Re: [UC] FW: Update on Bill Threatening Parkland

[Glenn moyer]

A friend who worked for Fairmount Park explained the hidden agenda behind the recent referendum to merge Fairmount Park into the Department of Recreation.  He also explained some of the environmenal reasons for setting aside natural drainage areas when Fairmount Park was created, and for setteng a separate commission to protect these public lands from being sold to political cronies throughout it's long existance. Now, wealthy developers want the riverside land to develop upscale, tax-abated, luxury housing.  It seems my friend's information and analysis was correct!  Approximately 70% voted yeson the referendum and it's time that all of you recognize that you were lied to intentionaly! We were to trust our political leaders' ethics, and vote for the park-Rec merger, ostensibly, to save money to subsidize tax abatements and windfall corporate profits.  As we were not supposed to ask any questions when our libraries were to be closed and then sold to corporations for something called "learning centers," we were similarly "meanies" for questioning the resulting loss of protection for these public park lands. Our political and corporate leaders are stepping up the pressure to capitalize on the recession and privatize the remaining public assets vital to a democratic and free society using the heightened fear in the population.  I recall they used the same indigninant tone as the FOCP "planning committee" and SHCA "zoning committee" when the secret backroom dealings to sell the parks were questioned before the referendum.   I exposed some of the plans for Clark Park years ago (The attempt to purchase the Clark Park music and arts festival by penn was exposed in the DP in 2000.  And I wrote the article in the University City Review to expose the privatization attempt and power grab in 2002-2003.) Penn wants to take the central portion of Clark Park, "the bowl," and convert it to an outdoor concert stadium.  (I refused to endorse this scheme during the FOCP/UCD 2002 master plan for Clark Park. I and all members of the Clark Park community were subsequently banned from viewing their secret closed "master plan steering committee." If you go to the soccer field on Drexel's campus between 33rd and 32nd, you can see a model for the future fence for the penn venue.  With the support of FOCP/SHCA, UCD has created a false history about Clark Park and placed itself in command by painting common citizens as "prostitutes, drug addicts and gang members."  There is a picture in the current UC Review showing the "heroes" from Clark Park-Eric Goldstein, Lewis Wendell, and the VP's from Penn Drexel and USIP.  The past 10 years are the history to support a fenced and locked concert venue at Clark Park for good neighbors. Penn wants an arena for upscale events like the orchestra but they have no intention to allow these events to be open to all.  Penns landing was a previous example of public space being fenced off in the way designed for Clark Park.  Of course, as long as the good families making over $250,000 a year have a fenced in portion of Clark Park, the park A will make an excellent location for more upscale housing and park C will make an excellent spot for a USIP dorm and parking lot. Like the military industrial complex drooled as the twin towers fell, our upscale developers and their political pawns, the government of the city of Philadelphia, have been drooling as forclosure rates have skyrocketed.  Every crisis must be exploited until all public goods and rights have been privatized! Sadly, Glenn PS:  I'll be gone during the opportunities to raise hell.  I hope some of you other devils confront these scumballs.  We should look to legal remedies to save the parks because Greenberger, counsel and the mayor are the problem, not the solution.   -----Original Message----- From: KAREN ALLEN Sent: May 18, 2009 6:03 PM To: UnivCity Listserv Subject: [UC] FW: Update on Bill Threatening Parkland   Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 16:40:29 -0400 From: sc...@urbanblight.org To: kallena...@msn.com Subject: Update on Bill Threatening Parkland   Dear SCRUB Members and Friends,   Many of us were shocked to learn that last Thursday, May 7, 2009 City Council introduced Bill 090380, which is legislation allowing the following new uses on park land zoned recreational (full text of the Bill below):  Catering Facilities, including accessory live entertainment and dancing; Conference centers; Detached single-family dwellings; Meeting facilities; Museums; or Public or private parking lots There will be two opportunities for public voices to participate in discussions on Bill 090380: - Planning Commission Mtg: Tuesday, May 19th, 1:00pm, 1515 Arch St.,18th Floor  - City Council Rules Committee Hearing: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 10:00am,    City Hall, Rm 400 You can also call or send a letter to:   Council President Anna Verna 215- 686-3412      Rules Committee Chair,       City Hall Room 405        Philadelphia, PA  19107     Alan Greenberger    215-683 4600   Executive Director   City Planning Commission   1 Parkway   1515 Arch Street, 13th Floor   Philadelphia, PA  19102    Philadelphia's At- Large and District Councilmembers -   http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil/         Full Text of Bill 090380 Below:   BILL NO. 090380 Introduced May 7, 2009 Councilmember Krajewski   Referred to the Committee on Rules   AN ORDINANCE   Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by amending Chapter 14-700, entitled "Recreational Districts," by amending the uses permitted in the District, and by adding provisions with regard to signs.   THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:   SECTION 1. Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:   TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING. * * * CHAPTER 14-700. RECREATIONAL DISTRICTS.   §14-701. Classes.   (1) Recreational Districts shall be designated as: "Recreational (REC)", "Passive Recreation (REC-P)", and "Active Recreation (REC-A)". §14-702. Designation.   (1) Parcels of public land under the jurisdiction of the City of Philadelphia Department of Recreation, FairmountPark Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the National Park Service of the United States Government which are devoted to park and/orrecreational purposes and permitted related uses may be designated on the zoning maps as Recreational (REC), Passive Recreation (REC-P), and Active Recreation (REC-A). §14-703. Recreational District (REC).   (1) Use Regulations. The specific uses permitted in this district shall be the erection, construction, alteration, or use of buildings and/or land for: (a) [a]Any type of recreational use or activity, including recreational activities related to the use of creeks and rivers; [provided, that any private operation for private profit located within this district at a distance of 500 feet or less from any district boundary shall be permitted only if a certificate from the Zoning Board of Adjustment is obtained.] (b) Catering facilities, including accessory live entertainment and dancing; (c) Conference centers; (d) Detached single-family dwellings; (e) Meeting facilities; (f) Museums; (g) Public or private parking lot, accessory to any use permitted in the district; (h) Public or private parking area, accessory to any use permitted in the district, limited in use to special events or special occasions. Such parking areas shall be unpaved, due to the occasional use of such parking areas; (i) Accessory uses, customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses; (j) All limitations on multiple buildings on a lot, whether stated or implied, shall not apply in this district. (2) Area and Height Regulations. Where a Recreational District is in the same block with any other district, said Recreational District shall comply with the area and height regulations of the most restrictive district which abuts upon said Recreational District. (3) Signs. Accessory signs shall be permitted upon approval by the Art Commission. * * * SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately. Donate to SCRUB   Please contribute to SCRUB at www.publicvoiceforpublicspace.org or by sending a check payable to SCRUB at 1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1605, Philadelphia, PA 19107. SCRUB, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is Philadelphia's public voice for public space.  SCRUB's mission is to promote healthy, vibrant, beautiful public spaces throughout Philadelphia by using advocacy, public awareness and education, community mobilization and legal action. SCRUB is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. The official registration and financial information of the Society Created To Reduce Urban Blight may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania 1 800 732 0999 . Registration does not imply endorsement. Forward email This email was sent to kallena...@msn.com by sc...@urbanblight.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by SCRUB, The Public Voice for Public Space | 1315 Walnut Street | Suite 1605 | Phila | PA | 19107 ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see .