Philadelphia2035
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| Philadelphia2035 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Philadelphia2035 |
| Type | city comprehensive plan |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Adopted | 2011 |
| Agency | Philadelphia City Planning Commission, Department of Planning and Development |
Philadelphia2035 is the long-range comprehensive plan produced by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to guide land use and development policy in Philadelphia through the year 2035. The plan interrelates policy areas including zoning reform, transportation, housing, economic development, and open space preservation to coordinate actions by municipal agencies such as the Department of Public Property and external stakeholders including Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority and private developers. Philadelphia2035 frames decisions for neighborhoods ranging from Old City, Philadelphia and South Philadelphia to Kensington, Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.
Background and planning process
The plan emerged from a multi-year process involving the Mayoralty of Michael Nutter administration, the Philadelphia City Council, the Office of Housing and Community Development, and civic groups including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations. Public meetings took place in venues such as City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and University of Pennsylvania forums, and the draft incorporated analyses by consultants who had worked on projects for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Regional Plan Association, and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The process referenced prior planning efforts like the Philadelphia City Planning Commission#1964 Comprehensive Plan and engaged neighborhood organizations including the Fairmount Civic Association and Northern Liberties Community Association.
Goals and policy framework
Philadelphia2035 articulates goals tied to the Sustainable Communities Initiative, resilience strategies promoted by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and equitable development aims endorsed by advocacy groups such as Public Citizens for Children and Youth and Philadelphia Association of Neighborhood Development Organizations. Objectives cross-reference federal programs like the Community Development Block Grant and state initiatives administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Policy frameworks draw on precedents from the Smart Growth movement, zoning reforms seen in cities like New York City and Chicago, and planning principles upheld by professional organizations including the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Architects.
Land use and zoning changes
The plan recommends an updated zoning code and maps to clarify land use designations across corridors such as Broad Street (Philadelphia), Columbus Boulevard, and Germantown Avenue. Zoning concepts echo reforms championed by Daniel Burnham-era comprehensive planning and contemporary examples like the Philadelphia Zoning Code rewrite overseen by the Department of Licenses and Inspections and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Philadelphia2035 promotes mixed-use development in areas adjacent to anchors such as Temple University, Drexel University, Pennsylvania Hospital, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia while recommending protection for historic districts listed by the Philadelphia Historical Commission and the National Register of Historic Places.
Transportation and infrastructure initiatives
Proposed transportation initiatives connect to transit agencies including the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, SEPTA Regional Rail, and projects tied to the I-95 Corridor Coalition and Amtrak. Recommendations include transit-oriented development near hubs like 30th Street Station, Philadelphia and Suburban Station, bicycle network expansions comparable to programs in Portland, Oregon and Copenhagen, and streetscape improvements along corridors referenced by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Infrastructure resilience strategies address stormwater management in watersheds such as the Schuylkill River and Delaware River and coordinated investments with utilities like Philadelphia Water Department.
Housing and economic development strategies
Housing strategies in the plan address preservation of existing stock in neighborhoods such as Fishtown, Philadelphia and Manayunk while promoting affordable housing mechanisms used by entities like the Philadelphia Housing Authority and nonprofit developers including Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Economic development prescriptions target job growth around employment centers like the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia Navy Yard, and the University City Science Center; they reference incentives used by the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority and workforce programs run by Philadelphia Works. The plan also engages cultural and tourism assets such as Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Independence National Historical Park to support local small businesses and creative economy clusters.
Implementation, funding, and governance
Implementation calls for coordination among municipal departments including the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability, the Department of Commerce, City of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. Funding mechanisms referenced include municipal bonding, federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation and HUD, state grants administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and private investment through public–private partnerships similar to those used by PennDOT. Governance structures proposed mirror interagency task forces convened by the Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia and oversight by the City Planning Commission and City Council of Philadelphia.
Public engagement and criticism
Public engagement involved stakeholders such as neighborhood civic associations, business improvement districts like the Center City District, labor organizations including the Philadelphia Building Trades, and civic coalitions such as Philadelphia 3.0. Criticisms arose from advocacy groups including Reinvestment Fund and tenants’ rights organizations that argued the plan did not sufficiently guarantee affordable housing, and historic preservationists who engaged the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Debates over zoning, displacement, and infrastructure priorities were taken up in hearings before the Philadelphia City Council and covered by local media outlets such as the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY (FM).