan was released in December 2017 after a series of public meetings and presentations and includes recommendations on economic development, land use & zoning, housing, urban design, parks & rec, open space, and other important aspects of urban planning and development in West Philadelphia. The West District plan is one of the 18 district plans created as part of Philadelphia2035, a comprehensive guide for physical development of the city for the next 25 years and beyond.  Continue Reading

The final public meeting on the University Southwest District Plan is tonight at Quorum in the University City Science Center (3711 Market St.). The meeting is an open house and community members are invited to attend any time between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

At the meeting, the City Planning Commission will present the draft of the plan including recommendations for zoning changes in the area. You can also learn about the feedback the planning commission received from the Philadelphia2035 online game. The game developers will be there to share results and hear from you about your gaming experience. Most importantly, they will award $500 prizes to the top three local causes supported by participants. The following causes were presented in the game: Greening Lea initiative, Neighborhood Bike Works, the Kingsessing Recreation Center and the University City Arts League. More than 900 people signed up to play the game.

For more information, please contact Andrew Meloney, 215-683-4656, Andrew.Meloney@phila.gov.

OK, honestly we thought Philadelphia2035 was going to be kind of corny – an online game where players answer questions about everything from the kind of zoning they want in their neighborhood to what kinds of stores they would support. But it turns out to be interesting, mostly because you can see the way others from the neighborhood are thinking about these issues. The big bonus is that you can help raise money for a local cause.

Basically, it’s an inventive way for planners to get public input – in this case from people living in the University/Southwest planning district – while giving a little something back.

Here’s how it works:

• Click on the link and take a minute or two to make an online profile.

• Proceed to the first “mission.” There are three missions in all and each includes about a dozen questions. The current mission lasts another six days and you can leave and come back to the game and it will remember where you were. So you could do just a couple of questions a day.

• Answer questions and explain your choices (these explanations are what makes the game interesting). Example: Do you wish your neighborhood had more shopping? Which of the following would you like to see added to your neighborhood? (everything from a hardware store to a Target is included).

• When you complete and post your answer you get some virtual coins (more on that later).

• You can also read replies from others playing the game and comment on their replies. Example: “For everyday errands in the neighborhood, it’s difficult to find a post office (or post box!), hardware store supplies, and sometimes even groceries. I would not advocate for big box stores (such as Lowes or Home Depot) in the neighborhood, but more small businesses and selection would be ideal. Smaller specialty grocers would also be a great thing to have more of in the neighborhood.”

For those of you who want a little more room to sound off, there is a “soapbox” area where people are raising questions about public transportation and even public toilets. Example: “I believe they provide a valuable service, but the trolleys along their surface routes cause persistent traffic issues. Isn’t there a better way?” Gulp.

Once you finish you can donate your coins to the cause of your choice. So far the Greening Lea initiative is the runaway leader. Other causes include Neighborhood Bike Works, the Kingsessing Recreation Center and the University City Arts League.

As the Philadelphia City Planning Commission continues working on a new District Plan for West Philly neighborhoods as part of the Philadelphia 2035 plan, area community associations are asking residents to provide input on how they envision their neighborhood in the future. This Saturday (Jan. 5), Garden Court Community Association is holding a meeting for Garden Court residents (45th St. to 52nd St., Locust St. to Cedar Ave) where the University City Southwest 2035 plan will be reviewed. The meeting will be held from 12-2 p.m. at 4725 Chestnut (Community College of Philadelphia) and lunch will be served.

Here’s the GCCA announcement:

GCCA will be asking for residents’ input on the following two topics:

1. Five Redevelopment Areas for University City Southwest

The Philadelphia Planning Commission has identified five areas to target for redevelopment in University City Southwest:

40th Street Station Area
46th and Market Streets
Baltimore Avenue (west of 50th)
Woodland Avenue
Lower Schuylkill Development Site

2. Garden Court Neighborhood

As surrounding areas develop, what do residents hope will stay the same about Garden Court? Let GCCA know what features give the neighborhood its character and what you would like to preserve and what you would like to improve.

Please RSVP to GCCA Zoning Chair Mariya Khandros at: mariya.khandros@gmail.com.

FYI, the 2nd public meeting on the University Southwest District Plan will take place Wednesday, Jan. 23 at Kingsessing Recreation Center. More information is coming soon.