As if proposing legislation to stifle the First Amendment was not enough, Councilman Darrel Clarke (along with Council President Anna Verna) recently introduced legislation to strike at one of Philadelphian's most treasured institutions - their Wawa's.

And Starbucks.

And Rita's Water Ice.

And every mom-and-pops little sandwich shop, deli, small restaurant, neighborhood coffee house, bakery, pizza shop, taqueria, noodle shop, Chinese take-out - in-short anything the zoning code defines as a "small retail food establishment" or "take-out restaurant."

The bill, #70913, would redefine all of these types of establishments as falling under the "Regulated Uses" portion of the zoning code, the portion of the code that covers commercial uses like:

(a) Adult book stores;