Zoning debate

THE CITY'S ZONING code is a terrible, bloody mess - and the debate over how to change it is becoming just as messy.

The code, a set of rules guiding development, is more than 50 years old. This means we have a lot of outdated laws, which have been a stumbling block to bringing new business to Philadelphia.

That's why, in 2007, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure that called for rewriting the code. Ever since, the Zoning Code Commission has been trying to make a code that is sleek, contemporary and less political-and it's almost done.

Now, Council members are debating the new code, and could vote on it this fall. Or they could put it off, possibly for years, wasting the $1.9 million in taxpayer funds that went into rewriting it - and the thousands of hours of work from the Zoning Code Commission and the community.

In this week's It's Our Money podcast, Holly Otterbein hosts a lively debate between Councilman Bill Green and zoning-reform advocate Kiki Bolender (also a member of the Daily News People's Editorial Board) - and tries to find out whether this new code stands a chance of passing this year. To listen, and for more on city government, go to www.ourmoneyphilly.com.