Photo courtesy ThePennRelays.com

The nation’s oldest and largest track and field event, the Penn Relays, kicks off tomorrow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field (233 S. 33rd St.) and there are a couple things West Philadelphia residents should know about the event.

First, traffic near Franklin Field will increase significantly as a result of the Relays, which run through Saturday. Penn security officials said 33rd Street from Walnut to South will be closed for about an hour on Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Those planning to attend the event, which attracts some 15,000 athletes ranging from high school students to Olympians, should expect much tighter security than in the past due to the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. Security will be tight at every entrance to Franklin Field and everyone will be checked with metal detectors. Bomb-sniffing dogs and bomb disposal teams will also be on hand.

Here are the rules:

• Backpacks and large bags (gym bags etc.) will not be permitted into Franklin Field or the Relay Carnival Village.

• Participants (athletes, coaches, team medical personnel) will be permitted to bring in backpacks. These bags will be thoroughly checked and will only be allowed in via the designated participant entrances.

• All bags containing food must be smaller than 12x12x6 (inches) and in clear plastic bags. Sealed plastic water bottles and cardboard juice boxes are permitted inside the clear plastic bags.

• Coolers, glass bottles and cans will not be permitted.

For more info, including ticket information and schedule of events, go to the Penn Relays website.

The firm behind the proposed residential housing project at 43rd and Baltimore will soon begin to seek community input, including the launch of a forum-like website, according to a letter from the chair of the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee.

We first reported on the 92-unit residential complex proposed for the vacant lot at the corner of 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue, across from Clark Park, a month ago. Since publishing the story, a lively discussion on what this development would mean for West Philly took off, with a number of residents emailing concerns to Barry Grossbach, chair of the Spruce Hill Zoning Committee. Grossbach recently addressed those questions in a statement released by the Spruce Hill Community Association.

“Here is what we know. The property owners sought, and were given, a ‘conditional’ zoning permit subject to design committee approval by City Planning,” writes Grossbach. “The site, currently zoned Rm1 under the new code, does not require any parking as part of any multifamily development. This is particularly important to understand given the emails insisting that Spruce Hill not allow this lack of parking to stand. The plans submitted by the owners meet the requirements of the code under Rm1 zoning, and lamenting the lack of parking will not address those concerns in a meaningful way. A ‘conditional’ permit is good for one year, and the clock does not start ticking on any time schedule until the owners seek to change ‘conditional’ to ‘permanent.’”

According to Grossbach’s statement, before seeking that change, the property owner, Clarkmore LP, controlled by Thylan Associates, has enlisted the help of U3 Ventures, a local real estate advisory and development firm, to engage the community in fostering alternative design plans. The process, writes Grossbach, will include a series of insightful roundtables with residents, and the creation of 4224Baltimore.com (which is not yet up and running), a website dedicated to the project news and information. The plan is for the website to feature an online discussion forum moderated by “Spruce Hill community members” where residents can express qualms about issues ranging from “building size to parking concerns,” according to Grossbach’s letter. The development team will not edit the forum’s content, but will participate in the discussion.

The development group will also have a table at the Spruce Hill Community Association May Fair on May 11.

“Many of us in Spruce Hill have looked at 43rd and Baltimore with a mixture of apprehension and hope over these ‘vacant’ years—expecting that something would surface as a development scheme and praying silently that we would not only survive it but applaud it,” writes Grossbach. “We have a unique opportunity here…We have the chance to think big and bold and, hopefully, find that sweet spot in shaping development for a site that both community members and property owners applaud without reservation.”

– Annamarya Scaccia

The primary elections are on May 21 and here’s an opportunity to meet a candidate for Judge of Common Pleas. Timika Lane, who is a West Philadelphia local and chief legal counsel to State Senator and Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams, will be at the University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 24 for a meet-and-greet.

Timika is an advocate for people of color, women, children and low-income communities (her campaign video is available here) and has experience serving as an attorney in the Philadelphia court system (see another video here).

The event, which will be held at the LGBT Center at Penn (3907 Spruce St) beginning at 5:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome to bring their questions and discuss local issues. You can RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/326682774121772/

Burglary reports in the past 30 days (3/24/13-4/23/13).

The latest University City Crime Update, a monthly email distributed by the University City District, shows a significant increase in residential burglaries in the area in April. There were over 20 burglaries in the past 30 days in the area, most of them reported in Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill, and Kingsessing, according to Crime Reports.

The UCD calls for extra caution and asks residents to consider various anti-burglary measures, including locking all exterior doors at all times, investing in more secure locks, using light switch timers to simulate occupancy, and asking a trusted neighbor to watch your property when you are away.

Please also apply caution when walking outside and using your cell phone, since there have been a series of phone robberies in the area. Here are some most recent reports of muggings:

Robbery reports in the past 30 days (3/24/13-4/23/13). Images from CrimeReports.com

• On Monday, April 15, a 29-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint by two men on the 4400 block of Osage Avenue, at approximately 9 p.m., according to police. The man’s phone was taken in the robbery.

• On Tuesday, April 16, a 23-year-old woman was robbed on the 4300 block of Baltimore Avenue. This incident happened in the morning, shortly before 9 a.m. The robbers took her phone, police said. The woman ran after the guys and one said to the other “Shoot her,” but no gun was seen. Police were called and were able to catch one of the robbers, a 21-year-old man, at 46th and Baltimore. The second robber was not apprehended.

• On Thursday, April 18, approximately at 11 a.m., a 20-year-old female was robbed by two men after being put in a choke hold, police said. The incident happened on the 4300 block of Pine Street. University City bike cops caught both robbers, an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old.

Today is the mail-in deadline for registering to vote in the May 21 primary. You can check your registration status online here. If you know you are registered, no reason to do it again unless you moved, changed your name or your party affiliation. Your registration must be postmarked by today to be eligible.

The local offices that will be decided this year include: District Attorney, City Controller, Judge of Court of Common Pleas, Judge of Philadelphia Municipal Court (3 vacancies), Judge of Traffic Court (3 vacancies), Inspector of Elections.

Statewide offices include the Judge of the Superior Court.

The most notable local race will be for City Controller, where incumbent Alan Butkovitz faces non-profit exec Brett Mandel and attorney Mark Zecca for the Democratic nomination. Current District Attorney Seth Williams is running unopposed for the party nomination.

– Mike Lyons

The Cedar Park Neighbors community association is holding its annual membership meeting tonight at Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th & Baltimore) and community members are welcome to attend. The annual Board of Directors election for current CPN members will also take place (voting will be from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.) The general program will start at 7:00 p.m.

The meeting will include the following agenda:

•  Introduction of nominees and standing Board Members
• Update on the AVI Townhall meeting
• Update on “Future of the Neighborhood” survey
• Featured Speaker: Iola Harper, Enterprise Center Senior Director of the Acceleration Group
• Community announcements
• Representative from Police District will speak
• Recognition of long dedication to CPN by Karen Allen, Dorothy Berlind, Laurie Friedman, Victoria Iannotta, and Joanne Pham
• Announcements of new Board Members (polls close at 7:30 pm)

For more information on the candidates running for the board election, including their bios, please visit the Cedar Park Neighbors website.