A new bill may mean that city construction will take more time -- but Penn's district is receiving special treatment.
Pressure from the University has resulted in an amendment exempting District 3 -- which includes Penn and Drexel University -- from a pending bill to alter the process of construction in Institutional Development Districts.
For all other districts, the bill will require that City Council approve any construction within IDDs -- areas zoned for use by an educational institution -- that are not outlined in that district's master plan.
But Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell amended the bill in a council session on Thursday so that IDDs in her district will continue under the existing law, which gives City Council a 45-day period to act on construction proposals after receiving them from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
The current law says that if the council takes no action during that time, the project is automatically approved.
Counsel to Blackwell John Christmas, who drafted the amendment, said that Penn specifically expressed opposition to the original bill.
"Penn wrote us a letter saying what they thought the impact would be," Christmas said. "Their thought was that it would slow projects."
Additionally, Christmas said that Penn representatives met with Blackwell on the issue.
Though Drexel was not as adamantly in favor of the amendment as Penn was, Christmas said he knew that the university had similar thoughts.
William Kramer -- who is in charge of zoning for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission -- said the amendment will prevent additional construction difficulties for Penn, Drexel and the other two IDDs in District 3.
"If you are in District 3, life is a lot easier if you are in an IDD because you can go on like we have for a number of years," Kramer said. "Not that it is bad in another district; it is just different."
Christmas said the amendment also stems from the fact that District 3 would not benefit from the same construction restrictions that other districts need.
Christmas said Councilman Brian O'Neill, who sponsored the bill, does not feel he communicates as well with institutions in his district as Blackwell does.
He added that institutions in District 3 already take precautions to ensure that their projects are in line with the community. Council oversight is therefore unnecessary, he said.
"As long as we are ... communicating and as long as people are trying to address community concerns early in a project and you have an informal process, you don't really have to legislate more barriers," Christmas said.
It is possible -- but unlikely -- that other districts will attempt similar amendments, he added.
The bill, complete with Blackwell's amendment, will be up for final passage on Dec. 1.
University officials would not comment on the possible exemption.
Special treatment - Pending bill would force City Council to actively approve construction not in master plans - Current policy allows projects to pass if council fails to act in 45 days - An amendment would permit Penn's district to continue under the old system
