CONSERVATION DISTRICTS BILL INTRODUCED
When Councilman Frank DiCiccio introduced a bill in 2002 to create Residential Preservation and Revitalization Overlay Districts (R-PROD) the Alliance and the AIA Community Design Collaborative raised questions about some aspects of the proposed program. With the support of the Councilman, the Alliance and the Collaborative worked with his staff, and the staff of Councilman Kenney's office, to review the proposed bill and suggest modifications. This effort has resulted in the introduction of a new bill by Councilman DiCicco to create Conservation Districts, which follows very closely the recommendations made by the Alliance and the Collaborative.
As part of its work on this project, the Alliance evaluated Conservation Districts in other cities in the United States. This research, undertaken by preservation planner Lori Salganicoff, identified 14 cities that had some experience with creating and implementing conservation districts. Some cities saw these districts as alternatives to historic district designation while others saw them as an outgrowth of planning and community development. To understand which approach would work best for Philadelphia, the Alliance conferred with the staffs of both the City Planning Commission and the Historical Commission. In addition, with the assistance of the Community Design Collaborative, we convened a meeting of 15 representatives of neighborhood organizations to give us their views on the concept.
The current bill, which will have hearings before City Council in November, focuses on the creation of design guidelines for individual neighborhoods to help maintain the existing physical character of those areas. The design guidelines would be developed with residents of the area and, once adopted by City Council, would be administered by the City Planning Commission. The full text of the bill can be found on the Alliance¹s website, which will also include a report on City Council¹s actions later this month.
