Rumor Mill: Zoning Board gets notice

[Bulworth67]

Originally Posted by bvan

Here is what I am hearing from the grizzled Philly veterans.

This is 'The Department'. The zoning board, is 'The Department.

Every Mayor, every administration, has a department (or two) where they stash all thier friends who they owe something to.

The veterans say that there is no way Nutter has 20-30 experienced zoning people waiting in the wings to swoop in and run this department. Its going to be his crony, patronage, payback job, department. They all do it. Nutter is no different in that aspect. (Although I did get them to agree that he was the best candidate we could have elected, and they did vote for him)

I can't talk them out of it, and I actually begin to feel a little naive as I am trying to....

Anyone care to comment about that?

Sure. It's nonsense. The five people he appointed are eminently qualified. I think Manko will be great.
Susan Jaffe understands zoning and will be a good chairwoman.
And for all the bureaucratic slugs in L&I, who are also part of the problem, there will be a major shake up.
It's a new day already. Hallelujah.

[raider.adam]

Thursday, January 17, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


MAYOR NUTTER APPOINTS NEW MEMBERS TO
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

Today, Mayor Nutter announced his five new appointees to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mayor Nutter appoints: Susan Jaffe, Anthony Lewis, Jr., Joseph Manko, Lynette Brown-Sow and Carol Tinari. Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections, John Elfrey, serves as an Ex-officio member of the Board. Mayor Nutter has recommended that Susan Jaffe serve as Chair of the Board.

"I would like to thank the four current members for their great service to the city," said Mayor Nutter.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) is a departmental board of the Department of Licenses and Inspections comprised of five members appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Mayor. The ZBA hears and decides appeals in zoning matters, considers special ordinances, and grants variances. The new Board will be in place to begin hearing cases on Tuesday, January 22nd.

"The Zoning Board of Adjustment plays a crucial role in planning and zoning in the city," said Mayor Nutter. "This is a new board that will reform the practices and activities of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. These appointees bring not only diverse experience in planning and zoning matters, but also in dealing with neighborhood concerns. It is with great faith that I task these five new members with establishing a professional and collegial environment between the Board and the public."



Page 2

Biographies

Susan O.W. Jaffe is a respected community leader serving on local and national non-profit boards. She is a former member and vice chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, where she conducted public hearings and voted on approximately 1,500 cases per year. Her areas of expertise include city planning, Philadelphia architecture and history and community relations.

Anthony Lewis, Jr. serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, the nation's oldest non-profit housing agency, where he has worked since 1979. He is a recognized and respected leader on housing issues. Since 2002, Mr. Lewis has served on the City of Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission.

Joseph M. Manko is a founding partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as the Regional Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Middle Atlantic Region (region 3). Manko served for seven four-year terms on the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners and served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council from 1988 until 1999, and remains an emeritus member of their Board of Directors where he has served for more than 25 years. Mr. Manko serves as Governor Rendell's representative and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. He is a member of the Fairmount Park Commission. He was an Adjunct Professor at Penn Law School for 18 years, where he taught environmental law.

Lynette Brown-Sow is the Vice President for Marketing and Government Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia, a position she has held since 1995. Under the Rendell administration, Ms. Brown-Sow served as Deputy Mayor of Administration for the City of Philadelphia. In 1997, Ms. Brown-Sow was appointed to the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission.

Carol Tinari is currently the Managing Director/Consultant for NVT & Associates. A resident of Overbrook Farms and active community leader, Ms. Tinari is a member of the License and Inspection Review Board, a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Vice President and Director of Government Relations for Overbrook Farms Civic Foundation, Vice President of Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation and a member of the Girard College Board of Managers.

---ENDS---

Luke Butler
Deputy Press Secretary
Office of Mayor Nutter
Cell: 267 438 7119
Office: 215 686 6210

[rip08]

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Thursday, January 17, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


MAYOR NUTTER APPOINTS NEW MEMBERS TO
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

Today, Mayor Nutter announced his five new appointees to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mayor Nutter appoints: Susan Jaffe, Anthony Lewis, Jr., Joseph Manko, Lynette Brown-Sow and Carol Tinari. Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections, John Elfrey, serves as an Ex-officio member of the Board. Mayor Nutter has recommended that Susan Jaffe serve as Chair of the Board.

"I would like to thank the four current members for their great service to the city," said Mayor Nutter.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) is a departmental board of the Department of Licenses and Inspections comprised of five members appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Mayor. The ZBA hears and decides appeals in zoning matters, considers special ordinances, and grants variances. The new Board will be in place to begin hearing cases on Tuesday, January 22nd.

"The Zoning Board of Adjustment plays a crucial role in planning and zoning in the city," said Mayor Nutter. "This is a new board that will reform the practices and activities of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. These appointees bring not only diverse experience in planning and zoning matters, but also in dealing with neighborhood concerns. It is with great faith that I task these five new members with establishing a professional and collegial environment between the Board and the public."



Page 2

Biographies

Susan O.W. Jaffe is a respected community leader serving on local and national non-profit boards. She is a former member and vice chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, where she conducted public hearings and voted on approximately 1,500 cases per year. Her areas of expertise include city planning, Philadelphia architecture and history and community relations.

Anthony Lewis, Jr. serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, the nation's oldest non-profit housing agency, where he has worked since 1979. He is a recognized and respected leader on housing issues. Since 2002, Mr. Lewis has served on the City of Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission.

Joseph M. Manko is a founding partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as the Regional Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Middle Atlantic Region (region 3). Manko served for seven four-year terms on the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners and served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council from 1988 until 1999, and remains an emeritus member of their Board of Directors where he has served for more than 25 years. Mr. Manko serves as Governor Rendell's representative and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. He is a member of the Fairmount Park Commission. He was an Adjunct Professor at Penn Law School for 18 years, where he taught environmental law.

Lynette Brown-Sow is the Vice President for Marketing and Government Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia, a position she has held since 1995. Under the Rendell administration, Ms. Brown-Sow served as Deputy Mayor of Administration for the City of Philadelphia. In 1997, Ms. Brown-Sow was appointed to the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission.

Carol Tinari is currently the Managing Director/Consultant for NVT & Associates. A resident of Overbrook Farms and active community leader, Ms. Tinari is a member of the License and Inspection Review Board, a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Vice President and Director of Government Relations for Overbrook Farms Civic Foundation, Vice President of Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation and a member of the Girard College Board of Managers.

---ENDS---

Luke Butler
Deputy Press Secretary
Office of Mayor Nutter
Cell: 267 438 7119
Office: 215 686 6210

Thank God. Auspitz and his cronies were an embarrasment to the City. I can only hope that the stupid requirements and pointless insults will not carry over. Thank God.

[Bulworth67]

"I would like to thank the four current members for their great service to the city," said Mayor Nutter.

Hmmm...isn't he leaving out the deli guy?

You rock Mayor Nutter.

[bvan]

In case there may be some who say, these are simply a case of a mayor making appointments as is his perogative, similar to Mayor Street, lets just compare soemthign called "qualifications".

Nutter's recommended chairwoman is Susan Jaffe, a community activist and former vice chairwoman of the board.

Joining her will be:

* Anthony Lewis Jr, chief executive officer of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley;

* Joseph Manko, an environmental lawyer who served as a Lower Merion Township commissioner;

* Lynette Brown-Sow, a vice president at Community College of Philadelphia and a member of the City Planning Commission under Mayor John Street, and

* Carol Tinari, a consultant and civic activist

The group replaces five appointees of Mayor John Street:

restaurateur David Auspitz, who resigned in December;

political consultant Eleanor Dezzi;

the Rev. William Hall, Street's pastor at the North Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church;

lawyer Judith Eden; and

Laborers Union leader Sam Staten Jr.

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?actio n=cpt&title=Nutter+picks+five+for+his+redesigned+Z oning+Board+%7C+Philadelphia+Inquirer+%7C+01%2F18% 2F2008&expire=&urlID=25939149&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F% 2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Flocal%2F20080118_Nut ter_picks_five_for_his_redesigned_Zoning_Board.htm l%3FadString%3Dinq.news%2Flocal%3B%21category%3Dlo cal%3B%26randomOrd%3D011808054439&partnerID=166771

http://www.printthis.clickability.co...rtnerID=167721

[portia]

It will be interesting to see how Susan Jaffe does as Chair. During her prior tenure on the Board, she distinguished herself by being one of only two members willing to break ranks with then Chairman Tom Kelly (particularly on billboards, which she consistently opposed).

Rumor has it Jaffe wasn't Nutter's first choice for Chair, but her prior service on the Board and her record of independence make her a promising appointment.

[portia]

As long as Mayor Nutter is making reforms, here's one more he might consider: appoint a lawyer to represent the ZBA.

Attend a zoning hearing in any little suburban township or municipality and you'll always find a zoning board solicitor sitting with the board through hearings. But not in Philadelphia. Here, the Board makes its decisions without the benefit of legal advice. And when a case is appealed, the Board's "findings of fact and conclusions of law," are written by an independent contractor who didn't attend the hearing and has no contact with the Board.

[kilbillrain]

This is all great, but what will be the tangible changes visible to everyone and how long will it take?

[portia]

Originally Posted by kilbillrain

This is all great, but what will be the tangible changes visible to everyone and how long will it take?

Tangible changes resulting from the Zoning Board appointments should be seen starting January 22nd -- the day of the new board's first hearing.

As for the Zoning Commission appointments, changes will take ... well.... a lot longer. The one year proposed period for rewriting the zoning code was never realistic. Add to that the fact that the commission has no budget and no dedicated staff and you can safely assume that any tangible changes are still at least a few years away.

[raider.adam]

Originally Posted by portia

Tangible changes resulting from the Zoning Board appointments should be seen starting January 22nd -- the day of the new board's first hearing.

As for the Zoning Commission appointments, changes will take ... well.... a lot longer. The one year proposed period for rewriting the zoning code was never realistic. Add to that the fact that the commission has no budget and no dedicated staff and you can safely assume that any tangible changes are still at least a few years away.

And don't forget ... no authority.