Ronald Patterson

Ron is the chair of the zoning and land use practice group. His practice concentrates on zoning and land use matters, as well as on other land use and environmental regulatory, permitting and counseling issues.

Ron deals directly with obtaining all of the necessary zoning, use, building and other development-related permits and approvals from the relevant City agencies that enable a person to build or renovate a building, and operate a business. He meets with and obtains comments and approvals from various City agencies, including Licenses & Inspections, the Planning Commission, Streets Department, Water Department, Redevelopment Authority, PIDC, Historical Commission, Art Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment and other City departments. He also interacts directly with local community groups and elected officials to gain their support or to eliminate opposition to a proposed project. Once zoning approvals are obtained, he assists in filing for and obtaining other necessary building-related permits, operational licenses, and available 10-year real estate tax abatements. Ron has extensive experience handling complex developments in Philadelphia, including those projects that are subject to SP-INS Zoning Districts that require Major Master Plan amendments. Ron has an engineering degree and worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, better enabling him to work closely with architects, engineers and construction professionals in order to understand, tailor and modify the necessary plans that comprise the applications, permits and approvals. He is also experienced in reviewing and coordinating preliminary environmental investigations and remediation programs.

Ron is a board member of Building Industry Association of Philadelphia, member of the Packer Park Civic Association, Executive Board, a founding member of the Penrose Area Civic Association that covers most of southwest Philadelphia, and a former member of the Zoning and Business Development Subcommittee of the former Eastwick PAC that oversaw development in the Eastwick/Southwest Philadelphia Area pursuant to the federal Eastwick Urban Renewal Plan of 1956. In addition, he is counsel to two Democratic Wards in Southwest Philadelphia. He also served on Mayor Michael Nutter’s Administration’s Subcommittee on Zoning Board Policy.

Widener University School of Law, J.D., cum laude

Drexel University, B.S. Chem. Eng., with honors