Manayunk Neighborhood Council

THE VENICE ISLAND ISSUE

Contents:

Who wouldn't want to live here?

Click image for slide show Flooding October 8, 2005

Flooding June 28, 2006 Click image for slide show

• Summary

• City Ordinance

• About the Island

• Professional Testimony

• Letters & Opinions

• Traffic

• Flood Facts

• Takings

• Buyouts

• Zoning Boards Decision

• Common Pleas Decision

• Legal Documents

• Background

• Stella Ling's Plans for Venice Island Park

• Links for more Information

• The Hostile Takeover Attempt

Summary

• Events leading up to August 2000

• August 11, 2000, the Dranoff/Namico project is approved by the ZBA

• August 14, 2000, the Maloomian/Connelly project is approved by the ZBA

• August 29, 2001, The Dranoff and Maloomian ZBA decisions are overturned by the Common Pleas court (City)

• September 2001, Dranoff and Maloomian appeal to the Commonwealth court (State)

• May 29, 2002, Judge Wolf issues her opinion in the Dranoff case (this was necessary for the state appeal to proceed).

• December 23, 2002, Commonwealth court overturns Judge Wolf in the Dranoff/Namico case.

• July 10, 2002, Judge Wolf issues her opinion in the Cotton Street Landing case (Maloomian/Connelly) (This was necessary for the state appeal to proceede).

• December 23, 2002, Commonwealth court overturns Judge Wolf in the Dranoff/Namico case.

• March 14, 2003, Commonwealth court overturns Judge Wolf in the Maloomian/Connelly case.

• March 21, 2003, We petition the state supreme court to accept an appeal in the Dranoff/Namico case.

• June 16, 2003, We petition the state supreme court to accept an appeal in the Maloomian/Connelly case.

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The City Ordinance

The City Ordinance - for flood plain controls (note section 5.a.1)

About the Island

Chronology of Flooding

Yearly Peak Flooding

Venice Island Map

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Professional Testimony

Meteorolgist Chet Henricksen - summary of testimony for Venice Island

Traffic Engineer Andreas Heinrich - testimony for Venice Island developments

Princeton Hydro - summary letter presented to the Zoning Board

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Letters & Opinions

LETTER from James Witt - Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency - Letter Image (gif/27k)

Press Statement, First Annual Car Float in the Canal - November 17, 2003

Manayunk Neighborhood Council Flyer - February 28, 2001

Letter from the Sierra Club

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Traffic

Over 1,000 Cars? - One event at the Arroyo backs up traffc

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Flood Facts as sent to City Council

Flood Fact of the Day, #1

Flood Fact of the Day, #2

Flood Fact of the Day, #3

Flood Fact of the Day, #4

Flood Fact of the Day, #5

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TAKINGS

Property Rights

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BUYOUTS - What's Happening in Other Areas?

Apartment Complex - FEMA buyout in North Carolina

Buyouts from Floyd - South Eastern PA - PA DEP

Additional Funds for Floyd - $6.6 million for South Eastern PA

New York City DEP - New York City & Delaware County, 1999

Aurora, Illinois - FEMA buyout 1997

Houston, Texas - In Houston, flood control looks like real estate business, 1998

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The Zoning Board Approves Apartments on Venice Island!

• ZBA Decision - Postcards announcing the Zoning Boards decision.

• Article from The Inquirer announcing the Zoning Board's decision.

• Article from The Review announcing the Zoning Board's decision.

• Editorial from The Review denouncing the Zoning Board's decision.

The Philadelphia Common Pleas court overturns the Zoning Board!

• Maloomain/Connelly ZBA Decision Overturned on August 29, 2001.
  Judge opinion on July 10, 2002

• Dranoff/Namico ZBA Decision Overturned on August 29, 2001.
  Judge's opinion on May 29, 2002

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LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Complete transcripts of the Zoning Board Testimony (Not for the weak stomached!)

Dranoff/Namico ZBA Decision (Findings of Fact/Conclusions of Law)

Dranoff/Namico Motion to remand or hear new evidence (Filed with Common Pleas Court 2/21/2001)

Dranoff/Namico Brief (Filed with Common Pleas Court 3/8/2001)

Dranoff/Namico ZBA decision overturned (Common Pleas Court judge Flora Barth Wolf overturns the ZBA decision to approve the Dranoff/Namico project--August 29, 2001)

Dranoff/Namico Common Pleas decision overturned--ZBA approval reinstated.

Dranoff/Namico petition to the state supreme court--Petition to the state supreme court to hear an appeal to the Commonwealth decision.

Maloomian/Connelly ZBA Decision (Findings of Fact/ Conclusions of Law)

Maloomain/Connelly Motion to take new evidence (Field with Common Pleas Court 3/15/2001)

Maloomain/Connelly Brief (Field with Common Pleas Court 3/22/2001)

Judge Wolf's Maloomain/Connelly opinion (Long legal document justifying her decision to overturn the zoning board--May 29, 2002)

Maloomian/Connelly ZBA decision overturned (Common Pleas Court judge Flora Barth Wolf overturns the ZBA decision to approve the Maloomian/Connelly project--August 29, 2001)

Maloomain/Connelly Common Pleas decision overturned--ZBA approval reinstated.

Maloomain/Connelly petition to the state supreme court--Petition to the state supreme court to hear an appeal to the Commonwealth decision.

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BACKGROUND

Zoning Notice for Namico Site (Dranoff Properties)

August 24, 1998 - article from the Philadelphia Business Journal about Venice Island development

Realen plans for Connelly site on Venice Island (jpg image)"

Dennis Maloomian presents Realen plans to Manayunk Neighborhood Council (jpg image)"

Maloomian presents cross view of Realen plans for Venice Island to MNC (jpg image)"

Neducsin Hotel - February 24, 1997 article from the Philadelphia Business Journal

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Stella Ling's Plans for Venice Island Park

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Delaware Riverkeeper

• Permitting Disaster (pdf file) - Sierra Club Report: Protect Our Families from Floods

• US Geological Survey Water Resource Data - Schuylkill River at Philadelphia

• FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

• American Rivers - Flood

• PA House Bill 165 -- An Act providing for the acquisition of property by the Commonwealth and local government units to mitigate flood hazards. (local copy)