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OUR
SPONSORS
If you would like to donate to
CCRA,
click below.
Click here to visit previous "What's New"
Articles
Click here to view crime reports from the 9th Police
District.
2016 CCRA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tuesday, April 26
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Thursday, May 12
Tuesday, May 24
Zoning Meeting
Wednesday, May 25
Annual Meeting
Tuesday, June 14
Board of Directors
Meeting
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CANCELLED:
Public Meeting re 2402 Market Street Project, Thursday, 4/28, 7 PM, Lutheran
Church, 21st & Chestnut - The developer advised that new plans are
being prepared necessitating a continued
date.
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WHAT'S NEW IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
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Drive-by
Planning: The Registered Community Organization (RCO)
Regulations
At the
Planning Commission's March 15 meeting, the Commission staff requested the
Commission's approval of amendments to regulation of the operations of
Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) which are empowered by the "new"
(2012) zoning code to conduct public hearings as to land use applications. CCRA
is an RCO as are the other 20 members of the Crosstown Coalition.
The
staff's March 15 recommendations are the latest example of the staff's
infrequent but alarming use of "drive-by planning" procedures, planning
exercises conducted in the dark and in haste. The staff plans presented on
Tuesday March 15 had been delivered to the Commissioners the preceding Friday
at 3:57 pm (along with 12 other agenda "action items"). But the Commissioners
at least had one business day to review the regulations. Not so the subjects of
the proposed regulations, the RCOs, who received copies of the amendments 9 days
after the meeting on March 24. At the March 15 meeting the RCO volunteers
could provide no citizen input as to plans they had not seen. Not only were the
RCOs kept in the dark as to the amended regulations, they were not consulted by
the Commission staffers when they prepared these regulations pertaining to RCO
procedures. Jane Jacobs, the matriarch of city planning, stated that cities "are
created by everybody". On occasions such as last March 15, it appears that
Commission staffers adhere to a different credo - that cities are created by
planners.
Fortunately, the
Commissioners deferred their vote until the April meeting, affording RCOs the
opportunity to weigh in on the amendments presented by the staff. And, credit
where credit is due, many of the Commission staff's recommendations are sensible
and appropriate. Even so, we all would be better served by staff procedures in
which the community was consulted at the onset of the planning process and where
ample time is afforded for examination of proposed
plans.
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PA Senator Larry Farnese Town Hall, Thurs, 5/12, 7 - 8
PM, Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, 300 S.
18th St
Have a dialogue with Senator Farnese
about what he's doing and planning on doing. Plus, you will have the opportunity
to express your
concerns.
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CCRA Annual Meeting, Wed.,
5/25, 7 PM, Acad of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St
Our Most Important Meeting of the Year
Members Vote in New Officers
Special Keynote Speaker:
Michael DiBerardinis, Managing Director for Mayor Kenney
- "Mike D"
as he is known, is an exceptional speaker and will talk about the Kenney
administration's plans and values. As managing director, DiBerardinis oversees
operations of a myriad of city departments.
- He was
Philadelphia's Parks and Recreation czar, a longtime cabinet appointee to two
mayors, Deputy Mayor in the Nutter Administration, and Deputy Mayor for
Environmental and Community Resources.
- DiBerardinis,
66, is well-known and respected among city officials, government workers, and
political leaders.
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CCRA
Merchant Member Discount Program
Support our
local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a
discount (described
here) to any member
who shows a current CCRA membership card (Di Bruno Bros. has its own CCRA card)
and personal identification.
Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St.
and the Market at the Comcast Center (215-665-9220)
Uber - Limo service Uber
provides $20 off a
first ride, Good for new users only. Members use
promo code CCRA14.
Philly Foodworks - Use the code
"CCRA" when signing up for home delivery and receive a $20 discount on delivery
charges.
Dance Affiliate - Get $10 off Dance Performances with your CCRA
Membership. Members use promo code allattheprince.
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AND
EVENTS
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Free Street
Trees
Does
your sidewalk need a tree? Does your block need several trees?
The
Friends of Schuylkill River Park Tree Tenders is the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society (PHS) certified Tree Tenders group for the Plant One Million campaign
for the CCRA area. They are currently collecting applications for the fall 2016
planting. Trees are chosen and supplied by the PHS and planted by volunteers.
Property owners must agree to care for and water weekly during the growing
season (April - October) for two years.
For more information, email Tree Tenders group leader
Susan
Kahn or contact
Andrew Terhune at 215 850
9957. Applications for the fall tree planting are due by April
23. Click here for the PHS tree request form which should be emailed to
Susan
Kahn or to Andrew
Terhune ,or drop through mail slot at 2024 Pine St., 19103-6523.
Help make Center City part of a greener and healthier
region.
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The Friends of the
Philadelphia City Institute Library Book Sale, Sat, 4/30, 11 am - 4 pm, 1905
Locust St
To
make this sale a success, PCI is asking donations of used books, CDs, DVDs and
audiobooks. They
accept books in all subjects (novels, history, cookbooks, etc.) as long as the
books are in excellent or "like new" condition. No cassettes or old books will
be received. Please bring books to the Reference Desk at PCI by
4/23.
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Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for
Children's Charities, Wed 5/4 - Thurs, 5/5, 9 - 6 pm, 19th &
Walnut
The 102nd annual Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children's Charities
features indoor/outdoor plants, herbs, crafts, collectibles, last-minute
Mother's Day gifts, children's activities, adult coloring, food, entertainment
and the "Hopscotch Challenge". Funds to be raised benefit specific projects
for Elwyn's Davidson School, Frankie's World
Foundation, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PATCH&S) and Ryan's Case for
Smiles, which will also be showcasing their
organizations. Free and open to the public. For more information, click here, email, or
call 215-668-2941.
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© 2016 Center City Residents'
Association
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