Here are three community meetings and public hearings scheduled this week:

• On Tuesday, May 8, the Spruce Hill Community Association is holding its monthly board meeting at the SHCA office at 257 S. 45th Street. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm. For more information, please call 215-349-7825 or visit: www.sprucehillca.org.

• This Thursday, May 10, from 6 – 8 p.m. there will be a School District Community Budget Session at West Philadelphia High School. Neighbors can learn about and discuss the reorganization plan proposed by the School District and the Actual Value Initiative proposed by the Mayor. The Actual Value Initiative’s goal is to reassess properties in Philadelphia based on their actual market value, which basically means higher property taxes for many homeowners. The current proposal would help generate approximately $90 million to support Philadelphia’s schools. To read more about what will be discussed at the meeting, take a look at the following documents: A Blueprint for Transforming Philadelphia’s Public Schools, Actual Value Initiative (AVI), Property Tax Reassessment Talking Points.

• Also on Thursday, community members are invited to attend a presentation and a brainstorming session to generate ideas on how we can create greener, more sustainable schoolyards in Philadelphia. One of the schools whose schoolyard is being proposed for this project is West Philadelphia’s Lea Elementary (47th & Locust). The presentation is organized by the Community Design Collaborative, AIA Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Water Department. The presentation will take place from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Center for Architecture, 1218 Arch Street. To RSVP, go here. For more information, contact Cedar Park Neighbors Vice President, David Hincher, at david.hincher@gmail.com or visit the Community Design Collaborative’s website.

The Spruce Hill Community Association last night unanimously supported a proposal to replace the Risque adult video shop at the corner of 43rd and Chestnut with an “upscale” liquor store.

SHCA members expressed hope that the liquor store, which the state would like to move into the 5,000-square-foot Risque property in the Chestnut Street Plaza, would be similar to the “super store” at 1218 Chestnut St. and would not serve pints, half-pints or fortified wine. The proposed store would also replace the adjacent check cashing place.

Last night’s vote, which came during the association’s regularly monthly meeting, followed a widely reported zoning committee meeting earlier this month.

The proposed store has attracted support since the closure earlier this year of the Wine and Spirits store at 4049 Market St., sending many shoppers to the often crowded shop near 49th and Baltimore. A new store at 43rd and Chestnut, one member pointed out, would provide service to the growing number of BYOB restaurants in the area.

But there is also opposition to the store, mostly from Muslim residents who live near the Chestnut Street Plaza. Some 40 people attended the earlier zoning meeting to voice opposition, though that was not included in most reports. The plaza also includes a halal restaurant and butcher shop. The Masjid al-Jamia mosque is a block away on 43rd and Walnut.

The SHCA vote has no legal ramifications but provides a sign of community support for the liquor store, which could open within a few months. SHCA members also voiced hope that the state’s interest in the location might provide a chance to improve the lighting and outside aesthetic of the plaza.

Bird food, plant and monetary donations are needed for the Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary. For more information see the flyer below. Please call the Spruce Hill office (215-349-7825) to arrange a drop off time for bird food donations.

The bird sanctuary is located in the backyards formed by the houses facing Spruce & Locust, 45th & Melville Streets. It is open to the public (the entrance is next to 233 S. Melville). Click here to see photos.

From the Spruce Hill Community Association’s Facebook post:

“A Subway sandwich shop wants to open up at a chronically vacant storefront on Baltimore Avenue and is scheduled to go before the city’s Zoning Board later this month. Lots of controversy swirling about this with neighbors for and against it for lots of reasons. The SHCA Zoning Committee has been compiling community input, concerns, and recommendations. What do you think, and if you could nudge the franchisee to make this amenable to the neighborhood, what would you like to see them do/not do?”

Leave a comment and we will forward it to the SHCA.

The annual meeting of the Spruce Hill Community Association will take place Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Spruce Hill Christian School (42nd and Baltimore Ave.). All are welcome.

Dr. Lisa Bell-Chiles, the principal of Lea Elementary School, is the featured speaker. You will also hear an update from the parents group Advocates for Great Elementary Education (AGREE), which is dealing with the enrollment cap issue at Penn Alexander.

There also will be reports on the Association’s activities and finances for the year, and election of new officers and 10 board members (all are running unopposed). Ed Halligan will be the new president, succeeding Mark Wagenveld.

Three neighborhood meetings are scheduled for this week.

• Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) meeting will take place tonight, Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m., at the association’s center at 257 S. 45th St. One of the topics likely to be discussed at the meeting is the enrollment situation at the Penn Alexander School (PAS).

• Thursday, June 16, is the monthly meeting with the 18th Police District University City Division’s Lt. Brian McBride. Neighbors are welcome to bring their questions and concerns regarding crime, safety and policing the neighborhoods. The meeting will take place at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore) at 6 p.m.

• The annual meeting and potluck dinner for the Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) is also Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. at Community College West (4725 Chestnut St.). The program will start at 6:30 p.m. and will feature presentations by guest speakers Ann Mitchell from Penn Nursing and Lt. Brian McBride (wow, he’s presenting here, too!), and discussion “Neighborhoods: the Place for Healthy Activity.” The meeting will also include general elections.