city of philadelphia Archives - Page 2 of 2

19 Dec

There Are Rules Here!

in Architects, Building Permits, Business, Design, Engineers, Philadelphia Licenses, Zoning, Zoning Permits, Zoning Projects

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We here at Philadelphia Zoning like to poke some fun at our City's bureaucracy. Licenses and Inspections can be a mystery to homeowners and developers: documents go in; only sometimes do they come out. When they do come out, it's often because they are rejected for arcane reasons. It can be pretty frustrating and eat your time (and it's why Philadelphia Zoning exists: to save...

29 Nov

RCO Fever!

by Philly Zoning Team

in Architects, Design, Engineers, Philadelphia Licenses, RCO, Zoning, Zoning Permits, Zoning Process, Zoning Projects

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One of the most sensible and also counter-intuitive parts of the zoning process in Philly is the community review. Any time you want to use your property for something that the zoning code doesn't allow, you must seek a variance from the City of Philadelphia (as we've discussed). When you seek a variance, a community organization in Philadelphia gets to review the proposal before the City...

15 Nov

Prerequisite Permit Reviews

by Philly Zoning Team

in Architects, Building Permits, Business, Design, Engineers, Floor Plans, Multifamily, Philadelphia Licenses, Single family, Zoning, Zoning Permits, Zoning Process, Zoning Projects

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Wait, I have to get approval from what? Ah, prerequisite approvals! Who doesn't love that giddy sensation? You know the one: You walk up to the desk at Licenses and Inspections, submit your carefully prepared application, and are told in a dead monotone, "This needs approval from Streets before we'll look at it." There's no way around it: Prerequisite approvals are rough. In this story, you need...

29 Sep

Zoning 101, Part 2: Zoning Permits, Use Permits, and Variances

by Philly Zoning Team

in Use Permits, Zoning, Zoning Process, Zoning Variance

Comments

Zoning in Philadelphia is a strange enterprise. The ideas behind it are simple, and the people working the desks downtown are generally helpful and clear. But in practice, it can be quite confusing. This little overview probably won’t make the strange details of zoning any less confusing, but it may give you a clearer picture of the overall structure of zoning complaints, requests, and applications...

06 Sep

Zoning 101: Part 1

by Philly Zoning Team

in Zoning

Comments

Zoning in Philadelphia is a strange enterprise. The ideas behind it are simple, and the people working the desks downtown are generally helpful. But in practice, it can be quite confusing. This little overview probably won’t make the strange details of zoning any less confusing, but it may give you a clearer picture of the overall structure of zoning complaints, requests, and applications in Philadelphia. How...

23 Aug

Moving Day!

by Philly Zoning Team

in Zoning

Comments

The City of Philadelphia recently combined its review boards into the new Department of Planning and Development. The Department now houses the Art Commission, Historical Commission, City Planning Commission, and — of particular note to us at Philadelphia Zoning — the Zoning Board of Adjustment. This seems like a smart reorganization on paper, and there are other departments and personnel involved beyond those boards our company usually...

city of philadelphia Tag

There Are Rules Here!

RCO Fever!

Prerequisite Permit Reviews

Zoning 101, Part 2: Zoning Permits, Use Permits, and Variances

Zoning 101: Part 1

Moving Day!

How to Submit Additional Information

Get Your Permit Plans Cheat Sheet Right Here!

How Much Does a Permit Cost?

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