As someone who works on urban agricultural policy, I'm often asked, "Is city-grown food safe?" The question comes from aspiring urban gardeners and concerned eaters alike. And it seems to stem from both a fear of the known and a fear of the unknown. First, the fear of the known: Common urban contaminants include lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals leaked into soil from old paint, leaded...
The EPA estimates 450,000 brownfields--abandoned gas stations, derelict mines, shuttered factories--litter the country. Contamination at such sites from trash, oil, or industrial activity won't make the Superfund list but does deter redevelopment and lowers property values even in otherwise desirable locations.Pennsylvania has invested over $518 million to help 1,200 sites and retain over 87,000...
Philadelphia ranks third on a list of the least-polluting major cities in the U.S., according to UrbanLand. Urban areas around the world account for an estimated 71 percent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (including everything from power plants to automobile driving). But a new study found that big-city metros differ markedly in how much they pollute. In a study published earlier...
If you ride SEPTA buses or trolleys, you have likely experienced what it feels like to be stopped at a red light block after block after block. The great news for you is that Philadelphia and SEPTA are working together to help alleviate your headache. In as little as 18 months, three select SEPTA bus or trolley routes within the city will be able to move a little faster, thanks to the planned re-...
Pennsylvania Horticulutural Society (release), September 13, 2011
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will offer its nine-hour Tree Tenders training course, which empowers and teaches concerned residents how to make dramatic strides toward restoring and caring for the local tree population, on Oct. 12, 19 and 26, from 5:45 to 8:45 p.m., at PHS headquarters, 100 N. 20th St., 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1495.The Tree Tenders program is a vital element of...
Zoning. Ok it’s not the most interesting issue, but without zoning codes cities would be a mess. Zoning keeps homes and factories from being neighbors, prevents communities from becoming overpopulated, and makes sure buildings aren’t too tall and have enough parking, among other things.Unfortunately, zoning in Philadelphia has become a nightmare. The city’s first zoning map was made in 1933 and...
For most of its recent history, the 1700 block of Manton Street in Point Breeze was notable only as a 420-foot-long case study in Philadelphia’s ills.Violence? Check. Abandonment? Check. Crack house? Double check.Predictably, the block was also full of tax-delinquent properties, vacant shells, and empty lots that had not contributed so much as a penny to the public purse in decades.Relative to...
Last week, we posted the first in a series of stories holding the draft zoning code up against its stated purposes. Today, that series continues by looking at Purpose 2(a): Promoting “sustainable and environmentally responsible practices” by “Supporting the City’s sustainability goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled, encourage renewable energy and energy conservation, allow urban food production...
Empty chip bags and that tomato you left in the fridge too long are among the things you don't want lying around your living space. It takes up a lot of room. It can smell nasty. Why else would we mindlessly toss it in the garbage can and dutifully haul it out to the curb, perhaps even paying for the privilege?Garbage is a human invention. There is no real trash in nature. Every fallen tree,...
Prospective home buyers in Mt. Airy, take note: You might be eligible to participate in a federal housing stabilization program through a partnership of Mt. Airy USA (MAUSA) and the city's Redevelopment Authority (RDA).The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) redevelops foreclosed or abandoned homes and sells them, at reduced rates, to buyers who also participate in the program. MAUSA, in...
