Philadelphia City Planning Commission

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) is the city body responsible for long-range planning of Philadelphia's physical development. Established in 1929, according to the City, and continued under the Home Rule Charter, it prepares the comprehensive plan, the capital program and budget, reviews zoning legislation and the design of major projects, and oversees the registration of Registered Community Organizations.^[1]

1 Membership and staff

The Commission has seven members appointed by the mayor plus four ex officio members, for 11 in all. The director of the Department of Planning and Development chairs it ex officio, and the appointed members elect a vice-chair.^[2] A professional staff led by an executive director carries out planning work. Eleanor Sharpe served as executive director from 2018 to 2024 and then became Chief of Planning in the Office of the Council President.^[3] The City's staff directory lists Octavia Howell as Executive Director and also lists Martine Decamp, AICP, as an interim executive director; residents seeking a contact should use the Commission's main line, (215) 683-4615.

The City's commissioner listing shows how the 11 seats are filled. The seven appointed members include a traffic engineer, an urban planner, two land-use attorneys, an architect and two community representatives, and the vice-chair is Ximena Valle, AIA. The four ex officio seats are held by the Managing Director, the Director of Finance, the Commerce Director and the Director of Planning and Development, who chairs; each may send a designee.^[2] Staff directors listed by the City oversee development, transportation, legislation and the Citizens Planning Institute, a public education program on planning.

2 Core functions

• Comprehensive plan. The Charter requires a comprehensive plan guiding physical development; the most recent citywide plan is Philadelphia2035, implemented through district plans.
• Capital program and budget. The Commission prepares a six-year capital program and annual capital budget for municipal buildings, streets and facilities, which the mayor submits to City Council. See Philadelphia City Budget Process.
• Review of legislation. Zoning and land-use bills, street vacations and some land transfers are referred to the Commission for a recommendation before Council acts.
• Civic Design Review and RCO administration (below).

3 Civic Design Review

Under the Zoning Code, certain larger projects must go through Civic Design Review (CDR) before a building permit issues. The Civic Design Review Committee, which includes design professionals, holds a public meeting at which the applicant presents and the committee offers advice on site design, access and neighborhood fit. The committee's recommendations are advisory rather than binding, but the process must be completed for the permit to move forward.^[1]

4 Zoning, remapping and Council

Zoning map changes are made by ordinance of City Council. The Commission reviews proposed remappings and text amendments and issues recommendations, and it has carried out citywide remapping efforts through its district planning program. Because Council members also exercise informal influence over projects in their districts (see Councilmanic Prerogative), the Commission's advisory voice is one of several in the land-use system.

5 Participating as a resident

The Commission holds regular public meetings, publishes agendas and plans on its website, and invites comment on district plans. The Commission also maintains the RCO registry: groups register annually with a geographic boundary, and applicants for zoning hearings and Civic Design Review must notify them. Residents can find which RCO covers their address on the Commission's website. Appeals of zoning permit decisions are not heard by the Commission but by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

See also: Department of Licenses and Inspections, Philadelphia Neighborhoods Guide, Civic and Neighborhood Associations.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia City Planning Commission, phila.gov/departments/philadelphia-city-planning-commission (accessed October 2026).
2. City of Philadelphia, "The commissioners," Philadelphia City Planning Commission, phila.gov (accessed October 2026).
3. WHYY, "Planning Commission hires Eleanor Sharpe to help implement Philadelphia2035"; Philadelphia Inquirer, March 29, 2024 (Sharpe's move to Council).