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TO THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA:
I am hereby returning without my signature Bill No. 210207, which was passed by Council at its session on April 29, 2021. This bill is a zoning map change which covers a significant portion of the tenth district. It downgrades the zoning of 14 commercial centers, causing 13 of them to have non-conforming uses. Uses that will no longer be permitted by right include educational facilities, private clubs and nightclubs, visitor accommodations, building services, artist studios, hospitals, religious assemblies, take-out restaurants, transit stations, and gas stations.
The Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) reviewed this legislation and recommended against approval. It noted that this district contains the largest number of immigrants in the City and that the original zoning designation has helped to ease this community’s transition by providing specialty stores, a sense of community, and business opportunities. This bill, on the other hand, will limit a current owner’s ability to expand their business and will also greatly restrict their opportunity to sell if a new prospective owner has no interest in continuing to run the same type of business. This harms not only current and future immigrant entrepreneurs, but also the immigrant community at large. New businesses forced to comply with the new zoning standard would be less able to cater to the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods since a whole host of business types would no longer be permitted by right. This bill unnecessarily targets an important community that my administration has worked very hard to welcome to our City. Signing this legislation would conflict with my strong commitment to promote the wellbeing of all Philadelphians.
For these reasons, I am returning without my signature, Bill No. 210207.
Respectfully,
JAMES F. KENNEY
Mayor
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