Committees

Planning & Design

Co-Chairs
David Searles, AIA LEED AP / dseasrles@jacobswyper.com
Sven Schroeter, AIA / sven.schroeter@gmail.com

Committee Description / Purpose
The Planning and Design Committee (PDC) focuses on maintaining and improving the quality of Logan Square’s built environment, reviewing planning and design related issues in the neighborhood, and advising the board on how to promote the values, goals, and objectives of the 2007 Logan Square Neighborhood Parkway Plan (w/ 2019 updates). The PDC’s scope includes not only buildings but also signage, open space, streetscapes, zoning and urban planning.

In particular, the committee works in close cooperation with the Zoning Committee to review qualifying development applications that come to LSNA as required under the City’s RCO design review process. More broadly, the PDC acts as a liaison between such development applicants and the LSNA board and the wider community, evaluating applications for conformity with neighborhood plan goals, communicating findings and opinions to the board, and offering feedback and/or recommendations to applicants as appropriate.

A designated committee member (and/or the LSNA President) serves as a liaison to the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission and represents LSNA as the coordinating RCO at Civic Design Review hearings for qualifying projects.

3-5 Committee Objectives

  1. Develop standard submission requirements for RCO / CDR applicants (already exist?)
  2. Continue advising the board on RCO/CDR applicant design-related issues and make recommendations as appropriate.
  3. Re-establish regular communication w/ PDC members
  4. Schedule update meetings to discuss recent / pending neighborhood developments, imminent planning / design issues.
  5. Review neighborhood master plan progress toward goals.


Approach to Achieving Objectives

  1. Hold committee meetings to discuss RCO applications and/or other current planning and design issues in the community.
  2. Regularly advise the LSNA board on planning and design related issues, in particular as they relate to RCO applications.
  3. Attend CDR hearings to represent the interests of LSNA and the greater public good.