FLOOD FACTS OF THE DAY

#1 in a series

Rules Committee Approves Building Apartments In The River!

FLOODWAY PRIMER

All of Venice Island is in the Floodway of the Schuylkill River.
The floodway is different from the floodplain in that during floods it will carry deep fast moving water. Not just overflow.
Every year there is a one percent chance that Venice Island will be covered with up to 12 feet of fast moving water. This is called the 100 year flood level. There have been two floods in Manayunk recorded history that exceeded the 100 year flood level and may have approached the 500 year flood level. These were in 1869 and in 1902.
Every year there is a one in 25 chance for a flood like Hurricane Floyd. This is called the 25 year flood.
There have been 10 floods in this century and 18 floods in the last two centuries. That's one every 11 years.
The City of Philadelphia enacted ordinances in 1979 in order to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program. These ordinances specifically prohibit the type of developments now being proposed.
Changes in weather patterns and upstream development in the Schuylkill watershed could significantly alter the flood patterns making flooding both more frequent and more severe.
Manayunk Neighborhood Council believes that residential development in the floodway is irresponsible and dangerous.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUILDING APARTMENTS IN THE RIVER!

On December 8, 1999 the Rules Committee of the City Council of Philadelphia passed Bill No. 990760

Bill No. 990760 rezones the privately owned properties on Venice Island, expect Smurfit-Stone, from industrial to residential. This was done to allow the developers to build up to 700 apartments entirely within the floodway of the Schuylkill River. The floodway is different from the floodplain in that during floods it will carry deep fast moving water. Not just overflow.

The City Planning Commission dismissed Philadelphia's own floodplain controls (ordinance 14-1606) by saying the they were forced to enact the controls by the Federal Government and that they should be interpreted differently than the way they were written. There position, also, was that a later ordinance (14-1802) allowed them any variance to 14-1606 so long as it didn't change the 100 year flood level. This interpretation is subject numerous objections.

BACKGROUND

All of Venice Island is separated from the mainland by only three two-lane bridges and a single one-lane bridge. There is no interconnection between these bridges. This limited access has the potential for a catastrophe during the next flood. There is a chance that residents could be swept down the river while trying to save their cars. The possibilities for disaster are too numerous to list.

This zoning overlay would allow over 250 apartment units in an area with access being only the two-lane bridge on Leverington Avenue. This is the only evacuation route for residents and their cars. This bridge is also the only access to Smurfit-Stone, a business that employs over 300 people. During the flood of September 16, 1999, trailers from Smurfit-Stone were carried around the island.

The proposed zoning will allow a total of over 700 apartment units on the island. Manayunk is the place to be these days and the developers are lining up. So are the cars! Residential use of the island may be very profitable to a few developers but it is the most dangerous and irresponsible use imaginable.

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

Manayunk Neighborhood Council and Friends of the Manayunk Canal testified in opposition to rezoning Venice Island. Our team was comprised of about 13 people, residents of Manayunk and environmental professionals. We waited from 9 A.M. till the bill came up at 2:30 P.M. Our testimony began after 5:00 P.M. and ended around 6:30 P.M. Council voted shortly thereafter.

Testimony in support of the zoning was given by the City Planning Commission, Dan Neducsin, the attorney for Dranoff, Kay Smith of Manayunk Development Corporation, and residents Ginger Restemeyer, and Ed Weiner. The City Planning Commission had on hand their lawyers and environmental expert.

Our professionals and residents gave absolutely remarkable and compelling testimony on why residential in the floodway was a very bad idea. Our group consisted of our attorney Stanley Krakower, Kathy Tomosky (Manayunk Neighborhood Council--MNC), Liz Turella (MNC), Sally Willig (Geologist), Darlene Messina (Friends of Manayunk Canal), Robin Mann (Sierra Club), Wendy Lathrop (Land Surveyor), Amy Chorey (East Falls Civic), Ernest Cohen (Engineer), Dotti Burner (Schuylkill Riverkeeper), Hal Shrimer (law student), Jane Glenn (MNC, Regional Citizens Committee of the Delaware Valley Planning Regional Planning Commission, and Kevin Smith (local resident).

Ours was the last bill of the day. Immediately after it they started taking votes on all the bills. David Cohen had voiced concerns during testimony that this was a complex issue being rushed through and that it had been presented as a simple zoning change when it was far more. He also questioned the reason for this ordinance change as there were adequate mechanisms in place through the zoning board process.

When the vote was taken, Cohen asked Nutter to retract the bill and resubmit it in the next session where it could be given due consideration. Nutter argued against this. Cohen asked him again a couple of times and he still refused. The vote was taken and only David Cohen voted against the bill.

Bills 990760 and 990762 are opposed by the following groups and individuals..

ORGANIZATIONS

Manayunk Neighborhood Council, Liz Turella, President, 215-482-4698

Friends of the Manayunk Canal, Darlene Messina, 215-483-9238

East Falls Civic Association, Amy Chorey, 215-438-1554

Hillside Civic Association, Carmella Dugan, 215-482-3918

Umbria Street Neighbors, Sue Syrnick, 215-483-7931

Residents of Shawmont Valley, Joe Walker, 215-487-2870

21st Ward Community Council, Ray Johnston, 215-482-9509

Councilman David Cohen, 215-686-3446

Councilman Frank Rizzo, 215-686-3440

Clean Air Council, Dennis Winters, 215-567-4004 x233

Clean Water Action, Bob Wendelgass, 215-640-8800

Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation, Chuck Marshall, 610-647-6432

Philadelphia Canoe Club, Richard Greene, 610-543-4690

Roxborough Green Space Project, Dan Hoffman, 215-482-3461

Schuylkill Riverkeeper, a field office of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network,

Chari Towne, Director, 610-469-6005

Sierra Club of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Robin Mann, 610-527-4598

Sustainable Society Action Project, Ernest Cohen Ph.D, 610-352-2689

INDIVIDUALS

Wendy Lathrop, Professional Land Surveyor and Planner, 610-667-3416

Hal Schirmer, Realtor, Taxpayer and Concerned Citizen

Sally Willig Ph.D, Geologist, 610-933-3539