Chester Avenue Community Garden
Conveyance to Chester Avenue Community Garden (non
1 property · Council District 3 · Chester Avenue Community Garden, Neighborhood Gardens Trust
What is missing from the record
Steps with no date on record, or that the record shows were stopped. A step that is not on record may still have happened.
- Records may be mixed
Records for this project were matched by address and buyer, and the match could not be fully confirmed. Treat the dates on this page as a starting point.
Where this project stands
Five steps, from the Board agenda to the closing. A disposition is the sale or transfer of a Land Bank property. The Council step is City Council's approval of the sale, which comes after the Board's approval.
- 1. On a Board agendaDoneOct 10, 2023
- 2. Board approvalDoneOct 10, 2023
- 3. Council approval of the dispositionDoneNov 2, 2023 to Nov 16, 2023
- 4. Deed into the Land BankDoneDec 3, 2024
- 5. ClosingDoneMar 5, 2026
Board hearings
One row for each Board hearing where this project was on the agenda. Fewer than six approving votes means no decision was reached; it is not a denial. Speakers and letters are public comments on the item.
| Date | Agenda item | Outcome | Vote as recorded | Public speakers | Letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2023 | V.A | Approved | unanimous | 2 | 0 |
| Dec 10, 2024 | IV.E.1 | Approved | unanimous | 1 | 0 |
How members voted
Shown only where the minutes or a transcript record how a member voted; a voice vote with no names shows no one. Y = yes, N = no, A = abstained, R = recused. A blank cell means no vote by that member is on record for that item.
| Member | 2024-12-10IV.E.1 |
|---|---|
| Jenny Greenberg | R |
City Council
City Council resolutions that name this project's properties, from Council's Legistar records. Earlier resolutions often moved the lots into the Land Bank; they are not Council's approval of this sale (step 3 above).
Closings
From the Land Bank's settlement records.
| Purchaser | Closing date | Price | Appraised value | Units | Council resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGT (for Chester Avenue Community Garden) | Mar 5, 2026 | $1 | $95,000 | 0 | 230759;230800 |
Days from the first Board approval to each closing: 877.
People and organizations
- Council resolutions naming these properties, sponsored by
- Jamie R. Gauthier (resolutions 230731, 230757)
- Board members with a recorded vote
- Jenny Greenberg (recused)
Public comment
A position is counted only where the person stated one at a hearing or in a letter. Letters read aloud at a meeting are staff summaries, not the writer's own words. Officials and people speaking for an organization are named; residents who spoke for themselves are counted, not named.
Across all hearings: 3 public speakers and 0 letters, with 2 statements of support and 0 of opposition.
| Named commenters (2 in all, residents included) | Stated position | Speaking for (organization) |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Switzer | support |
From the record
Passages quoted from the Board's minutes, packets and transcripts. 6 of 14 shown.
… Conveyance of 5232 Chester Avenue to Chester Avenue Community Garden (attached to these minutes as Exhibit D). B. Development – Business Expansion (unsolicited) Mr. Goodman noted the original agenda had an agenda item V.B. contemplating a business expansion application, but that item has been tabled. C. Development – Community Benefitting Use (unsolicited) Vice Chair Andrew Goodman announced that he was recusing himself from consideration of this item and that Board Secretary Maria Gonzalez would chair the meeting in his absence. Mr. Goodman then turned his audio and video off. Ms. Gonza…
Minutes · Oct 10, 2023, item V.B · packet p. 8 · PLB Board package for 11.14.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
Agenda · Oct 10, 2023, item V.A · packet p. 2 · PLB Board Package for 10.10.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
Hearing none, motion carries. And the disposition is approved.
Motion · Michael Koonce · Oct 10, 2023, item V.A · packet p. 37 · PLB Board package for 11.14.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
… asking the Board to authorize the disposition of a property in the city's Kingsessing area to Chester Avenue Community Garden, a nonprofit
Statement · Jessie Lawrence, Land Bank staff · Oct 10, 2023, item V.A · packet p. 35 · PLB Board package for 11.14.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
So I want to say I'm too much against the development and the transfer of the land.
Statement · A resident · Oct 10, 2023, item V.A · packet p. 36 · PLB Board package for 11.14.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
There is a permanent deed restriction as to remain as open space.
Statement · Angel Rodriguez, Executive Director · Oct 10, 2023, item V.A · packet p. 36 · PLB Board package for 11.14.2023 Board Meeting.pdf
Properties (1)
| Address | OPA account number | Status | Deed into the Land Bank | Closing date | Entered the Land Bank via |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5232 CHESTER AVE | 511279510 | Closed | Dec 3, 2024 | Mar 5, 2026 | RDA |
Sources: Board minutes and packets; PHDC workbook; Council (Legistar); Transcript. Built from the Land Bank Board's minutes, packets and transcripts, the Land Bank's settlement workbook, and City Council records.