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Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled Zoning and Planning, by defining Registered Community Organizations, the requirements for their establishment, and the parameters and expectations of notification, in addition to changing the composition of the Civic Design Review Committee; all under certain terms and conditions.
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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, as amended by Bill No. 110845 (approved December 22, 2011) and thereafter, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING
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CHAPTER 14-200. DEFINITIONS
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§ 14-203. Definitions.
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(259) Registered Community Organization or RCO.
A community organization that is registered with the City Planning Commission and maintains its registration in active status pursuant to rules established by the City Planning Commission.
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CHAPTER 14-300. ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURES
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§ 14-303. Common Procedures and Requirements.
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(12) Neighborhood Notice and Meetings.
(a) Registered Community Organizations.
(.1) Organizations that desire to be recognized as a Registered Community Organization by the Commission shall register [annually] with the Commission by providing (1) the name of a contact person, (2) the name of a person designated to participate in the Civic Design Review process, if applicable, (3) the boundaries of its geographic area of concern, and (4) whether the organization wishes to be notified of applications in its geographic area of concern electronically or by mail[, and (5) such other information as may be required by the regulations of the Commission]. Organizations shall re-register with the Commission every three years, and shall inform the Commission of any changes made to the information provided on its registration statement.
(.2) Organizations shall register as one of the following:
(.a) A Local Registered Community Organization whose geographic area of concern is a neighborhood[. Its registered geographic boundaries shall meet the geographic area set forth in the group's articles of incorporation, bylaws, or other governing documents; or], with defined boundaries documented in the organization's registration statement. A Local Registered Community Organization must either be a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, an unincorporated association, or a volunteer organization; and must have a stated purpose and a schedule of meetings.
(.b) An Issue-based Registered Community Organization whose geographic area of concern is greater than or smaller than the neighborhood. An Issue-based Registered Community Organization must be organized as a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation.
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(.3) The Commission shall establish, by regulation not in conflict with the provisions of this Section, the requirements for qualifying as a Registered Community Organization.
(b) Applicability.
The procedures of this § 14-303(12) (Neighborhood Notice and Meetings) shall apply to applications [that pertain to a property within the boundaries of the Registered Community Organization and] that:
(.1) Require Zoning Board approval of a special exception under § 14-303(7) (Special Exception Approval);
(.2) Require Zoning Board approval of a zoning variance under § 14-303(8), (Zoning Variances); or
(.3) Meet the requirements for Civic Design Review in § 14-304(5) (Civic Design Review).
(c) Notice to Registered Community Organizations and District Councilmembers.
(.1) Within seven days of (a) filing an appeal to the Zoning Board for approval of a special exception or variance or (b) being notified by L&I that an application will require review under the Civic Design Review Process, the applicant must provide written notice to (i) each Registered Community Organization whose registered boundaries include the applicant's [property and] property; (ii) the district councilmember whose district includes the subject property; and (iii) the owner, occupant, managing agent or other responsible person at every property on the same block (as defined in § 14-203(28)) as the applicant's property; every property on any blockface (as defined in § 14-203(29)) adjacent to the blockface of the applicant's property; every property on the blockface across the street from the applicant's property; and every property on any blockface across the street from a blockface that is adjacent to the blockface of the applicant's property. Notice under subparagraph (iii) shall be by regular mail or hand delivery; where there is no evident owner, managing agent or other responsible person on the property, notice may be satisfied by placement at or in the front door. Notice under subparagraph (iii) shall not be required if the applicant's property is an owner-occupied residential property containing three or fewer residential units. The applicant must provide a copy of [such] notice required by this subsection (.1) to the Commission, L&I, and, for a special exception or variance, to the Zoning Board. Where there is no Local Registered Community Organization whose boundaries include the applicant's property, the [applicant shall provide notice to the district council member whose district includes the applicant's property, and such district council member] district councilmember whose district includes the applicant's property shall serve as the local Registered Community Organization for all purposes with respect to the application or appeal.
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(d) Neighborhood Meeting and Documentation Requirements.
The procedures of this § 14-303(12)(d) (Neighborhood Meeting and Documentation Requirements) shall only apply to Local Registered Community Organizations.
(.1) Within 45 days after the applicant has filed an appeal to the Zoning Board for approval of a special exception or variance or within 45 days after the applicant has been notified by L&I that an application will require review under the Civic Design Review Process, the noticed Local Registered Community Organization(s) and the applicant shall complete the actions required by this § 14-303(12)(d) (Neighborhood Meeting and Documentation Requirements). The Zoning Board or Civic Design Review Committee shall not conduct any public meetings on the application until the applicant and the Local Registered Community Organization(s) have completed the actions required by this § 14-303(12)(d) (Neighborhood Meeting and Documentation Requirements) or 45 days, whichever is less.
(.a) The noticed Local Registered Community Organization(s) shall:
(.i) Provide written notice of the public meeting required pursuant to subparagraph (.ii) below to the owner, occupant, managing agent or other responsible person at every property on the same block (as defined in § 14-203(28)) as the applicant's property; every property on any blockface (as defined in § 14-203(29)) adjacent to the blockface of the applicant's property; every property on the blockface across the street from the applicant's property; and every property on any blockface across the street from a blockface that is adjacent to the blockface of the applicant's property. Notice under this subparagraph (.i) shall be satisfied by regular mail or hand delivery; where there is no evident owner, managing agent or other responsible person on the property, notice may be satisfied by placement at or in the front door.
[(.i)](.ii) Convene, organize, and conduct a public meeting with the applicant, and members of the community, to discuss the proposal. If there is more than one Local Registered Community Organization whose registered geographical boundaries include the applicant's property, those organizations shall coordinate to convene a single meeting with the applicant; provided that, upon request of any of the organizations, the district councilmember, the Commission and the Zoning Board, may determine whether there will be a single meeting with all interested Registered Community Organizations or a separate meeting with each Registered Community Organization within the 45 day period; and
[(ii)](.iii) Provide to the Zoning Board or Civic Design Review Committee, as applicable, written documentation of the meeting; or, if no meeting was held within the required 45-day timeframe, written documentation demonstratin that the Local Registered Community Organization has made required notification, as set forth in § 14-303(12)(d)(.1)(.c), to meet with the applicant.
(.iv) After each RCO community meeting, the RCO shall prepare a meeting summary form, documenting any and all actions taken at the meeting. The RCO shall provide a copy of the form to the Commission, which shall make it available to the public, upon request.
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§ 14-304. Specific Procedures.
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(5) Civic Design Review.
(a) Civic Design Review Committee.
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(.2) Composition. The Civic Design Review Committee shall be composed of two Pennsylvania-licensed architects, one Pennsylvania-licensed landscape architect, one urban design professional, one developer or builder, one person with experience reviewing projects on behalf of civic associations, including a person who previously served or currently serves on a zoning, land use, or similar committee of a Registered Community Organization, and one rotating seat for a representative of a Local Registered Community Organization [located in the project area,] whose boundaries include the applicant's property, except that in the case of multiple overlapping Local Registered Community Organizations, there shall be up to two seats, one for each Local Registered Community Organization, and at the discretion of the district councilperson, one seat to be occupied by a designee of the district councilperson whose district includes the application property. A member of the Commission will be the Chair of the Civic Design Review Committee and will fill one of the designated positions. The Executive Director of the Commission (or appointed designee) will advise the Civic Design Review Committee but will have no vote.
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SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall become effective sixty days after it becomes law.
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Explanation:
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted
Italics indicate new matter added
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