CASINO YELLOW LIGHT

FOXWOODS, THE proposed South Philly casino, made its pitch yesterday to the City Planning Commission but came away empty handed - for now - due to questions about its location and the traffic it will create.

The Planning Commission, after a four-hour hearing punctuated by booing, cheering and screaming from casino fans and foes, decided to put off a decision on Foxwoods' plans until its next meeting on Aug. 21.

Commission member David Adelman said he wanted more information about how the planning staff studied the impact of traffic on the already-congested Christopher Columbus Boulevard.

Adelman also asked for a review of claims from Foxwoods that its 21-acre development would not be built on land covered by state-owned water rights along the Delaware.

"This is too important to rush through a bunch of questions right now," said Adelman, who had been booed earlier when he threatened to have police eject unruly audience members.

The crowd cheered his requests.

The Planning Commission's staff had recommended approval for Foxwoods' plans at the start of yesterday's hearing.

Foxwoods has repeatedly insisted that it plans traffic changes in the neighborhood that will make the flow of vehicles better than it is now.

Foxwoods also said that its construction plans will not touch any state-owned land.

"We're disappointed but we think we will prevail in the next session," Foxwoods attorney Jeff Rotwitt said after the hearing.

Rotwitt noted that City Council is out on summer vacation until mid-September, which means the Planning Commission delay has little practical impact.

Foxwoods would need a Council member to introduce zoning legislation, based on a Planning Commission recommendation, to move the project forward.

Councilman Frank DiCicco asked the Planning Commission to delay action while the state Legislature considers legislation to stop casinos from being built within 1,500 feet of homes, which would knock out the locations for Foxwoods and SugarHouse, a riverfront casino proposed in Fishtown that received Planning Commission approval in May.

Mary Isaacson, chief of staff to state Rep. Mike O'Brien, took a more aggressive stance, claiming Foxwoods is trying to build on state water-rights land and threatening that her boss would go to court to stop that.

"Whether you like it or not, you're not going to be able to build on that land," Isaacson said.

Much of the hearing was taken up by public comment, overwhelmingly opposed to Foxwoods because of the potential traffic and the proximity of South Philadelphia neighborhoods.

"Where do you live?" audience members shouted as engineers and attorneys for Foxwoods tried to explain the project.

Another popular taunt was - "Pay your taxes" - a reference to Foxwoods' ongoing dispute with the city about its property taxes.

At another point, casino foes chanted: "The people say no."

Building trades union members and employment activists who favor Foxwoods said it would create jobs to help South Philly.

"We need Philadelphia to move forward, not a lot of backwards talk," said Wayne Rahman.

"If you've got jobs for the city of Philadelphia, step up to the plate."

While the Planning Commission repeatedly asked the crowd to treat each other with respect and clearly grew weary of the heckling, several members were seen chuckling after a laser pointer used to highlight computer graphics on a movie screen went on the fritz.

"Get the mayor's iPhone," one casino opponent shouted. *