BACA RCO Bylaws
2023 Amended BY-LAWSOF THEBELMONT ALLIANCE CIVIC ASSOCIATION RCO COMMITTEE
The By-laws of the Belmont Alliance Civic Association RCO Committee shall state:
The Belmont Alliance Civic Association-CDC formed a Registered Community Organization (RCO) Committee in March of year 2012 by the Rules of the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission and rectified by the City of Philadelphia Council Members to address land use, zoning variance, and community design review. The Belmont Alliance Civic Association (B.A.C.A.)-CDC’s RCO Committee has membership opened to B.A.C.A.,CDC Board of Directors, Block Captains, area Residents and Ward / Division Supervisors (Committee People), Business owners, Stakeholders and all of those who have interest in the matters presented within our focus area;
And WHEREAS, the Belmont Alliance Civic Association, C.D.C. is incorporated, and deemed as a PA State Tax Exempt 501c.3-Publicly Charitable Association on September 20, 2001 by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and revised by the State of Pennsylvania on May 6, 2015 thereafter filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue to change their original name and granted change in year 2018.
Purpose
It is the purpose of Belmont Alliance Civic Association, CDC to serve as the BACA-RCO Zoning Election Committee, and By-Laws Committee on behalf of the B.A.C.A.- RCO Committee; in addition can appoint, hold elections, and make certain improvements, amendments, and alterations in these By-Laws, leadership, and the committee’s membership will operate independent from the that of the Belmont Alliance Civic Association-CDC Board of Directors. and cannot replace the original board of directors and/or general membership of Belmont Alliance Civic Association, CDC.
I.
NAME
The name of the corporation is: BELMONT ALLIANCE CIVIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INCORPORATION (CDC) parent to Belmont RCO Zoning Committee.
II.
REGISTERED OFFICE
The location and post office address of the registered office of the corporation in this Commonwealth is 871 North Holly Street – Floor #2, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
III.
REGISTERED PUBLIC MEETING PLACE
The location for public meetings, variance cases and/or design review cases is 4035 Parrish Street (Sarah Allen Senior Homes-Community Room, Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19104.
IV.
Meeting Frequency & Notification
The BACA-RCO Committee will meet on the 02nd or 04th Thursday of the calendar month but having suspended meetings in July, August, November, and December, unless deemed necessary to accommodate a variance case. The Location for the meetings is: 812 North 41st Street (Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church), Philadelphia PA 19104. Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm.
• Notification of Meetings: The public and committee members will be notified via Eventbrite, Flyers (door to door), Emails or Text
messaging one or two weeks prior to the meeting.
• Electronic Meetings: When face to face meeting are not possible we shall use Zoom or any other method to meet online in lieu of a
face to face meeting.
V. Term of Existence
(Term creation generated in year 2012 by Belmont Alliance Civic Associations Bylaws Committee)
The RCO Committee Membership is set based on the rules of the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission’s RCO rules of renewal having term of two years. Continuous membership is based on the approval of application submission for reinstatement by the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission. The dissolution of the RCO Zoning Committee can also be done by the governing board being Belmont Alliance Civic Association, CDC which would end the term.
VI. Committee Election
- The B.A.C.A., CDC Election Committee will convene the election of the RCO Committee
- Election Announcements will be made a month in advance
- Nominations will be presented on a write in Ballot
- Nominees at the time of election will present short profile of themselves, lateral to campaigning
- Votes will be tallied by the BACA, CDC Election Committee
- RCO Committee positions: Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary
VII. Committee Duties
Chair
i. Responsibility is to convene and keep order during the meetings.
ii. Have contact with City of Philadelphia (City Council, Zoning Board of Adjustments and the City of Philadelphia Planning
Commission.
iii. Meet with the Committee Co-Chairs, and Secretary
iv. Serve as the point person when meeting with the developers and/or property owners.
v. Schedule Meetings
vi. Assist with organizing the Meeting Agenda
Co-Chair
i. Have the same responsibilities as the Committee Chair
ii. Convene meeting when the Chair cannot
iii. Alternate point person when meeting with the developers and/or property owners.
iv. Attend the BACA-CDC Board of Directors quarterly meeting to give the RCO Committee
progress report.
v. Chair the Beautification Committee
2nd Co-Chair (If applicable)
i. Have the same responsibilities as the Committee Chair and Co-Chair
ii. Be the point person when engaging Guest Speakers for the meetings
Secretary
i. Work with the Chairs when engaging guest speakers and creating the meeting agenda
ii. Read Highlights from the previous meeting
iii. Capture Highlights of the meeting
iv. Send out the Meeting Notification Electronically (one or two weeks in advance
v. Have attendee’s sign the Attendance Sheet and distribute the Agenda
vi. Maintain database of RCO Committee members and update the database based on the meeting(s) sign-in sheet.
vii. Help with setting up refreshments; when available
viii. Document the voting process and voting outcomes for zoning cases
VII. Voting: Zoning Variance / Civic Design Review Cases
VIII. Voting
i. Who can Vote: Belmont residents, business / retail owners, and stakeholders (places of worship, schools, doctor, and pharmacist)
whom are embedded within Belmont District are allowed to vote.
ii. Verifying residency – PA State Photo ID is required or mailing along with an ID will be expected to verify your residency or a
neighbor can verify that one is a resident within Belmont.
iii. Belmont boundaries is described to be the western side of north 40th Street to the eastern side of north 44th Street and the
northern side of Haverford Avenue to Belmont at Mantua Avenues have a right to cast a vote. Others who live outside of the
Belmont community are not eligible to cast a vote.
iv. After the applicant presents the details of the project they must then leave the room so the zoning variance case can be discussed
by the attendee’s.
v. Ballots will be distributed to amongst the attendee’s after verifying their right to vote.
vi. Results of the Voting will be given to the applicant the night of the meeting and by email.
vii. A meeting summary and voting results for the zoning variance case will be sent to the ZBA, 3rd District Council, RCO.com (if
applicable), Applicant as well as the affected RCO’s.
viii. When a there is a Civic Design Review request an initial meeting will be convened with the applicant prior to the public meeting.
All affected RCO’s will be invited to that meeting to discuss the development design. Thereafter, the results of that meeting will be
summarized then sent to the ZBA, 3rd District Council, RCO.com, Applicant as well as the affected RCO’s.
IX. Zoning Focus Area
Belmont boundaries is described to be the western side of north 40th Street from Popular Street to Lancaster Avenue to the eastern side of north 44th Street and the northern side of Haverford Avenue to Belmont at Mantua Avenues to Lancaster Avenue and up to 44th Street along Haverford Avenue along 44th Street to Belmont at Mantua Avenue.
i. Description of Affected and Non-Affected Neighbors according to the City of Philadelphia ZBA:
Which applies - I live at one of the following:
_____ I live within 250 feet of the affected area
_____ I live in the neighborhood but more than 250 feet from the property
X. B.A.C.A. RCO Committee Members (Elected 06/20/2023)
Bettye Ferguson, Chair
Nasir Nurridin, Vice Chair
Theodore Smith, Secretary
The above Articles were adopted by the standing RCO Committee and ratified by the Board of Director of the Belmont Alliance Civic Association, CDC on:
(06 Month, 20 Day, Year 2023)
Bettye L. Ferguson ________ Cheryl E.F. Brooks______
Bettye L. Ferguson, President Cheryl E.F. Brooks, Secretary
Belmont Alliance Civic Association, CDC
Phone: 267-325-3832
Email: belmontalliance@gmail.com Date: 06/23/2023
