zoning Tag

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...

Read More

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...

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

Philadelphia Zoning is Here For You   Here at Philadelphia Zoning, we specialize in obtaining permits in a timely fashion. A task which we have often alluded to in our previous posts, as one which requires a certain level of expertise.  Expertise, not everyone who needs a permit in the city of Philadelphia has.   Luckily for you, our goal here at Philadelphia Zoning is not only to...

Read More

Newbie on the Block June concludes my first month at Philadelphia Zoning as an expeditor. Let me tell you, it was no joke. Don’t get me wrong, there were lots of jokes exchanged between me and my fantastic expediting trainer. However, to execute the role of a seasoned expeditor requires a true mastery of both the Art and the Science of City Zoning Code.   One might think...

Read More

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...

Read More

Expediting Versus Accelerating   Last week we debunked many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the art of expediting. This week we decided to follow up that conversation with a post specifically dedicated to the differences between expediting and accelerating.   Expeditors, as previously explained, can increase the speed and efficiency of obtaining permits by filing paperwork correctly and mitigating setbacks along the way. However, another way to...

Read More

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...

Read More

Tomorrow is Cinco De Mayo a holiday that, like most other holidays, is celebrated by heavy drinking. And as most of us know from experience, there is really a no more efficient way to get to that utterly blissful state of intoxication than by taking shots.   Now, I am sure you must be thinking, where is this going? Taking shots has nothing to do with...

Read More

The Water Department   Many projects don’t need special approval from the Water Department in order to be approved by the City. However, there are two kinds of projects that do require Water Department approval form this, oh so special, entity. The first is a demolition permit. Before you can obtain a demo permit you must discontinue water service to your property. Can you imagine tearing down...

Read More