A rezoning expected to go into effect in the neighborhood of Spruce Hill in Philadelphia chooses historic preservation over potential student housing developments.
A proposed rezoning of the Spruce Hill neighborhood in Philadelphia "is intended to protect the iconic Victorian homes in Spruce Hill from demolition," according to an article by Jake Blumgart.
The article describes the rezoning proposal as a "backdoor" and a "rearguard action" at different moments. The bill that would enact the rezoning was "quietly slipped through City Council," according to Blumgart.
At stake are what neighborhood booster believe to be the largest collection of Victorian townhomes in the United States on one hand, and the neighborhood's proximity to the University of Pennsylvania on the other. "The current zoning bill would remap strategic areas of the neighborhood from multi-family to single family to make it harder for developers to build student housing," according to Blumgart.
While neighborhood advocates hope the rezoning will slow demolitions, critics fear the rezoning will make Spruce Hill even more expensive. Blumgart also reports that the bill is currently waiting for Mayor Jim Kenney's (expected) signature.
Read the full story: Spruce Hill zoning remapping is backdoor historic preservation
Philadelphia City Council Pushing for More Control Over Zoning Variances
A cause abandoned by the Philadelphia City in 2019 is on the table again.
Mayoral Veto Kills Controversial Philadelphia Downzoning
The mayor, planning staff, and the Philadelphia Planning Commission agree. The Philadelphia City Council and residents of the wealthy neighborhood of Society Hill, not so much.
Newly Exclusionary Zoning Expected for Approval in Philadelphia Neighborhood
The Philadelphia City Council is expected to approve new zoning for Society Hill over the objections of the Planning Commission and city planning staff.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland
Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.
How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on
The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority