Amplifying Neighborhood Voices Through RCOs: 5 Years After Zoning Reform

Join Philadelphia 3.0 and the Crosstown Coalition for a discussion about Philly's Registered Community Organization (RCO) system, and how it's working 5 years into Philadelphia's landmark zoning reform effort.

Civic associations are a fascinating, and under-rated layer of Philadelphia politics. While they've been around for a long time, an important change happened in 2012 that made civics an official, rather than unofficial, part of the zoning and land development process for the first time.

Five years into the new code, how do the people who participate in this process—RCO activists, developers, Councilmembers, and zoning reformers—think it's working?  What role do RCO members and zoning activists play in the overall political landscape, and how much power do they really have? Are we striking the right balance between citizen participation and a rule-based system?

We'll be joined by moderator Karen Black, with Matt Karp (zoning chair of Fishtown Neighbors Association), Courtney Voss (Chief of Staff to Councilmember Bobby Henon), and Rich DeMarco (Lauletta Birnbaum, Zoning Code Commission member), and Bernard Gorham (Richard Allen New Generation RCO.) 
 
Light refreshments provided.