West Philly and Southwest Philly have two new registered community organizations (RCOs), West Philly Pride and Kingsessing Spirit, and there is an opportunity this week to learn more about their work and to talk about some important issues. Both organizations hold quarterly RCO meetings focused on zoning and land use issues.
Kingsessing Spirit will hold their Spring 2018 community meeting this Wednesday (March 28), at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (801 S. 48th St), and all concerned citizens of Southwest Philly are invited. The meeting, which begins at 6 p.m., will feature reports from the RCO’s involvement with the Post Brothers’ proposed expansion of Garden Court Plaza at 4701 Pine Street.
The West Philly Pride meeting, which will take place Thursday, March 29, will hear from neighbors about the proposed Orens Brothers development on the 4400 block of Chestnut Street. This meeting will be held at Mantua Haverford Community Center (631 N. 39th St), beginning at 6 p.m.
Zoning meetings discussing both development projects were hosted earlier this year by other RCOs – Garden Court Community Association and Spruce Hill Community Association.
West Philly Pride and Kingsessing Spirit “provide an alternative venue for the community to influence major land use projects,” according to attorney Steve Masters, who works with both organizations. They will focus on a few, large scale projects and participate in ZBA hearings on those projects.