Business

Pennsylvania Judge Stacy Wallace ruled on October 31, 2022 (Permanent-Injunction-Granted.pdf (ij.org) that state real estate licensing requirements were unconstitutional when applied to Petitioner, Sally Ladd, who manages short-term rentals in the Poconos.   Sally Ladd was forced to shut down her short-term rental business in 2017 after the state department began investigating her for practicing real estate without a license.   Ladd has been renting out her...

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Like most cities, “Streeteries” or accommodations made to restaurants to support outdoor dining, has had a major surge in Philadelphia since the start of the covid pandemic. Not only does outdoor dining provide customers with a more covid-comfortable dining environment, now that the pandemic is waning it can still provide restaurants with a much-needed boost in revenue.  For a while, these Streeteries operated in a sort...

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Last week, I received phone calls from two clients, both of them in a panic. You see, in the last 7 years I had both assisted them with obtaining a lease and also assisted them with receiving zoning approvals for their spaces in Viking Mill in Kensington, a near 70,000 square foot building located at 2019-2053 E. Boston Street. I do not think it is...

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Philadelphia Zoning was founded in large part to help new business owners obtain the proper zoning to operate their business. One of the most common types of projects we have worked on throughout the years has been Zoning Variance for Body Art and Tattoo Use.  Because this is a controlled use, obtaining a permit always requires special approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.    In addition to obtaining...

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The Typology of Permits   Property development can be complicated. And if you are new to the world of city regulation and permits, it may be difficult to predict exactly what you need in order to successfully, and legally, complete a project.   The typology of permits is generally broken down into two categories; Building and Zoning. This is because city regulations are also separated by these terms and...

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Faced with Facade /fəˈsäd/ noun There are many obstacles to overcome when changing anything about buildings in the city of Philadelphia. Chances are, change comes with a permit attached to it. However, facade changes, in particular, may require more attention than your regular Building Permit. To avoid getting those annoying requests for additional information that end up costing time and money, make sure you know whether or not...

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What is a Certificate of Occupancy?   EDIT 11/21/19: The City of Philadelphia is now requiring all multifamily properties, even two-families, to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy.   The Certificate of Occupancy may be the most elusive of all permits. So we wanted to give everyone the low down on what this document is, how to obtain it, and how to know if you even need it.   A Certificate of...

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Earlier this week our expeditors Ashley and Liz hosted an Instagram Live event where they explained the different online resources we use here at Philadelphia Zoning.   MVR (Most Valuable Resource)   Our favorite and most valued online resource is the City Atlas. The Atlas has five important functions we think you should know about.   The first and foremost value of this sacred tool is that it allows...

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Time is Money   When you are planning to renovate a home or start a new business, many times, the most important thing to consider is timing. So if your project involves obtaining permits or licenses from the City, it is important that you know what the different timetables are.   But before we discuss specific timetables of different permits, the first thing to know is that you will...

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What is Expediting?   An expeditor is a person who is licensed with the City to file permits and licenses on behalf of another individual. An expeditor can also create tax accounts with the city, file deeds, and register a change of address with the Office of Property Assessment.   Expeditors cannot, however, request special favors. We cannot circumvent the process or evade any rules or procedures.   It is our...

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