COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON RULES - - - Room 696, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, October 24, 2002 9:40 a.m. - - - BILL 020591 - an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps, by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by City Avenue, 52nd Street, Overbrook Avenue, and 54th Street. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chair COUNCILMAN FRANK DICICCO COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (215) 561-2220 I N D E X BILL 020591 PAGE THOMAS CHAPMAN, City Planning Commission ..... KEVIN ROBINSON, St. Joseph's University ..... 3 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the delay. City Council Committee on Rules is now in session to hear testimony on Bill No. 020591, which is an ordinance 6 to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps, by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by City Avenue, 52nd Street, Overbrook Avenue, and 54th Street. Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Thomas Chapman. I am the Director of the Development Planning Division of the City Planning Commission. I'm here today to testify on Bill No. 020591. This bill was introduced by Councilman Nutter on September 26, 2002. This bill amends the zoning maps by changing the designations of two parcels of land bounded by City Avenue, 52nd Street, Overbrook Avenue, and 54th Street to a designation of an Institutional Development District. This bill 22 expands the Institutional Development District of Saint Joe's University Campus. The university proposes to construct three structures at these locations. The first two structures will be built 4 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 along City Avenue between 54th and 52nd Street. There will be 225 parking spaces at street level, and above that there will be a four-story student residential facility which will house 425 students. The second phase of the project calls for the construction of a 48,000 square foot commercial building. This building will provide one story of neighborhood retail commercial use at grade. And above that, there will be a four-story 400-space parking garage. The Planning Commission considered this amendment to Institutional Development District Master Plan of St. Joseph's University at its meeting of October 15, 2002. I'll be happy to answer any questions of the Committee.
Thank you very much. Any questions for the witness? Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to place on the record my deepest appreciation to the Planning Commission for their timely review of this particular project. I think, as you know, there are always a variety of 5 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 complications and issues with these kinds of projects, but the Planning Commission has been very supportive and moved through their process in a timely fashion. And I just want to go on record saying that I deeply appreciate it. It's a desperately-needed project in the Wynnefield community, and the Planning Commission was of great assistance in making sure that it could move forward, and I appreciate it.
Thank you very much. Any other questions for Mr. Chapman? (No response.)
Seeing none, the Chair calls Kevin Robinson, Vice President for Administrative Services, St. Joe's University. Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record.
Kevin Robinson, Vice President for Administrative Services, St. Joseph's University.
Whatever you think 6 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 is appropriate for the record.
I'll state our objectives. The purpose of the project is threefold: It's to get more full-time undergraduate students living on campus in supervised housing, to increase the amount of parking on campus for students and staff, and to create an attractive entry to the university that fits both the university and the community architecture, what we would consider a significant location on campus and for the community.
Mr. Robinson, please stay for one moment. Mr. Chairman, if I can just make a comment and then I'll take care of the letters. One, thank you again for your testimony as well, Mr. Robinson. I want to also an express my 7 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 appreciation to you and St. Joe's University, Father Rashford, Rob and Greg, Peter Moriarty from your architecture firm. This has been an engaging process that the university and the community have met about on a number of occasions, as recently as this past Monday, trying to work through a significant development in the community that will immediately improve and upgrade, not only the entry way at 54th and City Avenue, but also seek to resolve some of the other issues that we've been working on in recent times regarding student behavioral issues. And your testimony hits the nail right on the head, that the university seeks to have more of its students on its campus under its own supervision, providing additional parking which will alleviate some the parking and traffic and congestion concerns in the Wynnefield and Overbrook communities, as well as in a second phase the retail opportunities and the jobs that come with those. So I want to commend you for putting together a good team, for having an open mind, working with us in the spirit of cooperation to try to get an important project done. And if you could take that message back to the university and to the Board, I would 8 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 greatly appreciate it. Mr. Chairman, there are letters of support from three organizations, and with your permission, I'd like to read them into the record and have them become a part of today's discussion. The first dated October 23, 2002. "Dear Members of City Council, my name is Mattie Johnson, President of the Wynnefield Residents Association. I also live in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia. My purpose for being here today is regarding Bill No. 020591 which recommends amending the Philadelphia zoning designations of certain areas of land located within areas bounded by City Avenue, 52nd Street, Overbrook Avenue, and 54th Street. This proposed zoning change will insure stabilization of the existing commercial district. "The zoning change will also offer more control of St. Joseph's University students that often times cause disturbances within the community. "As the President of WRA, I am aware of numerous complaints filed by residents regarding off-campus housing and the disturbances from St. Joseph's University students. ) "With the Institutional Development District, this would alleviate the severe shortages of on-campus supervised housing of students and hopefully eliminate most of the community's concerns regarding the St. Joseph's University students. "Saint Joseph's University is working closely with the residents to ensure the institutional development would be compatible with the surrounding residential community. "In closing, the Wynnefield Residents Association supports Bill 020591 along with the proposed St. " The second letter is from the Rexford Square Association. "The Rexford Square Association is very pleased with the progress that has been made during our series of meetings with St. Joseph's University. We are now in a position to fully support the university's plans for their 54th and City Avenue Development Project. 10 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 "We look forward to a continuing good relationship with the University as this project moves forward. "Thank you again for all of your help. "Signed, Peter J. " And lastly, "We're writing on behalf of the residents in the 5200 block of Church Road who have regularly attended meetings regarding the 54th and City Avenue Development Project. "We have had the opportunity to review plans presented by St. Joseph's University and have also participated in developing these plans. We agree to Phase I of the proposal, including recent modifications. We look forward to continued dialog with St.
Joseph's University and your office regarding future developments. " Lastly, Mr. Chairman, there is a St. Joseph University-Wynnefield Community Development Agreement that the different constituencies have referred to. This document has been developed in conjunction with the university and the surrounding 11 10/24/02 - RULES - BILL 020591 neighborhood. And I would also like to add that document to this particular record as a part of today's hearing, with your permission. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you very much. Any other questions for this witness? (No response.)
Is there anyone else in the room to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Seeing none, that will conclude our hearing of the Rules Committee. - - - 12 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE ON RULES - - - Thursday, October 24, 2002 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Rules, held in Room 696, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILL 020591. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chair COUNCILMAN FRANK DICICCO COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA - - - 13 10/24/02 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING
We will now convene a public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Nutter for a motion on Bill No. 020591.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill 020591 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation, and a further recommendation that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Session. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 020591 reported out of this Committee favorably. A request will be made for rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council Session. Thank you very much for your attendance today. Council should start shortly. (Council adjourned at 9:50 a.m.) - - - 14 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of October 24, 2002, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE ON RULES ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public