Pa. Rep. Brendan Boyle, Councilman Brian O’Neill, and Pat and Nancy Boyle assist some very happy children at the playground ribbon-cutting at the Officer Daniel Boyle Memorial Rec Center. Photo/Michelle Alton

Somerton was full of excitement and emotion Thursday as the neighborhood celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new playground at the Officer Daniel Boyle Memorial Rec Center [map].

Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, and Pa. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-170th, were there to help city officials, rec center leaders and Boyle’s parents dedicate the new playground, which replaces outdated equipment and spray grounds.

See more of Bill Achuff and Michelle Alton’s photos from the event in the slideshow below. continue reading »

City Council district changes will take effect sooner than expected. Image/City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia City Council decided last month to allow members affected by redistricting to begin serving their new constituents this month — three years before the new districts were to take effect in 2016.

City Paper reports that decision had largely to do with disputes over Northeast Philadelphia’s 56th Ward — split among Council members Brian O’Neill, R-10th; Maria Quinones-Sanchez, D-7th; and Bobby Henon, D-6th. continue reading »

At Weavers Way Co-op in Mt. Airy, chicken owners can buy food and get advice on their coop. Photo/Philadelphia Neighborhoods

This story is the first of two about backyard chickens in Philadelphia and the effort to legalize them. It’s done in partnership with Philadelphia Neighborhoods and NewsWorks. Read part one here.

Members of the Philadelphia Backyard Chickens group met last weekend at the Weavers Way Co-op Community Building at 559 Carpenter Lane in Mt. Airy to discuss ways to get their voices heard and have the law amended so that chickens will be removed from the city’s definition of farm animals.

Resident and agricultural teacher Diane Dunning said she thinks that education about the issue is imperative to making any progress in making it legal for residents to keep chickens in their backyards.. She said she feels that there are positives that could come out of legalizing chickens. continue reading »

In 2012, Maureen Breen’s chickens were confiscated from her backyard after a neighbor complained. Photo/Raymond Boyd

This story is the first of two about backyard chickens in Philadelphia and the effort to legalize them. It’s done in partnership with Philadelphia Neighborhoods and NewsWorks. Read part two here.

In 2004, City Council met to discuss a bill proposed by Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th.

The bill — written with help from the Health Department and the Law Department — amended Title 10 of the Philadelphia Code, which addresses ownership of poultry and livestock within city limits. The bill sought to make it illegal to own farm animals  – “any chicken, goose, duck, turkey, goat, sheep, pig or cow” – on fewer than three acres of land. continue reading »

Rita Varley and Jim Coffin at the site of Parkwood’s new community garden. Photo/Steven Mitchell

A community garden is in the process of becoming a reality for Parkwood residents.

With support from Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, an 18,000-sq. ft. garden located next to the Community College of Philadelphia along Townsend Road can now happen. O’Neill has dropped an amendment to the zoning code that would have required Zoning Board approval for community gardens.

The real leg work, however, has been done by resident Rita Varley, who brought her idea to the Parkwood Civic Association. She and fellow green-thumbed resident Jim Coffin have hopes of making a permaculture garden. continue reading »

Councilman Brian O’Neill 10th District has the least property zoned CMX-2 and none zoned CMX-2.5. Image/Eyes on the Street

Councilman Brian O’Neill has proposed a handful of amendments to the three-month-old zoning code—he is not unique in that regard.

But he is unique in that his proposals would affect every other Council District more than they would affect his own. continue reading »

The owner of a Fox Chase duplex needs a zoning variance to legalize the property’s multi-family dwelling classification. Image/Google Maps

There are three identical sets of twin duplexes on the 8100-block of Ryers Avenue in Fox Chase, and 8124 is part of them. They’ve always been duplexes, and city documents recognize them as such.

But city documents also list 8124 – as well as many other properties throughout the city – as having a different zoning classification. As Fox Chase Homeowners Association President Matt Braden explained at Wednesday night’s meeting, records for the property state both that the home is zoned for single-family occupancy and that it’s used as a multi-family dwelling. continue reading »

Some of the woods separating Parkwood from an industrial park will become a parking lot. Photo/Lucia Volpe

Parkwood residents have enjoyed the woods behind their homes as a place to walk their dogs or play with their kids. When the neighbors began seeing orange ribbon tagged to the trees over the summer, they wondered what was happening. It wasn’t until bulldozers cleared the land in early August that they realized they were losing their woods.

Joe Brennan, Lisa George and Ray Kampf, who have lived in Parkwood for more than 40 years, quickly united to save what was left of their woods.

Brennan made a video of the construction and documented the beauty of the woods behind his home located on Chilton Road. He captured deer, rabbits and the babbling creek nearby, as well as list the concerns of the community. After Brennan uploaded the video to YouTube, it received more than a thousand views.

“I didn’t have enough information to say much other than this is what’s going on, this is the beauty of this place and here is what it looks like now,” Brennan said. He has since removed the video. “I can’t say my video was 100 percent accurate, so it wouldn’t be fair to keep it up.” continue reading »

Photo/Shannon McDonald

An idea Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, proposed in June will be presented to voters on the November ballot, and could affect the future of the city’s police and fire departments.

Initially proposed by a constituent, the city charter change would give bonus points to the grandchildren of police and firefighters who’ve died in the line of duty. The bonus points would raise their scores on the service tests needed to qualify for those careers.

continue reading »

Photo/Shannon McDonald

Currently, the children of police and firefighters who’ve died in the line of duty receive a service credit on their qualifying exams to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, has proposed expanding that benefit to the grandchildren of deceased police and firefighters. continue reading »