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Bill 210669

Providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of the proposal set forth in a Resolution approved by Council proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to revise the composition of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, by increasing the number of appointees, providing for confirmation by Council of appointees, and specifying qualifications that appointees must possess; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.

Introduced Sep 17, 2021Committee on Law and GovernmentOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Council President ClarkeCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember Quiñones SánchezCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember BassCouncilmember Green

How members voted

  1. Vote on Dec 16, 2021 · CITY COUNCIL

    Aye (17)

    Councilmember DombCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember GymCouncilmember OhCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JonesCouncil President ClarkeCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember Quiñones SánchezCouncilmember BassCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Thomas

From the floor

Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.

  1. “Okay. Good morning, Council President and members of City Council. My name is Bonita Cummings and I'm the Director of Strawberry Mansion Community Concerns and a member of the Citywide RCO Coalition of Philadelphia. Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 The need for Resolution No. 210692 and Bill No. 210669 appealing to the electors is due to the overzealous change of the Philadelphia Zoning Code of 2011 and…”

    Ms. Cummings · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “Hello, everyone. My name is Odessa Tate of All in the Family Dec 16, 2021 Stated Meeting December 16, 2021 CDC in Strawberry Mansion, and I'm also a member of the Citywide RCO Coalition. I'm in support of Bill No. 210669, Resolution 210692 of the ZBA reform. Democracy is for the people, and the leaders of the City have a great responsibility to its residents to ensure security, protection, and fairness. The City's Zo…”

    Ms. Tate · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  3. “Hello. I'm sorry. My name is Eloise Young. I'm a facilitator for the HMC Squared RCO in West Philly and I'm also a member of the Citywide RCO Coalition. I'm also a longtime -- lifelong Philadelphia resident. HMC Squared supports Bill No. 210669 and Resolution No. 210692 for the reasons outlined in the letter to City Council from the Citywide RCO Coalition as well as the letter by the 46th Ward Democratic that was jus…”

    Ms. Young · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  4. “Good morning. My name is Susan Nam. I'm commenting as a Mount Airy resident and activist, artist from District 8. I'm here today to continue vocalizing my support for Bill No. 210669 and Resolution 210692. There's a reminder that needs to be made about where the people have been and continue to stand in the City of Philadelphia. The movement of some but not all policymakers, developers, and active political action gr…”

    Ms. Nam · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  5. “Good morning. My name is Susanna Burger and I speak in opposition to Bill 210669 and Resolution 210692. The legislative process behind this bill and this resolution will have negative effects for Philadelphia, and it should be slowed down. With the new ZBA Chair, any justification for this legislation is no longer applicable and we need to wait and see how the ZBA operates under this new Chair until any restructuring…”

    Ms. Burger · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  6. “Hi. My name is Chris Hinkley and I'm speaking in opposition to Bill 210669 and Resolution 210692. I think the proposal will have negative impacts for Philadelphia and I think its passage should be delayed. With the new ZBA Chair, things have changed and the legislation needs to be slowed down. We need to see how the new ZBA Chair operates with the ZBA until any restructuring decisions are made. And I'm afraid if the…”

    Mr. Hinkley · Stated Meeting, December 16, 2021 · Dec 16, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Sep 17, 2021Introduced and Referred · CITY COUNCIL
  2. Dec 6, 2021HEARING NOTICES SENT · Committee on Law and Government
  3. Dec 6, 2021HEARING HELD · Committee on Law and Government
  4. Dec 6, 2021REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED · Committee on Law and Government
  5. Dec 9, 2021SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL · CITY COUNCIL
  6. Dec 9, 2021ORDERED PLACED ON THIS DAY`S FIRST READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  7. Dec 9, 2021READ AND ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S SECOND READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  8. Dec 16, 2021READ AND PASSED · CITY COUNCIL
  9. Jan 20, 2022NO ACTION TAKEN · MAYOR

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of the proposal set forth in a Resolution approved by Council proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to revise the composition of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, by increasing the number of appointees, providing for confirmation by Council of appointees, and specifying qualifications that appointees must possess; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election. ..Body THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. There shall be submitted for the approval or disapproval of the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia at the election to be held May 17, 2022, the amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter contained in Resolution No. 210692 approved by Council on December 16, 2021, and filed in the Office of the Clerk of Council. SECTION 2. There shall be placed on the ballot the following question to be answered "Yes" or "No" by the qualified electors participating in the election: Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to revise the composition of the Zoning Board of Adjustment by increasing the number of mayoral appointees from five to seven; by requiring Council confirmation of the mayor's appointments; and by specifying qualifications that appointees must possess, including a demonstrated sensitivity to community concerns regarding development and the protection of the character of Philadelphia's neighborhoods? SECTION 3. The Clerk of Council is hereby directed to (i) certify to the Board of Elections, within five days of this Ordinance becoming law, a copy of this Ordinance and Resolution No. 210692; and (ii) to have printed in pamphlet form, in sufficient number for general distribution, the proposed amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter as set forth in Resolution No. 210692 together with the ballot question set forth in Section 2 of this Ordinance. SECTION 4. The Clerk of Council is hereby directed to cause to be published one time, during the three (3) weeks preceding the election on May 17, 2022, in three (3) newspapers of general circulation in the City and in The Legal Intelligencer, the proposed amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, together with the ballot question set forth in Section 2 of this Ordinance; and further, at such other time and in such other manner as the Clerk may consider desirable. SECTION 5. The Mayor is hereby authorized and directed to issue a proclamation giving at least thirty (30) days' notice of such election. The Clerk of Council shall cause a copy of the proclamation to be published in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the City, and in The Legal Intelligencer, once a week for three consecutive weeks during the period of thirty days prior to the election. One such publication may be combined with the publication of the notice required by Section 4 of this Ordinance. SECTION 6. The appropriate officers are authorized and directed to take such action as may be required for the holding of an election on the ballot question set forth in Section 2 of this Ordinance as provided for by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ..End 2