Speak out at the Zoning Board meeting on FDR Meadows! (Part II)

Start: 2024-03-19 08:30:00 UTC Eastern Standard Time (US & Canada) (GMT-05:00)

End: 2024-03-19 11:30:00 UTC Eastern Standard Time (US & Canada) (GMT-05:00)

A link to attend this virtual event will be emailed upon RSVP

The date has been set: Tuesday, March 19 at 9:30am

If you’re a resident of Philadelphia, you may be able to help stop the Fairmount Park Conservancy from cutting down heritage trees in FDR Park to build its turf fields in the Meadows. The Zoning Board of Adjustment will consider the Conservancy’s request to do that when its online hearing resumes on March 19. The Board needs to hear your opinion!

In the first part of the hearing (video here) the Conservancy presented its case to the Board. In the second part, when the hearing resumes, there may be a chance for opposing lawyers to present the case against, but there will certainly be time for public comment — which is what you're signing up for here.

The hearing is like a court, but less formal. It’s based on more on common sense than legal technicalities. The board could approve the Conservancy’s request (bad), reject it (good) or delay it (almost as good).

If you're interested in making a comment at the hearing, sign up right here on this page — even if you signed up for the first part of the hearing on Feb 21. We’ll follow up with instructions on how to register to speak at the hearing and more specific info about what the Zoning Board needs to hear.
To email a written comment in opposition, state that it’s regarding case MI-2023-006162, 1954 Pattison Ave. If you live near the park, mention where. Say you oppose the special exception and explain briefly. It can be short. Email: RCOZBA@phila.gov and cc: savethefdrmeadows@gmail.com.
To just watch the hearing, fill out the form at bit.ly/zbazoom (put yourself down as "Observer") and then watch on March 19. Or by phone, call (646) 876-9923, and enter webinar ID 820 8829 2595 and password 634842.

What’s this hearing about?

The Fairmount Park Conservancy, working with the Parks & Rec Department, plans to cut down 48 heritage trees (and hundreds of others) in the FDR Park Meadows as it starts building its $100 million sports complex: 16 artificial turf fields plus floodlights, roads, and parking lots.

The sports complex represents nearly 40% of the cost of the $256 million FDR Park plan.

Clearing of the area around Bellaire Manor, including the Picnic Grove, could start right after the Conservancy gets a "special exception" to cut down the heritage trees that are in the way.

To get the exception, it needs to show the ZBA 1) that it has a plan to replace the trees (with lots of small trees) and 2) that the project "cannot be practically redesigned to protect the heritage tree." See Phila Code § 14-705 (f)(.2). That is what we will help you speak on.

After you sign up, we’ll give you more details on how this all works!
For more information on the FDR Park plan, visit: SaveTheMeadows.com

Thank you!

Registration is Closed