Nutter appoints five to ZBA

Jan. 17

Following the resignation of ZBA chair David L. Auspitz (see previous coverage) Michael Nutter appointed five new members to the board. They replace Auspitz, William E. Hall. Vice Chair, Eleanor M. Dezzi, Secretary, Judith S. Eden, Esq., Member and Samuel Staten, Jr., Member

The press release:
MAYOR NUTTER APPOINTS NEW MEMBERS TO ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

Today, Mayor Nutter announced his five new appointees to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mayor Nutter appoints: Susan Jaffe, Anthony Lewis, Jr., Joseph Manko, Lynette Brown-Sow and Carol Tinari. Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections, John Elfrey, serves as an Ex-officio member of the Board. Mayor Nutter has recommended that Susan Jaffe serve as Chair of the Board.

“I would like to thank the four current members for their great service to the city,” said Mayor Nutter.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) is a departmental board of the Department of Licenses and Inspections comprised of five members appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Mayor. The ZBA hears and decides appeals in zoning matters, considers special ordinances, and grants variances. The new Board will be in place to begin hearing cases on Tuesday, January 22nd.

“The Zoning Board of Adjustment plays a crucial role in planning and zoning in the city,” said Mayor Nutter. “This is a new board that will reform the practices and activities of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. These appointees bring not only diverse experience in planning and zoning matters, but also in dealing with neighborhood concerns. It is with great faith that I task these five new members with establishing a professional and collegial environ ment between the Board and the public.”

Biographies

Susan O.W. Jaffe is a respected community leader serving on local and national non-profit boards. She is a former member and vice chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, where she conducted public hearings and voted on approximately 1,500 cases per year. Her areas of expertise include city planning, Philadelphia architecture and history and community relations.

Anthony Lewis, Jr. serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Association of Delaware Valley, the nation’s oldest non-profit housing agency, where he has worked since 1979. He is a recognized and respected leader on housing issues. Since 2002, Mr. Lewis has served on the City of Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission.

Joseph M. Manko is a founding partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP. Earlier in his career, he served as the Regional Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Middle Atlantic Region (region 3). Manko served for seven four-year terms on the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners and served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council from 1988 until 1999, and remains an emeritus member of their Board of Directors where he has served for more than 25 years. Mr. Manko serves as Governor Rendell’s representative and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. He is a member of the Fairmount Park Commission. He was an Adjunct Professor at Penn Law School for 18 years, where he taught environmental law.

Lynette Brown-Sow is the Vice President for Marketing and Governmen t Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia, a position she has held since 1995. Under the Rendell administration, Ms. Brown-Sow served as Deputy Mayor of Administration for the City of Philadelphia. In 1997, Ms. Brown-Sow was appointed to the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission.

Carol Tinari is currently the Managing Director/Consultant for NVT & Associates. A resident of Overbrook Farms and active community leader, Ms. Tinari is a member of the License and Inspection Review Board, a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Vice President and Director of Government Relations for Overbrook Farms Civic Foundation, Vice President of Wynnefield Overbrook Revitalization Corporation and a member of the Girard College Board of Managers.