People lined up outside Guppies Childcare Center Tuesday to sign petitions and T-shirts in opposition of a methadone clinic on the 7900-block of Frankford Avenue.

As the sun beat down and the skies darkened to the north with the threat of rain Tuesday evening, Milt Martelack stood in the bed of a pickup truck, leading the crowd.

“Just say no to methadone,” the crowd cheered, speaking out against an addiction treatment clinic planned on the avenue by Healing Way, Inc.

Hundreds of people were chanting as cars whizzed up and down Frankford Avenue and police officers reminded those at the rally to stay out of the street. Residents and business owners of Holmesburg, Upper Holmesburg, Mayfair and beyond gathered to rally against the opening of a methadone clinic at 7908 Frankford Ave., across the street from schools and a daycare center.

“Can you imagine having to walk my 18-year-old son to the bus stop?” Sonia Latouche asked. Her son takes the 66 bus to school, waiting for it on the corner of Frankford Avenue and Decatur Street, where the clinic is set to open.

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Update July 19: As of today, the Holmesburg, Upper Holmesburg, Mayfair, Tacony, Holme Circle and Morrell Park civic associations have expressed opposition to the location of the clinic.

Update from Krajewski’s office, July 15: Councilwoman Joan Krajewski has appealed the city permits, and is awaiting notification of a hearing date with the Zoning Board of Adjustment. That hearing will be open to the public, and could result in a second hearing if the ZBA determines this situation requires further review.

Linda Lawrence of Krajewski’s office says the initial permit application submitted to the city was for a “medical office,” but the applicant’s true intentions for the property have since come to light.

Both Boyle’s and Krajewski’s offices confirm the permit obtained is legal, but the fight against the methadone clinic is a quality-of-life one, not a legal one.

For the better part of the past two weeks , my staff and I have been vigorously working with city and state agencies and other elected officials to confirm reports that the property at 7908 Frankford Ave. is intended to be a methadone clinic. It is my responsibility to inform you that indeed the Pennsylvania Department of Health has received an application for a narcotic treatment facility from Healing Way at that address. The power to issue a license now rests with the state Department of Health.

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Brian O'Neill explains the impact of the zoning code. Photo by Ian Romano.

This is the second in a two-part look at zoning in the Northeast. Read part one here.

Councilman Brian O’Neill and the Zoning Code Commission’s executive director argued over zoning regulations at the April meeting of the Greater Bustleton Civic League. The draft is the first citywide revision of the zoning laws in 50 years.

ZCC Executive Director Eva Gladstein said parts of the code may apply to the Northeast more than other areas.

One of those issues is family-based childcare in the home. The restrictions in place for such an establishment are not changing for family-based childcare. The one distinction is the amount of children allowed in the home.

“For childcare in someone’s home, in the 6th and 10th council districts, the number of non-related children allowed in the home is only four. In the rest of the city the number is up to six,” Gladstein said.

Zoning classifications for parks and recreations will be changed under the draft.

“One thing we’re doing is enabling private participles to be zoned for parks,” Gladstein said. “Now it says only land owned by the city can be a park.”

The new code is requiring new developers to notify registered civic associations and to have a neighborhood meeting before completing their zoning variance.

“I think that will be positively affecting the Northeast since it has so many active civic associations,” Gladstein said.

The number of days allotted for posting a zoning hearing is being increased to 21 days. Another posting is being required if the hearing is continued to another day.

The Zoning Code Commission is changing the organization of the code. continue reading »

The next upcoming City Council events for Northeast candidates are this week. The 6th District candidates will be available for conversation tonight, and will participate in a debate Thursday. continue reading »

Vacant houses like the one across the street from 6th District Council candidate Sandy Stewart in Tacony prompt concerns about absentee landlords.

This is the third in a three-part series covering the 6th District Council race. You can read part 2 here. You can read Part 1 here.

As Philadelphia’s City Council braces for the biggest turnover in 20 years, residents of the 6th District will not have to worry about an unknown face elected into office.

The three candidates running for the seat in City Council all have strong connections with their communities and the district as a whole. continue reading »

This is the second in a three-part series covering the 6th District Council race. You can read Part 1 here.

UPDATE: On April 18, Mayor Michael Nutter and outgoing 6th District Councilwoman Joan Krajewski endorsed Bednarek.

As the City Council primary elections creep closer and closer, candidates for the Northeast’s 6th District are in full campaign mode.

For the first time in more than 30 years, Joan Krajewski will not be continuing her reign as the voice of the 6th District of Philadelphia, leaving her seat open to a new leader of the district.

Krajewski, who is known as the “Queen of Constituent Service,” flirted with retirement a few years ago. In 2007, she retired for 24 hours after she was re-elected, in order to collect her $297,466 DROP retirement payment. She returned the next day to begin her eighth term.

This time; however, she is serious about retiring.

As Krajewski finishes up her final months in office, three new candidates have been busy walking through neighborhoods, speaking to residents and expressing their ideas of change for the community. The three candidates for the 6th District position are Bobby Henon, Sandy Stewart and Marty Bednarek continue reading »

Ian Litwin of the City Planning Commission (far right) addresses the Holmesburg Civic Association at the April 2011 meeting.

Two of the three candidates for the 6th District City Council seat went to last night’s Holmesburg Civic Association meeting to address neighborhood and district-wide concerns and answer questions from residents.

Republican candidate Sandy Stewart and Democratic candidate Marty Bednarek each addressed the members before taking turns answering questions. Democratic candidate Bobby Henon was not in attendance.

DROP was a hot topic, but a question about term limits drew the most discussion from the roughly 20 people at the meeting. continue reading »

Turnout was high for the Mayfair Civic Association's "meet the candidates" night for the 6th Council District.

This piece is the first of three covering the 6th District Council race.

With the City Council primary elections right around the corner, candidates for Philadelphia’s 6th District seat waited their turn to speak to residents of Mayfair at Tuesday night’s civic association meeting in the John Perzel Community Center.

“What a fun experience for me! Finally got to put some faces with the names of people who are following me on Facebook,” said Sandy Stewart, the Republican candidate for the 6th District seat in City Council.

Philadelphia’s 6th District seat is up for grabs, as long-time Democratic Councilwoman Joan Krajewski decided to retire after this term. Krajewski has held her position since 1979 and the race to succeed her is heating up, as the primary elections will be held Tuesday, May 17. continue reading »

The Holmesburg Civic Association Board hosts the October meeting.

The winter months are coming, and with it will come rate increases from PECO.

As an answer to the increase, PECO is promoting its energy saving tips and assistance programs to help keep costs low. Jen Tepel of PECO’s Energy Education Team was at last night’s Holmesburg Civic Association meeting to discuss the increase and ways to combat high energy bills.

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