Title
Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” by amending Chapter 14-300, entitled “Administration and Procedures,” by changing the composition of the Civic Design Review Committee and adding additional criteria for review, 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 is hereby amended to read as follows:
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING.
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CHAPTER 14-300. ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURES.
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§14-304. Specific Procedures.
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(5) Civic Design Review.
(a) Civic Design Review Committee.
(.1) Establishment.
Where this Zoning Code requires review by the Civic Design Review Committee, such review shall be performed by the Commission, which shall function as the Civic Design Review Committee, until such time as the Chair of the Commission certifies to the Council that the Mayor has established one or more separate Civic Design Review Committees, [composed of seven appointed members] as set forth in § 14-304(5)(a)(.2) (Composition) below.
(.2) Composition.
The Civic Design Review Committee shall be composed of two Pennsylvania-licensed architects, one sustainability professional, 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 Registered Community Organization whose boundaries include the applicant's property, except that in the case of multiple overlapping Registered Community Organizations, there shall be up to two seats, one for each 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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(f) Criteria for Review.
Design review shall focus on the impact of building and site design on the public realm, particularly streets, sidewalks, trails, public parks, and open spaces. The Civic Design Review Committee's review is not intended to evaluate the architectural style or compositional aspects of a project outside of their clear impact on the public realm. Criteria for review shall include the following, and any recommendations for changes to the proposal shall be directed toward improving performance in the following areas:
(.1) Whether the design, including but not limited to the streetscape, curbside management, internal parking circulation, and vehicular and pedestrian access points, contributes to the walkability of adjacent streets;
(.2) Whether the ground level design of the proposal contributes to street activity on adjacent streets;
(.3) Whether the design of open spaces within the boundaries of the proposal are appropriate for their intended function and reinforce the importance, safety, and enjoyment of public use of those spaces;
(.4) Whether the design allows adequate light and air for nearby public streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, open spaces, and adjacent properties;
(.5) Whether the design reinforces and protects the desirable characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood through gradual transitions in bulk and scale and, if appropriate, buffers between the proposed building(s) and the adjacent area;
(.6) Whether the design is consistent with the intended character of streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, and open spaces indicated in the Comprehensive Plan and master plan, if applicable; [and]
(.7) Whether the design is environmentally sustainable; and
(.[7]8) Any additional criteria stated in the regulations of the Commission for the purposes of clarifying or implementing the criteria in this § 14-304(5)(f) (Criteria for Review)
SECTION 2. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect January 1st, 2017.
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Explanation:
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted.
Italics indicate matter added.
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