Tonight from 8pm to 11pm our friends at the 10th Street Landromat (corner of 10th and Ellsworth) will be hosting another in their series of art shows. The title of the show is “Required Reading” and features the art of James Ulmer and Kris Chau. According to their website:

Catered by Stacy Papa and funky music by DJ Jeff Bochard. Bring your blankets, rugs & any large items to big for your home machines & take advantage of industrial size 55 & 80 pounder machines.

As a give back to the community, we’ll make a donation to the Passyunk Square Civic Association. Keep America beautiful, lets add this neighborhood too!

Please consider supporting this show (and, in turn, supporting PSCA) and thanks to 10th Street Laundromat for their continued support of PSCA.

Town Watch Tomorrow!

Our next Town Watch Patrol is this Saturday, March 12. It looks like this rain and gloom will have ended and we can expect a sunny day and 50+ degrees! Please join us this weekend and take an active role in increasing the safety of our community.

If you plan on attending, please respond before the patrol to townwatch@passyunk.org

Date: Saturday, March 12
Time: 11:00am
Location: 11th & Wharton in front of the 3rd District PD
Contact: Rob Flint (townwatch@passyunk.org) or 614.425.6387 before 10:00am day of
What to expect: Bring your observation skills and your sense of humor and maybe a notepad and your camera (or your phone’s camera) if you’re really ambitious.
Weather forecast (1 day out): Sunny and temp up to 53°!

Zoning Code Update

The City of Philadelphia is current in the process of doing its first major revision of the zoning code since 1965.   The proposed new zoning code promises to be fair, transparent, sensible, and smart, but it also contains many changes.

The staff of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) is sending you this reminder that the Zoning Code Commission (ZCC) invites you to view a draft of the new code, and other helpful information, is available at www.zoningmatters.org.  If you have questions or concerns about the new code, there are a variety of ways to get answers from PCPC and ZCC staff and Commissioners.

First, the Zoning Code Commission will host a series of stakeholder meetings, which have been dubbed as “Zoning Code Stakeholder X-Changes.”  We invite you and other stakeholders to talk to staff and Commissioners about the proposed changes to the Code during these X-Changes.   Eight X-changes will be held between March 8th and May 3rd at 1515 Arch Street on the 12th floor. The intent is to provide an opportunity for residents to understand how the new code will work for their neighborhood.  Although there is a “focus” item for each X-Change, participants will be able to ask questions and receive information about other sections of the code.  See the schedule at www.zoningmatters.org.

You can attend meetings of the Zoning Code Commission.  Citizens can make comments at the meetings, which take place at 8:00am in Room 18029 on the 18th floor of 1515 Arch Street.  Upcoming meetings are scheduled for April 13 and May 11.

Parenting Workshop

On Saturday March 19th from 10:30-12:30, the ThirdPath institute (www.thirdpath.org) and South Philly Parent Resource Center will lead a parenting workshop on work life balance and parenting. They’ll lead a discussion about finding new options for men and women to approach family, and new and innovative ways for everyone to redesign work and create more time for life.  They help both men and women to find ways to redesign their work so that they can earn a living while staying actively engaged in the care of their children, calling this new work-family model Shared Care. If you are back to work, considering going back to work, or trying to juggle things, it may be worth your while to grab your partner and come discuss this timely topic.

It’s a great deal at only $25 a couple, and will be held at the Columbus Square Recreation Center at 12th & Wharton Streets. Babysitting is included by a volunteer group of parents (if you need it). If you are interested in registering or knowing more about the workshop email southphillyparents@gmail.com.

ThirdPath was featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story describing Shared Care.  Visit the ThirdPath website for more info and a link to to a video interview with their founder.

Second Saturday

Tomorrow, March 12, is Second Saturday on East Passyunk Avenue. Take a stroll down the Avenue and check out music, art openings, workshops, store openings, sales and complimentary refreshments at about 2 dozen shops. Events are 6-9pm unless otherwise noted. For more information and a chance to RSVP, visit their Facebook Event page.

Last night, the Zoning Committee of the Passyunk Square Civic Association was scheduled to hear from the applicants for a project at 735 Reed Street. Late yesterday afternoon, the representative for this project informed the Committee that they would be seeking a continuance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, where they were originally scheduled to be heard at 2pm today. The Zoning Committee has also sent a letter to the ZBA and Councilman DiCicco’s office seeking that 735 Reed Street’s hearing be continued until after they have had a chance to meet with the Committee.

Apologies to everyone in attendance yesterday for the lack of notice of the cancellation. We are taking steps in the future to make sure all such news (agendas for the monthly Zoning Committee Meetings, cancellations, etc.) appear on this website and go out through the PSCA Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Though representatives of the 735 Reed St. project told the committee that they are seeking a continuance, we encourage any neighbor who is interested to attend the ZBA hearing today at 2pm at 1515 Arch Street on the 18th Floor to be certain that the ZBA grants a continuance and to find out the new date of the applicant’s ZBA hearing. Feel free to leave a comment below if you attend the hearing and have any further information.

The other item on the agenda was an informational presentation from the developer and designer of the site at 12th and Latona currently occupied by the vacant I. Goldberg warehouse. The plan calls for demolition of the warehouse and construction of 8 3-story, single-family  homes fronting Latona Street and another single-family home to the rear of those 8 which would front on 12th Street. One change from the previous notice is that there are no current plans to develop the vacant lot on the southwest corner of 12th and Latona. Residents expressed some concern about parking, the demolition and construction phase and the possibility of the project being started and not completed. The developer (Greenpointe, LLC) made assurances about the financial arrangement of the development, the environmental mitigation that would happen if necessary and provided information about the multi-stage construction phase.

More details about the designs of the homes will be available at their official appearance in front of the Zoning Committee which the developer is hoping will occur as early as the April meeting (4/12/11) pending processing by the city and scheduling of the ZBA hearing.

Thanks again to everyone who attended last night’s meeting. We look forward to seeing you again next month.

On Tuesday, March 8 at 7pm at the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center (corner of E. Passyunk Avenue and Dickinson Street) the Zoning Committee of the Passyunk Square Civic Association is scheduled to hear the following case:

735 Reed Street

Application is for the erection of two roof decks on an existing two-story structure and for a four-family dwelling. The refusal is for the proposed use, four-family dwelling, which is not permitted in this zoning district.

At the meeting the committee will hear from the applicant and give residents who attend a chance to offer input before taking a vote either in opposition or non-opposition to the proposed use. The committee’s decision will be sent to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the 1st Council District office and will be taken under advisement by the ZBA when they make their decision either to allow the proposed use or not.

12th and Latona

In addition to the official business of the committee, the developer and architect (Greenpointe Construction, Inc. and QB3, LLC) of a proposed development at 12th and Latona will present their plans for a project that includes:

• Demolition of existing warehouse and construction of (8) townhomes fronting Latona Street (35′ high)
• Construction of (1) single family dwelling to rear of Latona Townhomes with entry on 12th Street.
• Construction of (1) single family dwelling on existing vacant lot on the southwest corner of 12th and Latona.

This is an informational presentation. No vote will occur. The owners – Greenpointe – are seeking input from the community at the beginning of the process. The committee would deal with any zoning issues that may occur if the Department of Licenses and Inspections issues a refusal.

The PSCA Zoning Committee meetings are opportunities for neighbors to hear the details of zoning applications within our civic association boundaries. The Zoning Committee does not make any final decisions on these zoning applications, but we do send letters to the Philadelphia Zoning Board Administration. Those letters outline the neighbors’ thoughts on the application and the Zoning Committee’s decision to either oppose or not oppose the proposal.

Please come and help make our neighborhood a better place.