Councilman: Phila neighbors 'afraid of change'
Henon holds industrial plan for 'Cokie' site
Councilman: Phila neighbors 'afraid of change'
Joseph N. DiStefano
Philadelphia City Councilman Bobby Henon, D-6th, who wants more factories and blue-collar jobs for Philadelphia, told constituents last night he'll stop pushing a residential-to-industrial rezoning plant for the 68-acre Philadelphia Coke Co. ("Cokie") site on the Delaware, for now.
Henon revised his effort after getting an earful at a constituent meeting at the American Legion post at Orthodox and Salmon Sts. Neighbor and rezoning opponent Dan Adair passed along Henon's message, the guts of which are posted below: Tonight I had a meeting with members of the Bridesburg community about the proposed rezoning of the site popularly referred to as the “Cokie Site.”
My proposal is to split the site into three different zoning designations: ICMX, I-2 and I-3. I am going to upload maps of the proposal on my website: www.bobbyhenon.com so you can get a better understanding of what the parcel might look like.
My intention is to encourage people to pay attention to the site; to try to draw attention to it and to find someone who might be interested in investing in our community.
I know that some individuals in the community would like to see a residential development (like the one proposed 7 years ago), but I don’t believe that there is a market demand for condos or town houses or even single family homes in that neighborhood. Maybe I am wrong. If there is a developer out there who thinks they can make residential work, I would love to talk with them about their proposal.
I believe we need to be thinking bigger and longer term. Why can’t we have a mixed-use development? Why can’t we have a park that our schools can use? Why can’t we bring a responsible high-tech manufacturer to the neighborhood to create jobs? Why can we create a more livable, walk-able community? We have SO many great opportunities.
What I heard tonight was a community that is afraid of change. It’s normal to be afraid of what we don’t know. But inaction is not an option. Fear can’t be our motivator. Letting the site sit indefinitely isn’t going to make Bridesburg better.
That said, I am and have always been a neighborhood guy. I want to include people in the process.
Here is the plan of action:
1) I am going to hold the bill in committee; and
2) I am going to form a working group to develop and build consensus around a plan for how we might move the community forward.
I want to make two things clear. First, something is going to occur on the site – we just don’t know what or when. But waiting 30 years isn’t an option. Second, I will not allow an irresponsible development of the site. I am not going to allow a business that will pollute or destroy the quality of our neighborhood to locate there. Those days are over.
I encourage and invite you to be part of the process. If you would like to join the working group, you can sign up through the Bridesburg Civic organization. I will have specific details about how to sign up and what the process will be within the next day.
If you don’t want to be part of the working group but wish to share your thoughts about how the Cokie site might best be developed, please send my office an email at lisa@bobbyhenon.com. I will share all emails and ideas with the members of the working group.
THE PEOPLE OF BRIDESBURG HAVE HAD TO CONTEND WITH TOXIC BUSINESSES FOR OVER 100 YEARS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, CHEMICAL PLANTS, THE COKE PLANT,JUNKYARDS, REFINERIES, ETC WAKE UP HENON YOU MAKE A STATEMENT THEY ARE AFRAID OF CHANGE, YOUR AN IDIOT AND A CREEP— wallycleaver- Henon is a forward thinker like DOoald Trump. Problem is not only fear but loss of control and that keeps away good things from happening in the neighborhood which would be job creation and help Philadelphia become an economic powerhouse. If neighborhood groups have veto power over zoning, the city is going to slide down the toilet.— Aces high
- @ wallycleaver: "YOUR" is a possessive, I believe you mean "you're."Just who is stupid?— phillytransplant
- You can bet Johnny Doc and the unions will have a hand in whatever is built in Bridesburg, or anything in Henon's district. I'd first like to see something done about the Section 8 problem. That's some change a lot of NE residents are afraid of.— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver
- It's easier to complain then to change.— Another_1
- Henon is one of the few on Council that is working towards making Philly a better city. Give him a chance.— psyrus
- Relax, relax. Philadelphia will not change in any of our lifetimes. Why would it?— Konstanty
- Bobby Henon = John Dougherty's puppet in city council. Imagine the company that actually tries to build a business in the area and wants non union shop!! They'll never get permits unless they agree to a union operation....— paladin6
- Being a homeowner on the property line, of the proposed rezoning of the Cokie site in Bridesburg. It should be up to the will of the residents of Bridesburg, on what goes on the property! We (40 homes on the property line) have a vested interest on this proposal, that could effect the property value of our homes! We are more upset of the fast tracking of the rezoning of the proposed site, without our input!! Now that the bill is on hold, and it's being addressed (February)at the Civic Association for consideration. Maybe a consensus can be reached by the residents, on what they would like to happen!— Dadair1
- We need more of these guys in this city.— TheLowDown
- Does the zoning really need to be changed? Seems companies look for sites regardless of zoning especially large parcels. If it fits their needs they apply to the zoning board to have it changed to fit their needs.— chham57
- As a homeowner who is directly affected by any building done on the Cokies site , I live on Garden and my back yard faces the property. I really don't like the tone of what your saying . Your NOT part of the BBG community , YOU don't live here , you don't have an office , at least that I know of in our community , YOU don't have to fight the traffic back up from 95 , that detour through here and clog our streets while trying to get our children to school , or get to work , yet your so worried about. What BBG needs , that we need charge , NO sorry Bobby , the very last thing we need is more industry being built , adding to our health concerns . If you are truly that concerned for BBG , you would have taken the time to get know what this neighborhood needs. you say you been receiving complaints about the site , well maybe that's because BBG is a community with loads of kids who have nothing do , how about a community center that young and old could benefit from ? How about a cougars club house and fields ? Did you ever take into consideration that Cokies is between two grade schools and children walk past that property ? Do we need to worry about cars pulling in and out on to Richmond which is already a nightmare of traffic ? I think not . Last. I wonder why it took receiving a letter from my fellow neighbor Dan to let me know what you had planned , you mean to tell me your so concerned about us , you could not have gone door to door like Dan did ? Or maybe sent Lisa ? Since you keep telling us to contact her with concerns , or how about just sending out a letter instead of trying to sneak in the back door and change the zoning under our noses. But then again YOU are a politician. Do BBG a favor , worry about where you live and let BBG take care of their own.— DonnaC428
- phillytransplant THANKS FOR THE ENGLISH LESSON!! IS BOBBY YOUR BROTHER
— wallycleaver - Surprised that they want to REGULATE BIG BUSINESS in their neighborhood. I thought that area was full of the WORKING CLASS GOP WANNABE'S.— phillygtown
- Henon says "I don’t believe that there is a market demand for condos or town houses or even single family homes in that neighborhood", this statement shows this guy is clueless which makes him dangerous as city councilman. He has better chance of real estate developers investing in residential real estate than in some sort of bogus "manufacturing" with his union thug buddies waiting in the wings to shake down the first sucker who might take the bait. This is one of reasons why the city is going down hill financially, clueless members of City Council— Speak-truth-2-power
