UPDATE: Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) will hold a monthly community zoning meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. One of the proposals to be discussed at the meeting is Spirited Tattooing Coalition’s move to 4912 Baltimore Ave. from their current location at 4918 Baltimore. A zoning variance is required for this application because the proposed use of the space is prohibited within 500 feet of a school, public park, churches, and residential district.

Spirited Tattooing Coalition opened in 2015.  Continue Reading

UPDATE (Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018): Police are still investigating the murder of four people, two men and two women, whose bodies were found Monday afternoon in the basement of a residence on the 5100 block of Malcolm Street in Cedar Park. All four were shot once in the head, according to police. The male victims, 28 and 31 years old, are reportedly cousins. One of the female victims is 20 years old, according to police. No names and no suspect information have been released as of 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Philadelphia Police Captain Derrick Wood tweeted shortly after the discovery of the victims that “it [was] the worst crime scene I have seen in my 20 years with the Philadelphia Police Department”:  Continue Reading

Rendering of the proposed mixed-use development at 51st and Baltimore.

A three-story apartment building with commercial space on the ground floor is proposed at 51st and Baltimore. Community members are invited this Tuesday, Oct. 23 to a Cedar Park Community Zoning meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore).

Twelve residential units, including “inclusionary” units aimed at a variety of incomes, are proposed on the second and third floors of the building (six units are allowed by right). Passed earlier this month, the city’s inclusionary zoning bill includes sizing and height incentives for developers who include affordable housing in their residential projects. Continue Reading

Neighborhood residents (especially homeowners) may find this workshop very useful. A free Will and Estate Planning workshop, hosted by Cedar Park Neighbors and the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, will take place on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore).

The workshop will cover simple wills, living wills and powers of attorney and will answer questions related to home ownership in case of the owner’s death or a serious illness when you can’t speak for yourself. Attendees are also welcome to sign up for a free one-on-one follow-up meeting at Drexel University to write their actual documents.

More information about the workshop is available here. You can also RSVP on Facebook.

A monthly Cedar Park zoning meeting will get underway on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore). One of the development projects to be discussed at the meeting is a proposal for a self-service pet washing space at 806 S. 47th Street, in the space formerly occupied by Goffredo Plumbing (see Google map above).

The new business requires a special exception for the first-floor commercial space in the three-story mixed use building because it’s an “animal service.” The residential use above will remain unchanged. Stay tuned for more information.

More details about tomorrow’s meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., is available here.

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Neighborhood-to-Neighborhood (N2N) festival, which has brought stars like Macey Gray, Common, Morris Day and more to West Philadelphia, will return this Saturday (Sept. 8) with a free tribute concert to Aretha Franklin.

The annual outdoor community event will be held from noon until 8 p.m. at 50th and Baltimore and will feature recording artists Kathy Sledge, Monica, Kelly Price, Keke Wyatt, Jean Carne (one of Aretha’s “great girlfriends”) and Kindred the Family Soul. They will each perform hits of their own and cover some of Aretha’s to celebrate and honor the Queen of Soul.

Radio personality Patty Jackson and comedian Skeet will cohost the festival, and TV’s latest “Survivor” winner, Wendell Holland II, will make a guest appearance.  Continue Reading