Philly's builders and local folks are getting a seat at the same table to hammer out blueprints for a better neighborhood, all thanks to Civic Design Review (CDR). As Philadelphia pushes for developments that reflect a collective vision, the process encourages a chit-chat between developers and the communities they're looking to shape. Through public engagement at the CDR, developers showcase their plans, and residents toss in their two cents on projects bound to alter the landscape of their stomping grounds.
In this bid to stir up more inclusive projects, any big development can't skirt around CDR — it’s no longer a choice, but a must for the larger lots. According to the City of Philadelphia's recent post, developers should pencil in the CDR well in advance to keep their projects on the fast track. And here's the deal: they've got to submit their materials no less than four weeks before the pow-wow date, giving the City Planning Commission staff the head's up they need to fix the agenda.
The drill goes like this: the CDR agenda is laid out for the public's prying eyes a fortnight before the talk, with slots doled out to those who've already had a meet-up with their Registered Community Organization (RCO) and to those early birds with the earliest dates from the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The City Planning Commission dishes out some tips for a hitch-free process — for the developers, it's about planning ahead for that crucial RCO rendezvous. As for the RCOs, it's all about keeping tabs on zoning deadlines, 'cause no one's handing out get-out-of-jail-free cards when it comes to the law.
The whole shebang of CDR may smack of bureaucracy, but it's really a win-win. As the City of Philadelphia points out, residents get their say on changes coming down the pike, while developers nab the neighborhood's take on their blueprints — giving them a shot to tailor their masterpieces even before the first brick is laid.
