Neighbors have a chance to get updates on all things Clark Park at a Fall public meeting organized by Friends of Clark Park. The meeting is Monday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Rosenberger Hall (Room 102) on the University of the Sciences campus (600 S 43rd St).

The annual meeting is always a great time to discuss ongoing issues with the park and learn about some of the latest events and upcoming changes.

Friends of Clark Park will also be holding the annual election for the board of directors. If you would like to get involved in the Friends of Clark Park work or are just curious about the latest happenings in the park you are welcome to attend the meeting.

For more information about Friends of Clark Park and their work, visit: www.friendsofclarkpark.org.

The City Council rules committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 16) on an ordinance that will change the zoning designations on a handful of properties, including a controversial parcel near 51st and Spruce where a developer wants to build a 33-unit apartment complex.

The ordinance (PDF) would change that property – 303 S. 51st St. – from a CMX-2 zoning designation, which allows apartment buildings and ground-floor commercial, to RSA3. An RSA3 designation would require builders of anything but a single family home to acquire a variance from the city, which requires community input.  Continue Reading

The large residential project proposed for the corner of 43rd and Baltimore across the street from Clark Park has cleared another hurdle and will now go through a series of reviews at the city level.

The Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee, the Friends of Clark Park and the University City Historical Society have all approved the plan, according to a recent email announcement from the Spruce Hill Community Association’s zoning chair Barry Grossbach.

The 132-unit building at 4224 Baltimore Ave. would include a mix of condominiums and market-rate apartments. The plan also calls for first-floor commercial space, including a large restaurant.

Three project hearings have been scheduled for this month at the City government offices at 1515 Arch Street. All meetings are open to the general public. The community participation is encouraged, especially for the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, April 29.

Next week, on Tuesday, April 7, the Civic Design Review Committee will examine the project. Large development projects with over 100 dwelling units, like the proposed apartment building at 4224 Baltimore Ave, require a Civic Design Review. You can read more about this here.

Here are more details on the upcoming meetings at 1515 Arch Street:

Tuesday, April 7 – 1:00 p.m. – Civic Design Review Committee – Room 18-029

Tuesday, April 28 – 1:00-4:00 p.m. – Philadelphia City Planning Commission, 18-029

Wednesday, April 29 – 4:00 p.m. – ZBA (Zoning Board of Adjustment), ZBA Hearing room, 18-002

Proposed zoning changes fall within the area pictured above.

Proposed zoning changes for the area stretching from 45th to 50th streets and between Chestnut and Spruce streets will be the subject of a public meeting tonight at the Lea School Auditorium (47th and Locust). Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell introduced the proposed changes on May 8th and the City Council’s Rules Committee hearing (the last opportunity for public input) is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, according to Garden Court Community Association’s Zoning Chair Mariya Khandros.

The Garden Court, Walnut Hill and Spruce Hill neighborhoods are included in the area, so residents in these neighborhoods are encouraged to attend today’s meeting to provide their input (yes, we know it’s Friday night but the zoning changes affect almost every block in that area, so the organizers want to make sure that as many residents as possible give their input).

The changes include switching some parcels from multi-family to single-family zoning, or changing a commercially zoned location to residential. The parcel that includes the old West Philadelphia High School would also reportedly be zoned  for commercial use, presumedly to clear the way for  development of the high school building.

Blackwell introduced several zoning changes earlier this month, including proposed rezoning of the old University City High School parcel at 38th and Powelton.

The meeting will be held from 6 – 8 p.m.. Tuesday’s public hearing will be held in Room 4000 in the City Hall.