PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

The hallmark of the Central Delaware Riverfront Planning Process was the comprehensive civic engagement that distinguished it from previous riverfront development efforts. Designed by PennPraxis and the Penn Project on Civic Engagement, the process put citizen input at the forefront, serving as the basis for the main design frameworks of the civic vision: movement systems, parks and open space, and land development.

This page includes a full inventory of notes from the civic engagement process, featuring an overview by Harris Sokoloff, faculty director of the Penn Project on Civic Engagement and lead designer of the process. The notes from the civic process were written by moderators trained by Sokoloff to facilitate civic dialogue. The moderators assisted in the public input process in the Value Sessions in December 2006, the Principle Sessions in February 2007, and the Civic Feedback Sessions in August 2007. The notes are organized by session, and also include the materials distributed to participants at the meetings describing the discussion exercise.

The notes are meant to be reportive and descriptive. They report in broad terms the work of each small group and plenary session from the various public forums during the Planning Process. The reports are also skeletal and suggestive, appearing without commentary, so that those who did not attend the forums can get a sense of the work of participants in each session.

Overview by Harris Sokoloff

Value Sessions: December 11-14, 2006

Preparation Materials

Value Session #1, December 11 -- Saint Anne's Social Hall, Kensington

Value Session #2, December 13 -- George Washington School, Pennsport

Value Session #3, December 14 -- Independence Seaport Museum, Penn's Landing

Principle Sessions: February 12-20, 2007

Preparation Materials

Principle Session, #1, February 12 -- Saint Peter's School, Society Hill

Principle Session, #2, February 19 -- Saint Anne's Social Hall, Kensington

Principle Session, #3, February 20 -- Furness High School, South Philadelphia

Civic Feedback Sessions: Summer 2007

Preparation Materials

Civic Feedback Session #1, August 1 -- Cescaphe Ballroom, Northern Liberties

Civic Feedback Session #2, August 2 -- Settlement Music School, Queen Village

Summary of Civic Feedback, by Harris Sokoloff

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