Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke will release the details of a proposal to consolidate planning and development approval authority into a new, cabinet-level city department.
"City Council President Darrell L. Clarke says he will lay out a proposal Thursday to radically restructure how the city manages planning, development and construction in Philadelphia," reports Chris Hepp. A few key organizing principles of what is, in effect, a consolidation plan, as described by Hepp:
- "His proposal calls for a City Charter amendment to create a cabinet-level Department of Planning and Development that would oversee and coordinate functions now handled by seven unrelated agencies, boards and commissions, including the Planning Commission, the Historical Commission, the Department of Licenses and Inspections, and the Housing Authority."
- "Under Clarke's proposal, a Department of Planning and Development would have three divisions: planning and zoning; licenses, inspections, and enforcement; and housing."
The proposal would require City Council approval and a voter referendum.
Read the full story: Amid L&I overhaul talk, Clarke offering plan to restructure Phila. agencies
Proposed Planning and Development Reorganization Stalls in Philadelphia
A drastic overhaul of the planning and development processes in Philadelphia is, at least for now, on hold so stakeholders can have more time to analyze the proposal.
Government Reform Proposed for Better Planning in Philadelphia
Geoff Kees Thompson digs into one component of this old city's proposed mayoral platform for Philadelphia: the need to organize the city's alphabet soup of planning agencies under one director and give the Planning Commission teeth.
Neighborhood Rezoning Proposal at Odds With Philadelphia's Comprehensive Plan
While planning departments around the country make news for removing exclusionary zoning and parking requirements, many neighborhoods still show a strong preference for parking minimums and development limits. Case in point: Germantown, Philadelphia.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello