Next Great City Philadelphia

1. Next Great City Philadelphia

2. Coalition Partners: Civic and Neighborhood Groups Bella Vista United Civic Association Carroll Park Neighbors Advisory Council Cedar Park Neighbors Central Roxborough Civic Association Concerned Block Captains of West and Southwest Phila East Park Revitalization Alliance East Falls Tree Tenders East Passyunk Crossing Francisville Neighborhood Development Corporation Friends of Pennypack Park Friends of Wadsworth Ave Greater Bustleton Civic League Logan Square Neighborhood Association New Kensington Community Development Corporation Newbold Neighbors Association Northern Liberties Neighbors Association Passyunk Square Civic Association Queen Village Neighbors Association Residents of Shawmont Valley Association Society Hill Civic Association Spruce Hill Civic Association

3. Coalition Partners: Health and Environment Health and Environment Philadelphia Parks Alliance Physicians for Social Responsibility Project NEAT (American Cities Foundation) Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia Right to Know Committee Roxborough Greenspace Project Schuylkill Center for Environ Education Schuylkill River Park Alliance Sierra Club SE PA Society for Ecological Restoration SustainUs Philadelphia University City Green Inc Women’s Health & Environmental Network 10,000 Friends of PA American Lung Assoc of PA Audubon Pennsylvania City Parks Association Clean Air Council Clean Water Action Delaware River City Corp. Delaware Valley Green Building Council Fairmount Park Conservancy Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront PennEnvironment PennFuture PA Environmental Council PA Horticultural Society

4. Coalition Partners: Labor and Business, Faith • Labor and Business • AFL-CIO, Philadelphia Council • AFSCME District Council 47 • AFSCME District Council Local 2187 • Ameresco Inc. • General Building Contractors Association • Home (scale) Inc. • PhilaPOSH • PhillyCarShare • Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia • Urban Industry Initiative • Wallace Roberts & Todd • Faith Cecilian Center of Earth, Arts and Spirit Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church Neighborhood Interfaith Movement PA Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

5. Coalition Partners: Professional and Service Organizations Action Alliance of Senior Citizens American Institute of Architects Asociacion Puertorriguenos en Marcha Building Industry Association Campus Philly Committee of Seventy Congreso de Latinos Unidos Delaware Valley Assoc of Railroad Passengers Design Advocacy Group Greater Phila Urban Affairs Coalition Greater Philadelphia Cares Greater Phila Congress of Black Women Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia Institute for the Study of Civic Values Inter- Community Development Corporation Major Artery Revitalization Committee NAACP Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks Neighborhoods Now The Partnership CDC PA Parent Teacher Association PenTrans Philadelphia Assoc of CDC’s Philadelphia Children’s Commission Phila Convention and Visitors Bureau Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Philly For Change SCRUB School of the Future The Food Trust The Reinvestment Fund, Sustainable Development Fund Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians Women’s Community Revitalization Project Young Involved Philadelphia

6. Criteria for Actions • Within city’s authority • Achievable in 1 term • Highly relevant to Philadelphia residents and businesses • Successfully applied in peer city • Cost neutral or funding identified

7. Terry Madonna Poll Environment = Neighborhood • 1 in 3 businesses and 1 in 5 residents had flooding in past year • 1in 4 had vacant property catch fire or become source of crime in past year • 1 in 3 households have asthma Must Improve neighborhood environment and City infrastructure to grow economy

8. Impact • Next Great City helped make the 2007 Mayoral election the “greenest race in Philadelphia history”. • Next Great City Mayoral Forum • Green policy papers issued • Ballot question on Zoning passed In Mayor Nutter’s first budget address and 5-year plan, 7 of the 10 Next Great City recommendations are mentioned or funded.

9. Reduce Asthma Caused by Soot from City Trucks • One in 3 Philadelphia households has a member with asthma • Philly ranked 3rd worst place in country to live with asthma • Diesel trucks one of biggest sources of pollution in our neighborhoods. Trucks spew soot and 40 toxins that increase asthma rates • By 2011, Philadelphia should place pollution filters on older City trucks

10. Reduce Asthma Caused by Soot from City Trucks Progress Report: • The $1.2 million Sunoco settlement money is being used to refrofit street sweepers and haulers. • The City is also leveraging the money to acquire matching funds- including $60,000 it received to retrofit fire trucks.

11. Maintain Healthy Parks • 6 out of 10 residents use parks regularly but many parks are poorly maintained • The City should select Fairmount Park Commissioners through open process • Form effective private-public partnerships • Revenues earned through park activities should be used in the parks

12. Maintain Healthy Parks Progress Report: • Council is considering legislation that would consolidate Fairmount Park and the Dept of Recreation as well as reform Park leadership • Mayor Nutter's Five Year Plan proposes an increase of $2.5 million for the park in FY 2009 and a total of $19 million over the next five years.

13. Use Clean Energy & Construct Energy-Efficient Buildings City should buy or generate 5% of its energy from clean, local energy sources and require City and School District new construction to meet Silver LEED standards to: • Deliver emergency services during disasters • Create jobs in alternative energy industries • Reduce pollution and energy use

14. Use Clean Energy & Construct Energy Efficient Buildings Progress Report: • In April of 2007, Mayor Street signed a contract with PECOWind to purchase 8,500 megawatt hours, or about 4% of the City’s energy use • In January of 2008, Councilwoman Reynolds Brown introduced legislation requiring all new buildings over 10,000 sq ft receiving public funding be built to LEED standards

15. Clean and Green Vacant Lots • Philadelphia Green has transformed 3000 abandoned lots in the past 5 years • City should continue to fund Clean and Green program - a nationally recognized best practice • Moves crime, fires, unsanitary conditions and drugs from neighborhood properties

16. Clean and Green Vacant Lots Progress Report: • In the Spring of 2006, GreenPlan Philadelphia was created by 13 city agencies with the goal of sustaining, creating and improving open space in Philadelphia. • Funding for the PhillyGreen program will continue in the future budget

17. Expand & Improve Recycling Citywide • Increase City’s recycling rate from 6% - the 2nd worst in nation for large cities and save over $17 million each year • Demonstration project showed that 90% of households will recycle if provided with weekly curbside pickup, a large, single-sort container and incentives

18. Expand & Improve Recycling Citywide Progress Report: • All of the Mayoral candidates signed on to a 5-point agenda to improve recycling. • Single stream recycling was expanded to Center City and South Philadelphia.  • Mayor Nutter backed committed $6.1 million for recycling in 2009 and $25 million over the next five years. This infusion of money means that the entire city will have single stream, weekly recycling by the end of the year!

19. Create Public Riverfronts • City should create vibrant greenways to open up rivers to residents while balancing the needs of industry • Rezone riverfronts to require construction back from water’s edge and public access • Accept land donations • Provide timely public information on water quality by posting red flag warnings

20. Create Public Riverfronts Progress Report: • Civic Vision for the Central Delaware released in November of 2007 • Action plan for Central Delaware to be released in June of 2008 • Working on 100-ft buffer campaign for all city riverfronts

21. Stop Sewer Backups & Flooding • 1 in 3 businesses and 1 in 5 residents experience flooding after a rain storm • When stormwater overwhelms sewers – water floods surface, sewage backflows to nearest outlet • The City should prioritize repairs in areas with repeated flooding & backflow problems • City should fund repairs through a more accurate stormwater fee based on the burden the property places on the sewers

22. Stop Sewer Backups & Flooding Progress Report: • Starting in July of 2007, PWD offering backwater valves for affected homeowners • PWD also proposed to reallocate stormwater fees and provide a credit/incentive program to customers, supported by the Mayor

23. Improve Transit Stops • City is responsible for maintaining 12,000 transit stops and many are unsafe and poorly maintained • City should negotiate a new contract with national advertising firm to place 100’s of new shelters and regularly maintain stops • City should encourage community groups and businesses to “Adopt a Stop”

24. Improve Transit Stops Progress Report: • In Dec. of 2006, City issued an RFP for a new Street Furniture contract. Many concerns with the RFP, including no inclusion of public input and a lack of additional amenities • Legislation to approve giving the contract to Clear Channel was stalled • Mayor confirmed commitment to releasing new, more inclusive RFP

25. Replant Neighborhood Trees • Philadelphia lost 200,000 street trees from 1976 to 2004 • Trees reduce asthma, stormwater flooding, energy use and heat related deaths and enhance the beauty of neighborhoods • The City should replace the 23,000 street trees that were removed during the past 5 years

26. Replant Neighborhood Trees Progress Report: • Mayor Nutter has committed $1 million in the FY 2009 budget to help meet his goal of planting 25,000 trees over the next five years. This money is allocated through the Fairmount Park budget, but additional funds from other sources are also being sought.

27. Adopt Modern Zoning Communities need a zoning code that enforces their community plans and provides clear, predictable rules for what can be built on every parcel, and that will: • Encourage healthy building practices that use less energy and impervious surface • Redevelop land around transit hubs • Protect community owned parks and gardens with an open space designation

28. Adopt Modern Zoning Progress Report: • Voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure allowing the City to create the Zoning Code Commission • ZCC members have been appointed and are meeting regularly. They have asked for an extension of time to do their full review and to make recommendations on updates

29. Partner With Us To Reach Our Goal: To have the next Mayor and City Council implement necessary, reasonable and achievable changes that will strengthen Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, improve its environmental quality, increase its economic competitiveness, and make Philadelphia the NEXT GREAT CITY!

30. Help Us Become The Next Great City