I have a couple of questions. I read recently that there is going to be the Office of Strategic Planning and I wanted to get a sense of how their function differs from the Planning Commission and how you guys work together.
The Office of Strategic Planning was an entity that was created in the past Administration. It was known formerly as the Mayor's Office of Transportation. It had been kind of attached, in a sense, to some of the operations of the City Planning Commission, and previous Executive Director of the City Planning Commission, Maxine Griffith, was designated as the head of that office. That office really no longer 68 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. exists as a budget entity and instead Mayor Nutter's Administration has recreated the Mayor's Office of Transportation headed by Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler. The one staff person remaining in the Office of Strategic Planning is now assigned to Ms. Cutler's office.
So you will be working with the Deputy Mayor for Transportation on planning issues regarding --
The Great Expectation Group did a whole series of meetings throughout the City of Philadelphia and one of the major subsets of those meetings is transportation. One of the things that I -- and I attended one with Councilwoman Blackwell. One of the things that was prevalent was that there was a disconnect between mass transportation as a means of travel as opposed to a way of life integrated with 69 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. a society. And I draw attention to cities like New York or Washington, DC, which is more mass transportation oriented, and how are we planning for that?
Well, we've long been supporters as professional planners of transit services. We think it's very important to the City and region. One of the factors that makes us a very competitive region with other cities, states throughout the world is our extensive transit system, and we believe that transit lines should be improved, enhanced and extended in various ways. We are currently supporting PIDC in a grant study that they received looking at extending transit options to the Navy Yard, and that could include -- although conclusions I don't think have been reached yet -- extending the Broad Street subway, but there may be other transit options as well. We're -- 70 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc.
Absolutely. We're participating in discussions with PATCO for both the extension of their lines in New Jersey. We participated in some initial meetings on the New Jersey extension and are very interested in their alternatives analysis study for extensions on the Philadelphia side.
Currently, they're talking about just to the Navy Yard. I'd hope you would encourage them to at least do a study that would continue that line all the way to the Airport. It just makes sense to go an extra mile as an option as well.
I'd like to take two neighborhoods, one being Manayunk, and East Falls, increased 71 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. density there. Are you working with them on traffic studies and how to use mass transportation as a means to ease some of the traffic, vehicular traffic, congestion that they experience particularly on the weekends? Are you working with any of those --
We've long had a very good working relationship with the East Falls neighborhood organizations and business communities. At the present time, we're not specifically looking at those issues, but we are kicking off a pedestrian and cycling plan that would address issues in that part of the City.
I'd like you to go beyond that to consider some of the challenges that residents have there because of the prosperity, the popularity of the neighborhood. They're faced with traffic problems and mass transportation problems that we'd like you to take a look at. Let me take you to another part 72 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. of my district, which I share with Councilwoman Blackwell, which is Market Street. They've suffered over the last half a decade with construction or reconstruction of the El line. Has there been a study done as to what comes after the construction?
Yes. One of the grants that we pursued and were awarded a couple of years ago was essentially a transit-oriented development study of the West Market Street corridor and how those areas might be developed at the conclusion of the reconstruction of the El, increasing density and promoting mixed uses around the various stations along that line.
I would love to have you give us an in-depth -- we can't do it today -- understanding of that study. I know Councilwoman Blackwell, who shares that border between my district and hers, would be interested in that as well. 73 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc.
We certainly can provide you with copies of that study that was done.
A couple other quick questions, if you would, Madam Chair. In parts of my district, I have the tale of two cities. Roxborough/Manayunk versus the lower end of West Philly north of Market Street, you have two different worlds, but the same problem, the increased number of renters versus homeowners. Has there been a study that deals with that problem? In Manayunk there is a community that has a town and gown issue, meaning a lot of young people seeking an education in one of our universities move into a community and they've experienced upwards of 93 percent of the people in the community are renters, and there's a unique kind of set of problems that come with that migration in/out/seasonal based 74 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. on the opening and closing of the universities, and I don't know if there's any studies that have been done to look at communities that are besieged with those types of town and gown growth issues.
While we monitor statistics, the population and housing statistics in neighborhoods throughout the City, we haven't really performed a specific market analysis of the areas around major institutions. A number of them throughout the City experience the same problems, but we have not at this point conducted a special analysis of those kind of issues.
Well, particularly in those areas I'd like you to look at that, in and around St. Joseph's University, in and around Philadelphia University, PCOM and others, Drexel Medical. We have a huge student population, and we welcome them. I hope they will consider being long-term 75 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Philadelphians, but in the meantime, some of the existing residents have some issues. We could use that study to look at how we can deal with those issues.
Similar on Market Street, we have the flip side of that coin. The increased amount of sheriff's sales in the area have created an investment opportunity for people from as far away as Japan and China that are coming into communities looking at cheap real estate. And they're not looking at it to move in as primary residents. They are using it as investment opportunities. Councilwoman Tasco and Councilwoman Blackwell have long been advocates for fighting some of the impacts of predatory lending, but has the Planning Commission done any in-depth analysis as to the impact of the high rental communities caused by some of these outside investors creating an 76 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. increased rental market versus homeownership?
We have not really conducted market studies for that area recently. It's actually been a number of years since we've conducted in-depth market studies, but we can certainly take a closer look at that issue.
As we start to look at zoning and we have a lot of people interested in revamping the Zoning Code, these types of studies, these types of data that can be provided can make us a little more efficient and a lot more effective in our reconfiguration of zoning classification and overlays. If we look at areas of great prosperity that increase the number of renters, then that's an important statistic that can be used to guide. If we look at what's happening with the subprime lending market and increased sheriff's sales, that's another piece of information that 77 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. can be used to design better neighborhoods and increase services where needed. So this data becomes good information, becomes great City planning. Thank you, Madam Councilwoman.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Green.
Who under the Charter is in charge of the orderly development of the City of Philadelphia?
Who under the City Charter, what department, is in charge of the orderly development of the City of Philadelphia?
The City Planning Commission is responsible for 78 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. that.
Do you believe that you're currently in charge of the orderly development of the City of Philadelphia?
Yes, sir. We certainly recognize that the development world is always changing and new proposals are coming in and that there are tools that we have that need revision, such as the Zoning Code, but in terms of having a good handle on development opportunities and the future development of the City, we believe we have a good handle on those issues.
Do you have any say about the orderly development of the City of Philadelphia?
Through the Planning Commission's review of development proposals, we are an advisory agency, so we're able to make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council members regarding specific 79 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. development proposals. The Planning Commission -- the City Planning Commission is, I think, a very knowledgeable and informed group of individuals who make good judgments on those development proposals. In addition, one of our responsibilities is preparing a recommended Capital Program and Budget for the City, and as part of that function --
I'm not asking about the City's Capital Program. I'm asking about private development. So when was the last time or how often does the Planning Commission say no to a proposed zoning change or proposed overlay that's come to you from City Council or the Administration or elsewhere? When is the last time you gave a negative recommendation?
We often times will attempt to work with a developer so that a proposal is acceptable to the community in a way that blends in well 80 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. with the context of the surrounding area. So often times when the staff is opposed initially to a proposal, we'll try to work with that developer to have a development that both the staff and the Commission can agree to.
I understand your answer to the question. When is the last time you said no?
Thank you. So do you have suggestions for how the Planning Commission can be empowered to be once again in charge of the orderly development of the City of Philadelphia?
We have a new and very activist Commission that I think is beginning to assert some of its 81 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. advisory authority on development proposals, and the staff is undertaking a project called Imagine Philadelphia, which attempts to lay the foundation for developing a new comprehensive plan. I think with the new Commission and some of the staff efforts --
Can you make specific changes that we could make in the law or the Charter that would give the Planning Commission more power to be in control of the orderly development of the City? Do you have any, for example, requirements as to who can serve on the Planning Commission in terms of architects, planners?
Right, as was done with the last Charter change, yes. One area might be in terms of design review to establish a formal design review function within the City. Right now that design review function is dispersed.
What do you 82 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. mean by "dispersed"? Who is responsible for it?
Well, for projects that involve the Redevelopment Authority, there is an Advisory Board of Design that will review projects and make recommendations to developers on Redevelopment Authority land, and those recommendations are binding recommendations. For other developments, we can just -- the Planning Commission can attempt to persuade developers to make changes to their design, but it's not a requirement.
In the typical process where there's a zoning change or overlay or something, at what point is the Planning Commission brought in?
The Commission is brought in when a bill is introduced in Council primarily for a zoning change or overlay.
So why do 83 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. you think developers don't come to the City Planning Commission in the first instance?
Well, we actually believe that they should, and I think the practice as it's developed over the last number of years has been such that developers will approach the community often times first, but they really should be approaching the City Planning Commission staff for feedback on their designs before they approach the community.
Do you think if there was a policy of the Planning Commission of saying no and coming and testifying publicly as to the reasons for rejecting things rather than compromising, that developers would come to the City Planning Commission first?
I make that suggestion to you. 84 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Okay.
Can I follow up on that, Councilman, just for a second, just on that point?
Not actually, but it's on that same point of yours, that the continuity may be -- it's up to you.
Because it's one of the main things I wanted to talk about today, and you hit it right on the head. Gary, this is no reflection on you personally, but it is a reflection on the Planning Commission institutionally. I've been hearing the same thing for over 28 years, that we just don't have any teeth, in many forms, but what you just enunciated is one of those we-don't-have-any-teeth moments. 85 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. I have said to Planning Commission staff and directors, You'll have a welcome year in City Council, just give us the legislation that gives you the teeth. We want the best design. We want the zoning interpretation to be interpreted by the people that wrote the Code, not the people sitting in L&I, who are inundated with many other things. Every time I've been told, We can't do anything like that because the Commission won't approve it. In other words, the Commission itself has to make that decision, which usually means the Mayor has to make the decision because the Mayor appoints the Commission. This is a new day, a new way of dealing with planning. We got the Zoning Commission. I mentioned this at their very first Zoning Commission meeting in some detail. It's been six months since that day. I still have not seen any legislation. I don't want to wait three or four years to at least have basic 86 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. fundamental provisions in our Code that require design review by professionals, not by community groups who are overwhelmed. As I heard Councilman DiCicco say last term when he was putting this together, I don't have these kind of projects, by and large, in my district. They're big projects, but they're much easier to figure out for communities. They're not design issues as much as density and other things. How long would it take you to get us that kind of legislation? One, that the burden of interpreting the Code -- because I usually get a good interpretation when I talk to the Planning Commission staff on the zoning, the one that makes sense, the one when I talk to outside lawyers who deal with zoning. Where I have the problem is at L&I. And when one of your predecessors said to me -- or two of them, actually -- We wrote the Code. We should be the ones interpreting it. If it just came to us 87 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. first, 90 percent of these problems would go away. If we made the -- so the first stop for zoning function isn't L&I, it's Planning. Secondly, design review has to happen before anything else happens. I may disagree with you on whether a development should happen, but whatever that development is, it should have the best design possible. If you lose the argument, Planning Commission, about whether a project happens, you recommend against it, we still support it, the Zoning Board still supports it, there should be no question that this is the best design possible. Whatever it costs in the long run, those dollars are very, very well spent. How long would it take you, just those two things? Because I don't want to wait four years for these things that everybody has agreed on for so many years. And Councilman just hit it right on the head. Get us that. It will go 88 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. through the Rules Committee and City Council so fast, because it doesn't take a lot of argument or thought because the argument and the thought is already there to get this in place. Instead of having excuses, then you come in next time and I can put your feet to the fire and I can say, How did that lousy design, how did you interpret that Zoning Code that way? But you won't say to me, Oh, it was that clerk at L&I, they don't have the proper background and yet they're doing the -- you guys at Planning and you women know what you're doing in this area. You've never had the teeth. You've never had the you know what to get it, but you can. We want to give it to you. I know the Mayor wants to give it to you.
I've read all of the reports on the Planning and the changes. Some of these things we can do now. We can do it before the budget is finished. How long would it take you to get us that? Because I know this new 89 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Planning Commission has to be dying to do the same thing. They didn't get into this just to be rubber stamps for somebody. A week? Two weeks? Three weeks?
Right now, as I mentioned before, we're in a position where if a design comes in that the staff feels is subpar, we need to use our ability to take it to Commission as leverage to getting a better design, and we recently did that with a proposal in Old City.
See, I'm talking about something different, and maybe you didn't get my little point about how much it costs. If we have to have an independent design review board, 90 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. as other cities have, with community members, architects and others, and if it slows the process down a little bit, I don't care. I want buildings that we can be proud of, not buildings that I have to open the Inquirer and wonder what we're building when we're worried about where the garage was, but the whole thing turns out to be ugly. And with the right review required by Law that has to get past them, there's no variance that you can go and say, I want to get a variance, I don't want this design review. You've got to do it. We can argue all we want about whether it's the right building and the right place or the right number of units, but the design of it we can all be proud of. And we've never had that. We should. Other cities had it for a long time. That's what I'm talking about. Not just the Planning staff going to the Commission, but having --
A formal design 91 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. review process.
I want something that gives Council and the Mayor the ability quickly to evaluate whether it's a good idea to have the zoning function separated from L&I and put in City Planning. Because other cities do that. I know it. I've talked to predecessors of yours, and it's a real problem. A lot of things wouldn't get to the Zoning Board either if we had that happening. I'm looking at Mr. Kramer. I know he's shaking his head, but he doesn't want to smile too much. Get it to us. I want you guys to be excited -- when I say "guys," generic. I want you to be excited when you get to work in the morning, not to be, Oh, God, all this stuff and we got 92 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. nothing, no say in it. Anyway, that's my -- thank you, Councilman.
You're welcome. Please include in that how we can, either by force or by practice, have developers come to the Planning Commission first.
But that's when you're going to have your biggest impact.
If the goose is cooked, all you can do is compromise or say no. And you're civil servants, so say no. Nothing can happen to you.
Design review comes first. Zoning review comes 93 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. first. They both happen at the Planning Commission. Zoning Board doesn't get it. We don't get it. The community can be talking about it during that time, but the ultimate design review rests with the design approval.
Right. In last Friday's article by Inga Saffron, she suggested that perhaps the Planning Commission have design review committees that include people from the neighborhoods that you can hear as you're going through a process so that that process is done where you -- in the first instance, with you having input and having input from the neighborhood.
At earlier Zoning Commission meetings, this was gone 94 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. over as far as what other cities do. So I know we can actually have the Zoning Commission make a positive recommendation to Council in the interim, not waiting three years, to get these kinds of fundamental things done right now.
Well, I think you asked a question, Councilman, and I don't believe it was answered. When can Council receive the ordinance that Councilman O'Neill is requesting?
We'll begin working on it today, and within three weeks we'll have an ordinance to you.
There's two things. Design review required, not optional, not just you making a recommendation. The design review is final. You don't get around it. Secondly, zoning interpretations start with Planning, not with L&I. 95 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Thank you. So two separate issues.
Good. Thank you. Councilman Green, I believe you were still asking questions.
Yes, ma'am. Thank you. One of my staff members attended a recent 3-1-1 PhillyStat meeting that you were at, and it was clear from the presentation that you have just a plethora of GIS-type data about the entire City, neighborhoods, what's where.
Does your budget include plans to create an online tool whereby the public, including neighborhood groups, researchers, developers, could access this information easily?
Access this information online? 96 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc.
We have via the City Planning Commission website kind of static maps that can be downloaded from our site.
But that's very different from the kind of data you presented at the PhillyStat meeting that is -- it's a ton of data. It's impressive. And I would suggest that it would help with the orderly development of the City if you could work with Terry Phillis at MOIS and have that data accessible by citizens, neighborhood groups, developers, et cetera.
Yeah. We can certainly work with MOIS on that. We have talked about it at the staff level.
Could you please provide the Chair maybe in three 97 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. weeks and just before the end of the budget process an idea of what the plan would be for that and how much it would cost?
Thank you. I apologize because I think Councilman Jones touched on this, so if you answered this, I'll go back and read the transcript, but have you performed an analysis of residential and commercial density around existing transit hubs in the entire City?
We have done that in parts of the City. We've done it along the Market West corridor, the stations along the Market West El. We're currently concluding a study looking at similar issues along the commuter rail stations along the North Delaware. Part of the earlier West Market Street El study also included the Frankford Terminal area, and we recently received 98 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. some grant funding to conduct a similar transit-oriented development study around the Broad and Erie transit node in North Philadelphia. So we are looking at those issues at specific locations. We are generally interested in the notion of promoting transit-oriented development throughout the City.
Which means potentially rewriting the way we do our business in terms of requiring certain number of cars for density, parking, things like that?
Changing regulations, zoning regulations, around transit stations that would allow additional density, perhaps less parking. Yes, we're investigating options for that now, in addition to doing these very specific site studies.
Imagine Philadelphia, how much is budgeted for the project in FY09 and over the 99 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Five-Year Plan?
And then it's about the same out or is it a one-year project?
Well, these were grant funds, so depending upon the way -- depending upon the source of the grant, there may be different time periods in which that money has to be spent down. So for Imagine Philadelphia right now, we're talking about a total budget of about $290,000.
Is that effort redundant with the public charrettes and other neighborhood stuff that the Zoning Code Commission is going to have to undertake to rewrite the Zoning Code in the entire City?
No, it's not redundant. I think that the public outreach by the Zoning Code Commission, while it may deal with some of the same 100 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. general topics, would really have to be much more specifically focused on the Zoning Code itself; whereas, Imagine Philadelphia as we conducted our nine public meetings throughout the City, we were urging participants in those meetings to think big and to give us big ideas for how the City can grow and develop over the next years. 11 So there's an intersection of 12 issues and concerns, but I think the 13 Zoning Code public outreach, when that 14 occurs later this year, will be much more 15 specific. 16
I know we're 17 not testifying about this today, but how 18 much does the Planning Commission expect 19 will be required to fully fund the Zoning 20 Code Commission through the end of its 21 mandate? 22
Well, in other 23 cities, this has been a process that's 24 taken anywhere from three to five years 25 or longer and has cost several million 101 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. dollars. We are currently in the process of or just about to --
If you could provide the Chair with Chicago, Miami, other cities that have undertaken similar processes and compare the complexity of what they're doing to what we're doing so we can get a true sense of what the cost is.
I think the budget currently reflects 250 a year for the next two years.
And does the Planning Commission's budget include the funds necessary to undertake the rewrite of the Zoning Code that's the mandate of 102 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. the Zoning Code Commission?
Okay. Are there enough funds in the Five-Year Plan to undertake a rewriting of the Zoning Code?
Okay. Those are all the questions I have, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. Often I know my office does a lot, as do other offices, requests a lot of maps, and I understand that there's 103 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. been some concern about ink and the money and how that need translates into budget dollars so that we can have the service. Can you enlighten us or let us know what it would require? Because really we can't afford to lose or not have the service as we need it because of budget items, and I'm sure that's something that the Council would support.
Thank you for asking that question. We do strive to serve City Council members and other City departments with mapping requests. We do find that we are continually running short of supplies, ink and paper primarily. We have a very good mapping staff, and we've estimated that in order to maintain our existing level of service, providing maps to City Council members and other City departments, that about 20,000 additional dollars would be necessary.
Madam President, he says they need $20,000 to 104 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. do our maps.
I know. We'll probably have Mr. McPherson write a note.
Thank you. Are there any other questions or comments from members of the Committee?
Thank you, Madam President. Could you please just briefly 105 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. describe "decentralized planning"?
Could you elaborate on the question a little? I'm not quite sure what you mean.
Are you familiar with the Development Cabinet which exists?
Yeah. It's an initiative of the Nutter Administration under Deputy Mayor and Commerce Director Andrew Altman to better coordinate the activities of the various departments and agencies, both within municipal government as well as quasi-public agencies, to coordinate development activities.
And was this concept in use in any previous 106 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. Administrations?
I believe that the Rendell Administration in the '90s also had a Development Cabinet.
Yes. I believe it also existed during those Administrations as well.
Why did that disappear under the previous Administration? Do you have any sense?
I don't, actually. I think that some of the functions of the Development Cabinet were intended to be housed in what had been known as the Office of Strategic Planning and some of that coordination occurred there by designating the Secretary of Strategic Planning as a Cabinet member. Previously City Planning Commission Executive Directors had never sat at the Cabinet level. So --
If you don't 107 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. know, that's fine. So what I just want to ask is if you think that there's any part of that concept that can be useful in giving you more teeth, just to consider that as you're writing the legislation that Councilman O'Neill has asked you to get us.
Absolutely. It's a good concept and an important initiative of the Administration.
Thank you. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
This Committee will stand in recess until 108 3/25/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. tomorrow, Wednesday, March the 26th, at 10:00 a.m. Thank you very much. (Committee of the Whole adjourned at 11:55 a.m.) - - - 109 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on March 25, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)