At a 10th City Council District open house for the Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission, Northeast Philadelphia residents thought certain aspects of the code rewrite would negatively affect their neighborhoods, while other parts would be beneficial. Northeast residents were especially unhappy that the reform discussed legalizing the practice of converting single-family homes into duplexes or triplexes, often with rental units. This is known as accessory dwellings and is a common phenomenon in neighborhoods like Fox Chase, Bustleton and Somerton.
Pat Cantwell, the treasurer of the Somerton Civic Association, was especially irritated by the proliferation of accessory dwellings on her blocks. “The conversion of houses into apartments, and duplexes into triplexes affects parking, which is already bad in our neighborhood,” said Cantwell. The president of her civic association, Domenic Ragucci, elaborated by saying accessory dwellings in basements is a serious problem in Somerton.
Accessory dwellings were also a concern in Ashton Square, which is a residential neighborhood located near the Northeast Philadelphia Airport. “The abuse of accessory dwellings is a concern,” said Dennis Ward, the zoning chair of the Ashton Square Civic Association and a former Section 8 building inspector. Ward expressed apprehension at how accessory dwellings were addressed by the Commission.
In fact, Michael Thompson, a staff member of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, had a poster vaguely referring to accessory dwellings on behalf of the Zoning Code Commission. This poster referred to dimensional variances, and tried to emphasize that limits would be placed on non-owner occupied units. At the same time, the poster did not mention that the reform as it stands now would allow accessory dwellings.
Tenth District Councilman Brian O’Neill criticized the inclusion of accessory dwellings in the reform, although he was unsure of how they got there. “I can’t believe apartments got into the rewrite,” said O’Neill. The councilman speculated that Philadelphia may have picked the idea up from another city’s zoning code reform. O’Neill reiterated his opposition to any allowance for accessory dwellings.
With this being said, Northeast residents appreciated other elements of the reform. One popular element was the Commission’s support of green space. Ward, from Ashton Square, was enthusiastic about the presentation on green space. The East Torresdale Civic Association (ETCA) was also excited about the park reforms. “I love the parks,” said Bill Kennedy of the ETCA. For Kennedy, the park preservation seemed to be the best aspect of the open house.
Sarah Chiu, another member of the Planning Commission who was presenting for the Zoning Code Commission, explained just how the rewrite would enhance green space. “There would be a two-to-one ratio for trees, meaning for every tree cut down, two should be planted,” said Chiu. Speaking of a local example, Chiu mentioned the 40 trees that would be cut down for the State Road widening, and reassured attendees that, if reform were to be passed, 80 trees would be planted.
Despite the unease with accessory dwellings, the zoning code reform seemed to be popular for residents of Upper Holmesburg at the open house. For Barbara Gunning, two of the best aspects of the reform were the goal of community association input and the mixed use property reform. Indeed, the commission made it clear that it would simplify mixed-use zoning, making it easier for businesses to be developed alongside residences. Gunning’s friend, Lynne Gregory, also an Upper Holmesburg resident, echoed Gunning’s sentiments on mixed-use zoning reform.
Other Northeast residents praised the simplification of the rewrite. “I think it will be much more readable, much more usable,” said Marion Brown of Fox Chase. Brown added that the draft contains “many, many improvements.” At the same time, Brown cautioned the commission to foster uniformity across the city on all issues. Interestingly, she steered clear of mentioning anything about the accessory dwelling controversy.
Eva Gladstein, the executive director of the Zoning Code Commission, explained just how the draft rewrite would affect Northeast Philadelphia. “The Northeast has very well-formed civic associations,” said Gladstein. “We’re looking for the right balance between developers and communities.” Gladstein also mentioned the large amount of industrial areas that dot the Northeast landscape. Finally, the Executive Director touted the push to preserve and protect the environment and open space, which she deemed appropriate for a section of the city that contains Pennypack Park.
The open house occurred at Holy Family University, which is at the edge of both the 10th Council District and the city. Turnout was surprisingly light, which some complained was because of short notice. Ward, the Ashton Square Civic Association representative, complained that his group found out about the gathering just a few days before it happened. Also, there was a noticeable lack of younger adults.
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