Submitted by nemesisinphilly t3_10lwe8u in philadelphia
Pumpkin on South St
Goat's Beard in Manayunk
Jerry's Bar in Northern Liberties.
a.kitchen in Rittenhouse
https://www.phila.gov/media/20230120125007/Sign-Committee-agenda-20230125.pdf (pdf warning)
If this the speed things are getting reviewed it will take years for all the applications to get processed.
The Art Commission is chartered with reviewing anything that is installed on or over a public right of way. They're the last step in the process.
It goes Streets Department, L&I, Art Commission if I remember correctly.
It’s a pretty natural extension of responsibilities they already have.
The board is part of the city’s Department of Planning and Development and is supposed to vet the structures (and other forms of development) to make sure it “is beautiful, orderly, and appropriate so that the City is a desirable place to live, visit, and do business.”
Murals and public art and stuff like that is only part of their job. One of the big complaints about streeteries has been that they either look like shit from the start, or are built cheap and look like shit in two months. So part of the approval process goes through the agency whose job it is to tell business that their janky crap looks like shit.
>“is beautiful, orderly, and appropriate so that the City is a desirable place to live, visit, and do business.”
Clearly they take the narrow view of this.
‘Tis a mighty lift indeed, and their purview is, in fact, narrow.
They only have authority if city funds or public space is involved, IIRC
It was intended as a bit of snark. But the fact that this all goes through Streets, L&I and this Art Commission just screams exhausting bureaucracy.
Yup
so we have them to thank for all of the beautifully-designed new construction in the city
No. Anything not built with city funds, or not on city-owned property doesn’t get passed through the Commission.
They get only get oversight over streeteries because they’re located on public streets
Another great use of public funds.
The good thing is that the Art Commission is the last stop for approval, so these are basically a go.
They were also the only ones on the agenda. Four out of 4 is a pretty good start for a completely new process.
At last reported count 2.5 weeks ago there have been 50 applications submitted. Why would 4 being on the Agenda be considered good?
I meant the clearance rate for the commission itself.
As long as they can stay open while an application is pending (they can), I see no problem with agencies being slow and deliberate during the early stages to make sure they get a new process right.
The problem is that the agencies didn't let anyone know that they were allowed to keep them up while the applications are pending until after the demolition deadline of 1/9.
>For example: If you’ve applied for a license, can you keep operating your current structure without fines until your application is approved?
>Answers have varied.
>Ben Fileccia, of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said he was under the impression that so long as restaurants had submitted an application, they could avoid fines for now. Montanez echoed as much in a Monday interview with The Inquirer.
>“[An unlicensed streetery] is automatic grounds for a citation,” Montanez said. “But we’re asking them if they’re planning to get it legalized, then to go in the system and apply, and then we say ‘here’s the process.’ ”
>But the Streets Department’s own website reports “all unlicensed streetery set-ups must also be removed beginning January 9, 2023.” No licenses had been issued as of Monday, officials said, as the application approvals remain ongoing.
>Asked for clarification, Streets officials later confirmed that restaurants can indeed continue operating their current streeteries without fines, so long as they have pending applications.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/philly-streetery-outdoor-dining-restaurants-law-fine-20230109.html
There's a trick in here, keep submitting and keep being rejected while keeping your current streetery up indefinitely.
Yeah, that sucks. But it’s the kind of problem that emerges when organizations move too quickly and don’t communicate well with one another. I don’t see how compounding the problem by rushing and making inconsistent mistakes now will help. If they rush it and one restaurant gets denied for something that slips through and is ok somewhere else, shit isn’t going to get less confusing.
But given that I know you can, and I’m just some asshole that spends too much time in bars and restaurants, any restaurant operator that doesn’t know it by now has bigger problems than the streetery license.
The point is it's not rocket science. It's been 2+ months since the application process began. Other cities with similar climates and street layouts have it figured out. What's so complicated that after 2 months less than 10% of applicants have made it to the last hurdle?
San Fran blew right past this and, instead of tying them to one restaurant, made them public spaces to be approved by the city instead of placing an enormous burden on a singular business at a time.
Wow, when's the next review? Didn't applications just open?
Anyone know why certain streeteries like Bing Bing Dim Sum are still up?
There is one meeting a month, and if the AC doesn't approve it this time the business would have to come back the following month, or whenever they correct whatever AC didn't like.
Applications opened on Nov 15th so it's been 2+ months since they opened.
Businesses are allowed to keep the streateries up as long as they have a pending application.
Yeah, I know someone who applied. I think they said there's only like 50 applicants in the process so far. I think it buys you 2023 if you apply.
"just change your job title to food and beverage director or something. then your application goes to the bottom of the pile. i know guys 20 years working in vegas without a license."
I was curious about Bing Bing too. And Cantina. Both of their streeteries are bolted to the street, which isn’t permitted by the new rules. So how do they get to stay up?
They can stay up as long as they have a pending application
>Anyone know why certain streeteries like Bing Bing Dim Sum are still up?
Lack of enforcement
How these meetings should go:
"Is it more desirable than a parked car? Yes. Don't even have to look at the design. Approved. Moving on."
Sometimes a SINGLE fucking car
Is there anywhere to see the list of pending streetery applications?
No they haven't released that info.
I have to guess Bishop's Collar did, because their stuff is still up. I hope they get approved.
I was pleased to see theirs still up. Now bring back the rest.
Good news for pedestrians.
[deleted]
[removed]
Anyone know if tankies took theirs down yet?
[removed]
My local coffee shop removed their streetery a few weeks ago. It’s so sad seeing space that used to be so vibrant with tons of people always out sitting be replaced with 2 parking spots.
Don’t get me wrong I hate it when it becomes a visibility concern on corners, but this spot was actually heavily used and now the inside of the joint is almost always completely full.
God I fuckin love Jerry's Bar
[deleted]
Robert_A_Bouie t1_j5zdz37 wrote
Why does the fucking Art Commission get to weigh in on restaurants appropriating public spaces? Shouldn't that be L&I, Streets or Zoning?