About a dozen protesters gathered Sunday outside St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church Sunday to oppose a zoning variance. Photo by Maureen Greene.

St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church at 608 Welsh Rd. has requested a zoning variance to allow them to rent their building to Tacony Academy Charter School for no less than two years.  There would be 150 kindergarten and first grade students housed there.  Since the School District does not bus kindergarteners, this would cause extreme traffic delays on a dangerous and congested stretch of Welsh Road.

Congregants packed a Greater Bustleton Civic League meeting to force the vote in their favor.  The Pastor admitted that they were looking for money for the mortgage and had only the hope of a flashing yellow light to potentially slow down traffic as any attempt to address the extreme safety concerns of the neighbors, some of whom have had relatives and friends injured or killed along that stretch of road.  The need for left hand turns into the narrow and nearly hidden driveway will create a major hazard. continue reading »

The Far Northeast will get two additional red light cameras. That was one of the bigger announcements at last week’s Somerton Civic Association.

Councilman Brian O’Neill said two busy intersections — Grant Avenue and Academy Road and Bustleton Avenue and Byberry Road — will be among the many Northeast corners to have red light cameras.

Zoning and crime updates took precedence during the second half of the meeting. Those details are below. continue reading »

At a February meeting, Upper Holmesburg residents identified areas that need improvements or enhancements.

Four months’ worth of work came together Thursday night at the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, where the City Planning Commission unveiled its “Neighborhood Goals and Strategies Report” for neighborhood development and improvement.

The report is based on the efforts of the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, the Planning Commission and neighborhood planning team and the 100-plus residents who attended meetings to share their ideas for the neighborhood.

“It’s just amazing what we did here,” UHCA board zoning officer Paul Definis said.” Definis, along with others, has been involved with deciding what Upper Holmesburg would like to see come out of the Planning Commission’s proposals, which are part of the city’s larger Phila2035 plan. continue reading »

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

There are 10 day cares on the three city blocks of Rising Sun Avenue between Robbins and Fanshawe streets. My Little Doves by Hellerman Street is the newest addition.

Lawncrest residents are concerned about the number of daycares on Rising Sun Avenue. Photo by Ian Romano.

Many residents said they are angry about their zoning board’s approval over the site.

“Someone needs to decide when enough’s enough. We’re going overboard now,”  said Lawncrest resident Cherylann Wharton.

Residents said they were left out of the decision. Their concerns about the day care were made clear at the April 19 Lawncrest Community Association meeting: they don’t want any more traffic. continue reading »

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Carobus of the office's Public Nuisance Task Force.

There’s a lot that goes into reporting a nuisance property in the City of Philadelphia, and a lot of things that can come from it. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Carobus reviewed the process at last night’s Holmesburg Civic Association meeting.

Carobus is part of the office’s Public Nuisance Task Force, with handles the acquisition and auction of problem properties.

“We can’t promise you something will be done overnight,” he explained to the more than 30 people at the meeting. But, he said, the more detailed a report on a property is, and the more often neighbors call, the better the memo the DA’s office can create to help address the problem. continue reading »

Plans for the Wawa at Grant Avenue and Krewstown road include knocking down most of the existing shopping center and adding parking.

Demolition for the BP gas station at Grant Avenue and Krewstown Road is set to begin in the next two to three weeks. A full service  Wawa will replace it.

E. June Spring, a senior real estate manager for Wawa followed up at last night’s Greater Bustleton Civic League meeting on the presentation the convenience store made at the group’s last general meeting. With approval from the GBCL, Wawa will now go before the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a variance and a certificate.

GBCL members put up little fight for the variance required to change the name on the existing sign from BP to Wawa and the certificate to allow for the sale of food.

It was traffic that most concerned the approximately 60 people in attendance. continue reading »

It’s back! NEast Philly’s holiday song, the 12 Days of NEastmas, is back for a second year. In honor of the holiday season, we’re reviving the song — a spin on the classic 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy the song, sing along and suggest any changes or additions you think we should make. Happy holidays! continue reading »

Updated 10/20/10 @ 2:30 p.m.

The shooting that left a 19-year-old in critical condition outside a former adult theater in Frankford brings to light the ever-present battle with irresponsible absentee landlords, says Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez.

The reason so many absentee landlords are able to remain derelict in their responsibilities to maintain safe, clean and community-orientated properties, Sanchez said at Tuesday night’s Northwood Civic Association meeting, is because the city doesn’t have the man power to track them down.

“Part of the problem has always been about resources,” Sanchez said last night to nearly twenty residents in the basement of St. James Church at the corner of Castor Avenue and Pratt Street.

continue reading »

Northeast residents listen as the Philadelphia City Planning Commission's Michael Thompson explains the proposed zoning code rewrite. Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Neighborhoods.

At a 10th City Council District open house for the Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission, Northeast Philadelphia residents thought certain aspects of the code rewrite would negatively affect their neighborhoods, while other parts would be beneficial. Northeast residents were especially unhappy that the reform discussed legalizing the practice of converting single-family homes into duplexes or triplexes, often with rental units. This is known as accessory dwellings and is a common phenomenon in neighborhoods like Fox Chase, Bustleton and Somerton.

Pat Cantwell, the treasurer of the Somerton Civic Association, was especially irritated by the proliferation of accessory dwellings on her blocks. “The conversion of houses into apartments, and duplexes into triplexes affects parking, which is already bad in our neighborhood,” said Cantwell. The president of her civic association, Domenic Ragucci, elaborated by saying accessory dwellings in basements is a serious problem in Somerton.

You can read the rest of the story on Philadelphia Neighborhoods or PlanPhilly.

Holmesburg Civic Association's September meeting

UPDATE (Sept. 15, 9:28 pm) — HCA President Fred Moore tells us the Holmesburg Library will re-open in two weeks. This information came from the office of Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.

Last night was the first of many bi-monthly and monthly meetings for the Tacony Civic Association and Holmesburg Civic Association, respectively.

The two, who worked together on zoning issues over the summer, held their first civic meetings of the 2010-2011 seasons. Each drew between 20 and 30 residents, and board members at both tackled questions about zoning and I-95 roadwork. continue reading »