Success: Mayor Nutter's Budget and Five Year Plan Support Next Great City

On February 14, 2008 Mayor Nutter issued his first budgetary address and five year plan, which outlined his administration's goals- including creating healthy and sustainable communities. The plan embraces many of the Next Great City recommendations, including:

• an increase in funding for Fairmount Park by $1.5 million this year, and $16.5 million over the next five years;
• dramatically increasing citywide participation in recycling, and boosting funding for recycling by $6.1 million this year and 25.1 million over five years;
• promoting urban greening by securing funding to plant 25,000 trees, and by including $1 million in the Fairmount Park budget for this purpose;
• reallocating the costs of stormwater management based on overall and impervious area; and,
• securing a new city contract with an outdoor advertiser to install new street furniture such as bus shelters and newspaper corrals.  

On April 15, 2007, Mayor John F. Street signed a contract with PECO Wind to purchase 8,500 megawatt hours, or abut 4% of the city's energy use, from wind power. While it's not the full 5% purchase the Next Great City report recommended, the City plans to purchase more, reaching 5% by 2010.

By committing to renewable energy, the City of Philadelphia will reduce its heat-trapping gas emissions by approximately 4,250 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year, comparable to planting 1.6 million trees or not driving 20 million miles every year. Nationally ranked as the third worst city in the country to live for people with asthma by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, this action will have a significant impact on improving air quality in the region.

Success: Zoning Reform

On Thursday, February 8, 2007, Philadelphia City Council moved forward on a key item in the Next Great City agenda by approving a Charter Change to establish a Zoning Code Commission.  This measure, introduced by Councilmen Frank DiCicco and James Kenney received unanimous approval from all 17 members of Council.

On May 15th, voters overwhelmingly voted for creation of the Zoning Code Commission with a more than 70% approval rate. This Commission will be made up of 31 members, including 10 community leaders. They will be charged with making suggested changes to the Zoning Code, which would then have to be approved by City Council.

The Next Great City coalition supports zoning reform. Specifically, we recommend the inclusion of an open space designation, the encouragement of transit-oriented development and incentives for energy efficient buildings be included in the reforms put forward by the Zoning Commission.

Success: Mayoral Candidates "Go Green"

The Next Great City Mayoral Forum on February 15th was the unofficial kick off of campaign season, with all five Democratic candidates appearing at a forum together for the first time. The candidates also appeared at other forums on Next Great City issues, such as the Green City Strategy Forum, Mayoral Forum on Energy and Transportation and the Forum on Design for Community and Quality of Life. You can still watch the video of the Next Great City Forum to see how the candidates responded to the 10-point agenda.

All five Democratic candidates also released statements of support for the Next Great City agenda and all issued policy papers on sustainability and the environment. As the Inquirer reported, it was the greenest election run in Philadelphia history, pushing the candidates to address issues of air pollution and energy efficiency, transit, blight, and recycling throughout the campaign.