- Pennsylvania Among 'Terrible 10' Most Regressive Tax States
- February 4 Non-Partisan Training: HOW TO RUN FOR ELECTION BOARD IN 2013: HOW TO RUN FOR COMMITTEEPERSON IN 2014
- Republican Governors Opt-In to Medicaid Expansion
- The Reports of Unions' Death Are Greatly Exaggerated
- Ask Allyson Schwartz to run for Governor
- Mind the gap: Opting Out of Medicaid Expansion Leaves Low-income Families Behind
- Jan. 14 Workshop:HOW TO RUN FOR ELECTION BOARD IN 2013; HOW TO RUN FOR COMMITTEEPERSON IN 2014
- Seth Williams on Guns, Jasmine Rivera on School Closures @PFC Meetup Wednesday
- PA Revenue Strong Midway Through Year; Tax Cut Could Have Big Impact
- What to Make of the Fiscal Cliff Deal?
November 1: Talking casinos between Obama and the Phillies
Submitted by HelenGym on Fri, 10/31/2008 - 11:45am.
Tomorrow City Council is holding a public hearing at 10 a.m. at City Hall on whether to re-zone the Gallery to permit gambling in the heart of Philadelphia.
Here’s a PSA about what’s at stake.
What’s interesting about this re-zoning, is that the broader area being discussed in the bill is actually 6th to Broad and Chestnut to Arch. This is the area that is defined as amenable to taking a CED (Commercial Entertainment District), which is the zoning specifically designed to permit gambling.
Let's repeat that again: A 16-square block area covering 6th to Broad Streets, Chestnut to Arch Streets. Take a look at that area here.
What’s it mean? Who knows?
After all, it’s our Mayor himself who said:
"I don't have anything on the back of a napkin to show what this would look like."
At a Society Hill forum earlier this week, Planning Commissioner Andy Altman denied that there was any intent to put a gambling strip on Market East, saying that the zoning process would protect that from happening. But in the same breath, he disregarded that same zoning process and said it was essential to forfeit zoning privileges in order to "get a process started" for Foxwoods. As residents pointed out to him after the forum, how do you say zoning doesn’t matter in one case, but it’s an essential protection in another?
So tomorrow, we’ll be headed to City Council to say slow up this process. A rush job after all feels like a hack job. Everyone knows you plan first and zone later. Doing otherwise raises eyebrows.
And in between the Phillies celebration and before canvassing for the most important election of our time, I'm inviting you to join hundreds of citizens for an hour or two Saturday morning to march from Chinatown to City Hall. We’re marching for neighborhoods and a better vision for Philadelphia, and we’re marching to make Philadelphia’s political process as worthy as its World Series title and as the deliverer of the PA electoral vote.
Saturday, November 1st
9 a.m. gathering
Chinatown gate: 10th & Arch Sts.
I’ll leave the last words on the significance of this hearing for Chinatown’s Debbie Wei.
just for the record
...your "see that area here" link is to something password protected. :(
thanks for the info, though -- I agree that the scope of the zoning area raises some questions!
acm
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
— Margaret Mead
Not Quite Accurate
To be clear, these bills voted on in committee yesterday only rezone the area between Market, Filbert, 10th and 11th as Commercial Entertainment District (CED). Here is some explanation:
There were two bills voted on in committee yesterday. The first one #080741 would rezone the area bounded by Market Street, Filbert Street, 11th Street and 10th Street from C5 to Commercial Entertainment District.
The second bill #080742 would amend the text of the Commercial Entertainment District classification to treat the area between 6th, Broad, Chestnut, and Arch as if it were C5 Commercial.
There is also language in the second bill that would tighten signage restrictions in this geographic area. Finally there is a subtle change to the CED that removes public art requirements for interior renovations to restaurants and retail that are not accessory to a gaming facility.
The bottom line is that the only area rezoned as CED is between Market and Filbert, 10th and 11th.
Technically correct however
Greg, the Planning Commission made clear that the area between 6th, Broad, Chestnut and Arch IS being defined as an area where a CED can be laid down, which appears to be the reason why it's even mentioned. There was a request to remove that defined area from the legislation, but the administration has not done so.
The sarcastic comment is that with this process its clear that getting a CED through doesn't seem to be very hard.
At the very least the rationale for the broader inclusion of this area has not been defined by anyone in the administration, nor has it been made clear that if it's irrelevant, then why the City can't just identify the Gallery parcel or a slightly broader area.