Registered Community Organizations (RCOs)

Offering community members the chance to learn about developments that affect them and to give feedback.

About

Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) are community groups that are concerned with the physical development of their community. RCOs:

Get advance notice of projects that will be reviewed by the Zoning Board of Adjustment or the Civic Design Review Committee.
Organize and conduct public meetings where community members can comment on planned developments in their neighborhood.
Get notified by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) whenever a:
- Zoning variance or special exception is requested.
- Development requiring Civic Design Review (CDR) is proposed.

To find an existing RCO or to learn more about what RCOs do, see our resources.

Connect

Address	1515 Arch St. 13th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email	rco@phila.gov
	Phone: (215) 683-4646
Social	Facebook Twitter Instagram

Register an RCO

Registration is closed.

New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June.

Eligibility

To qualify as an RCO, your organization must:

Hold regularly scheduled, open meetings.
Have leadership chosen by the organization members-at-large at regularly scheduled elections.
Serve a geographic area that has no more than 20,000 parcels.

Some groups qualify as RCOs when they submit a complete application to PCPC. They are:

Neighborhood Improvement Districts.
Special Services Districts.
Ward Committees.

The full RCO program rules and responsibilities are outlined in Chapter 14-300 of the Philadelphia Code, also known as the Zoning Code.

What to expect

New applications for RCOs are accepted every year during the month of June. When you apply, you will need to attach the required documentation. This includes:

An adopted statement of purpose for the organization concerning land use, zoning, preservation, or development.
The organization's governing rules or by-laws. These must include a description of boundaries, a definition of the membership, and a description of the leadership selection process.
A copy of a meeting announcement distributed publicly through hard copy or electronic notices.
Proof that your organization is eligible.

Once the application is received, PCPC staff will review for completeness and will let you know if they require additional materials.

For more information, watch a video of the 2024 RCO information session.