ZONING
ZONING OVERLAY (Main St. Restaurant
Moratorium)
In 1997 a city ordinance was created by Councilman Nutter, Manayunk Development Corporation and
Manayunk Neighborhood Council. The ordinance prohibited new restaurants and the expansion of existing
restaurants along Main Street. The provisions expired in March of 2002.
Parking restrictions remain to control expansion. They require that restaurants have 1 parking space within
1,000 feet for every 4 seats. Dance halls and night clubs must have one space for every 2 occupants.
Neighborhood Council is working on a revised overlay to keep further controls in place. A draft overlay has
been submitted to us and Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association by the City Planning Commission. Our
groups are reviewing the document and will be discussing it over the next few weeks.
358 SHURS LANE
Last month we reported that Jim Baiman, B&B Real Estate, was planning to convert the mill building at 358
Shurs Lane to nine condos. After a last minute meeting with the neighbors, Mr. Baiman postponed the zoning
hearing. Unfortunately Mr. Baiman has not used that time to meet further with the neighbors or with
Manayunk Neighborhood Council to address concerns of density and parking.
Their current configuration includes nine parking spaces and one unit on the first floor of the building. There
will be four units on the second floor and four units on the third/top floor. It is Manayunk Neighborhood
Council's and Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association's position that one parking space per unit is not
enough and will create a hardship on the neighborhood. The property was successful as commercial space
and has no zoning hardship. The September 17 hearing was postponed due to an attorney scheduling
conflict. The new hearing date has not been set.
R10-A REZONING
21st Democratic Ward Leader, Lou Agre, proposed a large scale zoning change in our neighborhood. He
proposed changing all properties currently zoned R-10 to R-10A. This will block "multiple dwellings".
According to our reading of the zoning code, a multiple dwelling is any building with three or more units. This
would still allow duplexes but not triplexes, apartments, or boarding houses. We don't believe there are any
unexpected negative consequences to the change. This is only a small step. Nevertheless it will provide
additional barriers to the kinds of high density developments and conversions that we just don't need.
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COMMUNITY LIFE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
We have been talking about the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) for a couple months. The Mayor's
Office and Councilman Nutter have also been working on the program. They would like to help us define a program
for Manayunk. Councilman Nutter and Fran Burns, Assistant Managing Director, will attend our October 1
meeting to discuss the program.
The Managing Director's office plans to rework the program to provide improved city services rather than a separate
(CLIP) task force. The program will likely not be under the CLIP title. It will involve a coordinated effort among city
departments to improve quality of life in the neighborhoods and prevent urban blight.
If you are interested in quality of life and/or blight issues on your block, please attend the meeting.
Councilman Michael Nutter & Assistant Managing Director Fran Burns
Wednesday, October 1, 2003, 7:30 PM at Venice Island Rec. Center
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SAVE OUR TOWN!
Your home may not have been a washout in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd flooded Main Street and Venice Island. And
Hurricane Isabel gave us a break. However, your quality of life can be eroded, if not washed away, by overcrowding of
our residential area. The removal of trees for new buildings diminishes our green spaces, so precious to William Penn
and which drew many of us here. The additional cars reduce our already limited parking spaces. Even a good night's
sleep is curtailed when the quiet of the wee hours is disrupted by late-night revelers.
Traffic, trash, and trouble plague many of our streets. You can "fight City Hall" and win. We have taken actions that
limit the number of late night establishments and apartments units. We are here day after day, year after year, to make
this a better city, or a better neighborhood, or even a better block.
Maybe you never noticed the trees that we planted, the streets that we swept, or the parks that we took back. We
attended numerous zoning and court cases for neglectful owners and greedy developers. Hundreds of calls to city
departments and our council person were made in an effort to make things better. However, the feeling of utter
frustration often prevails because one victory is always followed by hundreds of defeats. Even knowing that, we still
keep on trying to make a difference.
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SAVE OUR TREES!
Philadelphia residents can learn how to help keep our Urban Forest healthy by becoming "Tree Tenders" in a
free training course offered by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
This 12 hour course covers urban stresses on trees, and includes basic planting, pruning, tree pit care, and
tree identification. Groups of four or more who attended all sessions receive special tree tending tools and
benefits.
The next training will occur on three Wednesday evenings in October (Oct 8, 15& 22 ) at PHS, 100 N. 20th
St., with a hands-on picnic workshop on Saturday, October 18.
Created in June of 1993, the course has so far graduated over 1200 Tree Tenders from over 90 different
neighborhoods. To date, in partnership with the Fairmount Park Commission, they have planted over 1500
trees and care for over 8000. The training course is endorsed by the Commission and funded by the William
Penn Foundation.
Individuals and groups interested in applying should
contact Mindy Maslin at (215) 988-8844, mmaslin@pennhort.org or through
the PHS website at www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org.
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SAVE OUR PARKING!
You CAN regain parking with less hunting and hassle near your home. Why "ground" your car for fear of finding no
parking space on your return? Transient renters and visitors to Main Street should not be parking in the residential
streets. There is one way to prevent outsiders from taking the parking spaces on your block.
A small fee (but well worth it) and approval of 51 percent of your block initiates permit parking. Sound good? It is
good. We can make our residential neighborhood more livable.
Transient renters will not register their car here so they will not be eligible for parking permits. Manayunk will no
longer be a Mecca for student houses with multiple cars.
Shoppers and diners will pay to park in a lot rather than have a parking ticket bid them farewell from Manayunk.
Enforcement will be vigorous if several blocks adopt the permit parking program.
Find out how we can make our residential neighborhood more livable. Join the discussion at our meetings and
encourage friends and neighbors to join and attend meetings.
We can make this community better but it takes the involvement of you and your
neighbors. Decisions are made by those that show up.
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CARS WILL BE BOOTED
The Parking Authority's enforcement project for Manayunk and Wissahickon is in effect. The Authority
approved the project and it is underway!
License plates will be checked to identify scofflaw vehicles.
Those vehicles will be booted. Boundaries
of the project are Main St., Levering, Terrace, Shurs, Manayunk, and
Ridge Avenue.
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CIVIC BOARDS MEET WITH CANDIDATE SAM KATZ
On September 9 board members from MNC, Wissahickon Neighbors, Wissahickon Interested Citizens, Ridge
Park Civic, and Central Roxborough Civic met the Republican Mayoral Candidate Sam Katz. We presented
our concerns with development, rental conversions, traffic and parking. He had no plan for our area but
agreed to meet with us in December if elected. He agreed that Main St. did not need more development and
apartments on Venice Island would come back to haunt the city.
Mayor Street was also invited to meet with the groups. Democratic ward leader Lou Agre is planning at least
one "Town Meeting" with the Mayor but the time and place has not been set.
MNC board members attended a "meet and greet" event with Mayor Street in Chestnut Hill. At the meeting
he reiterated his accomplishments with school funding, safe street, blight programs and job creation.
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Friends of Philadelphia Parks
MAYORAL FORUM on Parks
Hear from Mayoral Candidates
John F. Street & Sam Katz
Monday, October 20
7:00 to 8:15 PM
Free Library at Logan Square
Montgomery Auditorium, 1901 Vine Street (for more info call 215.879.8159)
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PRETZEL PARK
PARK VANDALISM
Sadly, the vandals have been at work in Pretzel Park again. Some of the benches and play equipment were hit with
spray paint, which was quickly removed or painted over (Thanks Mary). Most recently the back was completely
broken off the teak memorial bench near the St. Johns entrance. While the damage was significant, we should be able
to repair the bench and have it back in service soon.
ELM TREES
On a much happier note, on a rainy Saturday, we planted four American Liberty Elm trees in the park. They are
disease resistant trees bred by the Elm Research Institute and provided by the Johnny Elmseed project of the Peace
Valley Nature Center in Doylestown. One of the trees was donated by family members as a memorial to Thomas
McHugh. The other trees were purchased through a grant from Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.
Thanks to the McHugh family for their help in planting all four trees.
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NEW COMMUNITY GARDEN
MNC is supporting plans for a Garden at Mitchell and Pensdale St. Across the street from Kendrick Recreation Center
is a lot that formerly had two homes on it. Due to structural damage the homes were torn down and our community
was left with a vacant lot.
Now through the efforts of NTI and Philly Green, a community garden is in the planning stages. With a grant from the
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, community members are working along with Philly Green to change the lot into a
neighborhood garden. Some ideas discussed were benches for sitting, trees for shade and a perennial garden.
Philly Green will supply the design team, fencing, plants, mulch, material
for raised beds and advice along the way. We need to supply volunteers.
No gardening experience is needed, just a desire to spend a few hours
outdoors and meet your neighbors. If you are interested, please call
Mary Turtle at 215.482.2785.
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JUST A FEW MINUTES...
President Kevin Smith began the meeting with an announcement of the appointment of Nancy Hudecki as
Sergeant-at-Arms. She fills the slot vacated by Charlie Hewins when he moved up to Vice President.
Jane Glenn reported on correspondence. A letter was written to Mayor Street regarding the blighted homes that have
been improved due to the diligence of city agencies and local residents. A letter was also written to Councilman Nutter
opposing the liquor license application for 4137-4141 Main St. Opposition was because it would allow expansion of
the restaurant to the property next door. We also questioned the need for an Amusement Permit. PGW work on
Silverwood was also discussed. This was in response to an email concerned that the trees on the street would be
removed as part of the gas line work.
A brief discussion of ward leader Lou Agre's proposal to rezone areas of Manayunk from R-10 to R-10A followed.
Implications of the proposal were not clear and it was resolved to review the proposition further.
An upcoming meeting with Republican Mayoral Candidate Sam Katz was announced. A meeting with City Planning
Executive Director Maxine Griffith was also announced.
There was a brief review of NTI projects scheduled for our area. None have been completed but we said we would
keep on with NTI to move the projects along.
A motion was made and seconded to sign on to the Institute for Civic Value's Strengthen America Statement. The
motion passed unanimously.
Jane Glenn gave an update on the Friends of Pretzel Park and Manayunk Tree Tenders. Four Elm Trees will be planted
in the park on September 13 and volunteers were encouraged to attend. The Friends will meet September 24 to discuss
plans for installation of drinking fountains. The Tree Tenders ordered 14 trees from the Pennsylvania Horticultural
Society. They will be delivered in March.
Officer Walt Edenborn gave his farewell presentation noting his many years of service. He will be retiring at the end
of the month. His farewell dinner on September 27 at D'Angelo's on Umbria Street was announced.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Oct 1, (Wed) 7:30 pm - MNC meeting at VI Rec Center
Oct 4: (Sat) 9 to 11:30 am - CRCA Recycling, Leverington Parking Lot
Oct 8: (Wed) 6pm - Friends of Pretzel Park, in Pretzel Park
Oct 11: (Sat) 9am to 1:30 pm - Fall for Your Park at Hunting Park, 900 West Hunting Park Avenue
Oct 18: (Sat) 9am to noon - RPCA Recycling, Ivy Ridge Train Station
Oct 25: (Sat) 10am to 1 pm - Friends of Pretzel Park in the Park
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2003 HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DROP-OFF - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
October 25, Saturday - Streets Department, Southwest Philadelphia, 3033 South 63rd Street,
Northwest of Passyunk.
November 8, Saturday - Northeast Sanitation Facility. Delaware Avenue between
Castor Avenue and Lewis Street in the Bridesburg section of the City
(near Allegheny Exit of I-95).
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The Council Crier - October 2003
Executive Board
Kevin Smith, President
Charlie Hewins, Vice President
Mary Turtle, Treasurer
Peg Ingram, Recording Secretary
Jane Glenn, Corresponding Sec.
Joyce Finnen, Trustee
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