FOPS Files Lawsuit Against the City of Philadelphia

Friends of Pine and Spruce
15 hours ago
1 min read

Philadelphia, June 2, 2025

Today, Friends of Pine & Spruce (FOPS) filed a lawsuit against the City. Many supporters urged us to take this step, and the moment has come.

We’re represented by George Bochetto, Esquire, a well-known Philadelphia trial attorney with a reputation as a fierce and impassioned advocate for his clients.

We’ve done everything possible — petitions, testimony, meetings, and outreach — to avoid litigation. Despite strong and repeated efforts and progress in some quarters, the City continued to move forward. Litigation became inevitable, even as we continue to use all the tools in our toolbox.

This first lawsuit is narrow and broad. It challenges the City’s removal of 30% of parking on Pine and Spruce for oversized loading zones, which will reduce available parking, increase congestion and pollution, and negatively impact residents, especially the elderly, disabled and those with mobility issues. This affects all of us.

This suit is more than just about loading zones. As described in the Complaint, the loading zones lay the groundwork for the physical dividers (i.e., most likely, concrete barriers), which would make our streets even less safe for everyone. Long before the No Stopping ordinance and the loading zones were proposed, the City planned to install concrete barriers. This is all a package.

Litigation is only one strategy. We continue to advocate and push on all fronts. Thanks for standing with us.

Please read the filed Complaint.