Philadelphia Zoning has been guiding clients and projects through the Special Inspections Program required as per the Building Code. Sometimes there is pushback, confusion, and questions regarding this program and how it affects a project, or wy and when it is needed. What is the Philadelphia Special Inspections Program? The special Inspections Program is a program designed to promote quality assurance in construction projects. It is designed...
Read More
Here are some of our tips for a smoothER* permit submission process. No guarantees when dealing with the city of Philadelphia, but these few conscious adjustments can go a LONG way. ESPECIALLY getting a proof of application and application number from your GC or whomever is applying on your behalf. ...
Read More
This post is a featured post for our #RCORants series. #RCORants showcases stories about the often harmful actions that take place among RCO's (Registered Community Organizations) in Philadelphia. The goal is to raise awareness about what goes on, stimulate a conversation, and ultimately improve the RCO system to create more accountability, equality, and fairness. "Not in my backyard." That might as well have been the answer that...
Read More
Understanding and figuring out the zoning of a property can be one of the most elusive feats, especially if you don't know where to look. There are free tools you can utilize to try to decipher the legal use, but it is usually unclear. There can be dozens and even hundreds of documents in the city's zoning archive, incomplete paper trails, and a slew of other...
Read More
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Going through the process to relocate lot lines for a lot consolidation or subdivision in Philadelphia has many steps. This post will walk you through the steps that you need to take and the associated estimated costs and timeline you can expect. Step 1: Get a Survey & New Legal Description(s) In order to start the process, you will need to have a civil engineer / land...
Read More
Zoning Board of Adjustment: What Happens After Your Hearing Philadelphia Zoning specializes in Zoning Variance coordination. Whether it is a regulated use registration for a new business or a height bonus for a home addition, in order to get approval from the City to execute a development plan which is not expressly allowed by the Zoning Code, you must obtain letter granting you special approval from...
Read More
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...
Read More
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...
Read More
Congratulations! If you are wondering what your next steps should be when getting prepared for a Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) hearing, then congratulations! You are almost finished with the zoning permit process. But before you start popping champagne, you have to get ZBA (Zoning Board of Adjustment) approval first. A disclaimer: Just because you follow all of the criteria leading up to and including the...
Read More
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...
Read More