01/24/2023
2/2 Update: At today's City Council Meeting, Bill #220918 was passed. Councilmember Jones said, "People have a right to speak, but they don't have a right to the facts." In actuality, they did NOT allow everyone who went to the Meeting to oppose the Bill to speak up during Public Comments.
Council unanimously approved the Bill. We must not let the City keep stealing public resources away from the people and selling off our public parks to wealthy donors. Keep talking with your neighbors about what's happening. We'll keep fighting together. Take care & stay strong, everyone.
FEB 1 UPDATE: We have just confirmed that Jones WILL be bringing Bill #220918 to a VOTE tomorrow THURSDAY FEB 2 at 10 am at the City Council Meeting instead of adding more amendments.
CALL TO ACTION 1: We need EVERYONE to go in person to City Council TOMORROW at 10 AM & speak out against Bill #220918.
When: TOMORROW, Thursday Feb 2 10 AM
Where: City Hall, Room 400. In person only.
Registration: When you arrive, register at the small desk in the hallway outside of Room 400 at City Hall. Give your name, the bill number (220918), and whether you support or oppose the bill.
CALL TO ACTION 2: Contact City Council to tell them to vote NO on Bill #220918.
Sample script for City Councilmembers EXCEPT Curtis Jones:
“Hello, my name is ____. I am a voting citizen in Philadelphia. I urge the Councilmember to do the right thing in the City Council Meeting tomorrow and vote NO on Bill #220918. There should NOT be an overlay district created for Cobbs Creek Golf Course. Not only does this bill pave the way for more environmental destruction, it purposely evades public input in the use of public lands. This bill is no good for our environment or for our city.”
Kendra Brooks: [email protected], (215) 686-0461, (215) 686-0462
Katherine Gilmore Richardson: [email protected], (215) 686-0454, (215) 686-0455
Isaiah Thomas: [email protected], (215) 686-3446, (215) 686-3447
District 3 Jamie Gauthier: [email protected], (215) 686-0459, 215-686-0460
Sample script for Curtis Jones (215) 686-3416, (215) 686-3417, [email protected]:
“Hello, my name is ____. I am a voting citizen in Philadelphia. I urge Councilmember Jones to do the right thing in the City Council Meeting tomorrow and pull Bill #220918. There should NOT be an overlay district created for Cobbs Creek Golf Course. Not only does this bill pave the way for more environmental destruction, it purposely evades community input in the use of public lands. This bill is no good for our environment or for our city. Councilmember Jones was doing a good job starting to listen to his constituents. I would like him to continue on that path by encouraging the Cobbs Creek Foundation to use the already established process of applying for a zoning variance for cutting trees on steep slopes.”
UPDATE Jan 24: Today Councilmember Curtis Jones's office reported to us that he will not move Bill 220918 to a vote at this Thursday's City Council meeting. This would not have happened without neighbors speaking up about their concerns & spreading the word. Great work everyone!
NEW URGENT CALL TO ACTION: We need everyone to commend Councilmember Jones for being so thoughtful about the significant impacts that this bill has for his constituents, the greater Philadelphia area & our environment. By Thursday, please phone & email his office to say THANK YOU to Jones for postponing the vote, encourage him to continue to value community input, & encourage him to withdraw Bill 220918. Ask your friends & neighbors to do the same!
Phone Jones: (215) 686-3416, (215) 686-3417
Email: [email protected]
SAY NO TO Bill #220918 -- it's anti-community & anti-environment!
“What specifically concerned me about the proposed bill is the lack of public input and transparency and the potential for increased flooding and other environmental impacts,” [Henry] Davis said."
Philadelphia City Council will reconsider at least some parts of an ordinance that would have exempted a private nonprofit undertaking a $65 million renovation of the city-owned Cobbs Creek Golf Course from a city environmental law designed to prevent erosion. The exemption of the city’s steep slo...