Read the City’s recently released report,  “Philadelphia’s Development Permit Review Process: Recommendations for Reform,” aimed at making the City’s development process less confusing, time consuming and unpredictable for customers at www.philaplanning.org.

City Hall

The BIA has taken the lead in working with the City of Philadelphia to create a more transparent and efficient construction and development approval process. The BIA has been active in the following initiatives:

• Amendments to Philadelphia Plumbing Code
  Click to view (PDF)
• Street Closure Fees
  Clarification on Street Closure Fees
• Bill No. 080853
  License and permit fees
  Click here to view ordinance >
• IZ Update
  Click here to go to IZ Update page & download report >
• City procedures
  Visit www.zoningmatters.org for helpful documents on City procedures.
• "Fix It" report
  "If We Fix It, They Will Come" (PDF 1.1MB) - released in late October 2004, the "Fix It" report addresses ten key recommendations for reform and offers action steps. View the 2006 update (Powerpoint, 10.5MB)
• Online fast form permits
  One of the recommendations was to encourage the City to offer online services - the City's Department of Licenses and Inspections now enables customers to apply for fast form permits at www.phila.gov/li/construction/index.html.
• Infill Guide
  Infill Guide (PDF 492K)
• Tax Abatement Analysis
  Philadelphia Tax Abatement Analysis (PDF 1.4MB) - 80-page report analyzing the effects of the 10-year tax abatement program on residential building in the City.