Next Great City: Philadelphia - Volume III, Issue IX
| BIG WIN FOR NGC STORMWATER ACTION! |
| Another Next Great City Win! Next Great City has now achieved a victory in our recommendation to Stop Sewer Backups & Flooding. The hearing officer appointed to evaluate proposed changes to the Water Department's rates for stormwater services agreed with our recommendation to change the way stormwater fees are assessed for nonresidential properties. The hearing officer recommended that stormwater fees be based on the amount of a property's impervious surface rather than on water usage, a much more accurate reflection of the burden each property places on the sewer system and our rivers and streams. The hearing officer also recommended implementation of a credit program, which will allow non-residential customers to reduce their bills by taking steps that reduce the stormwater runoff that their properties generate. Finally, he also adopted our recommendation that PWD work with Next Great City to develop a residential stormwater credit pilot program and produce a written report and recommendation for such a program to be addressed in the next rate proceeding. The Philadelphia Water Commissioner should issue his decision on whether to accept this recommendation shortly, and we have every reason to expect a good outcome. Stay tuned! |
| PCPC MEETING ON CENTRAL DELAWARE OVERLAY |
| The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will be meeting to consider an interim zoning overlay for the Central Delaware on Tuesday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. on the 18th Floor of 1515 Arch Street. The Planning Commission already accepted the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware as the framework for future development along the stretch of land between Oregon and Allegheny Avenues, and I-95 and the Delaware River. The interim zoning overlay represents the first concrete step in implementing the Civic Vision. A full expression of the Civic Vision will enable the Delaware riverfront to finally live up to its enormous cultural, economic and ecological potential, but between now and when the Master Plan for the Central Delaware is completed, bad development could seriously undermine the possibility of complete implementation. We need the Planning Commission to take action now and endorse an interim zoning overlay to maintain momentum toward implementing the full Vision. Take Action by emailing the Planning Commission and come and show your support by attending the meeting. |
| COMMERCIAL RECYCLING |
| RecycleNOW Philadelphia is currently focusing on bringing commercial buildings and apartments into compliance and enforcing the commercial recycling regulations. The City of Philadelphia's commercial recycling regulations require that all commercial buildings in all parts of the City including businesses, apartment buildings of more than six units, and schools provide recycling for their employees and/or tenants. Unfortunately, the current level of compliance has a lot of room for improvement. RecycleNOW will be holding meetings in the upcoming months to educate tenants and employees on how to advocate for recycling in their workplace or apartment. |
| PLASTIC BAG FEE UPDATE |
| It appears that Philadelphia may soon be joining the growing number of cities enacting plastic bag fees to reduce plastic bag use, protect the environment and reduce litter. On May 1, City Council held a hearing on legislation Councilmen Frank DiCicco introduced to reduce waste in Philadelphia by mandating a $.25 fee on plastic shopping bags. The legislation successfully moved out of committee, and will be coming up for a full Council vote soon! |
| LIVING CITIES COLLABORATION IN PHILADELPHIA |
| Living Cities, a long-time convener and collaborator with extraordinary nonprofits, foundations, public and private sector leaders, is teaming up with the City of Philadelphia in an effort to tackle climate change and poverty simultaneously -- beginning with a focus on employing low-income people to improve the energy efficiency of Philadelphia's buildings. This is part of a broader effort by Living Cities to highlight work being done by cities across the country to take advantage of the new green economy, detailed in Green Cities, a report released earlier this month containing one of America's first-ever assessments of exactly how 40 of the country's largest cities including Philadelphia - are trying to limit their carbon footprints, and the steps needed to take these efforts to the next level. |
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