The Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment has shown a strong preference for providing developer-friendly decisions. Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke has seen enough.
"Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke wants to radically restructure the city’s zoning board over what he described as a series of decisions favoring developers and plans to introduce legislation to do so," reports Aaron Moselle and Ryan Briggs.
Clarke's plans for the council were laid out in a September 9 letter, writing that the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment "has flagrantly violated the law by granting zoning variances without any demonstration of hardship by the developer." The letter also includes draft legislation that would trigger a public referendum to amend the city charter to increase the size of the board and "impose council approval on positions that are currently appointed directly by the mayor," according to Moselle and Briggs.
"If approved, the ZBA would be required to include an urban planner, architect, zoning attorney, a real estate finance expert, and two members from community organizations," adds Moselle and Briggs.
The article includes more details about the unique power and reach of the city's ZBA, which has heard over 1,000 individual appeals, large and small, 2021 so far. "For comparison, New York City’s similar Board of Standards and Appeals typically sees less than half that number in a year."
FULL STORY: Council President Darrell Clarke to introduce overhaul of Philly Zoning Board
Philadelphia City Council Pushing for More Control Over Zoning Variances
A cause abandoned by the Philadelphia City in 2019 is on the table again.
Proposed Law Would Require Community Benefits Negotiations for 'High Impact' Projects in Philadelphia
A recently proposed law would attempt to force developers and neighborhood projects to the table to negotiate large projects in the city of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Renaissance Threatens Working Diamond District
Heretofore preservationists in the City of Brotherly Love have been focused on finding new uses for vacant, historic buildings, but the city's economic resurgence now threatens five, occupied low-rise buildings city's in vibrant Jewelers Row.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
Podcast: Addressing the Root Causes of Transit Violence
Deploying transit police is a short-term fix. How can transit agencies build sustainable safety efforts?
Minneapolis as a Model for Housing Affordability
Through a combination of policies, the city has managed to limit the severity of the nationwide housing crisis.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
