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Opening up to more sidewalk vendors, emergency grants for social service orgs, and revising the Lower Hill’s community benefits agreement

City Council

Vendors may be back on the sidewalks again.

Small vendors might get to sell on sidewalks and in parking spaces, if they pay the meter. City departments have now proposed looser rules, including a $135 annual permit to sell on private property. Some council members, however, said they didn't want the change to hurt storefront businesses. For now, the bill is on hold in committee for two more weeks.

Written by Amy Whipple

For $135, small vendors might be able to sell food and merchandise on sidewalks and in parking spaces, as long as they pay for metered parking.

The Planning Department, working with the departments of Permits and Licensing (PLI), and Mobility and Infrastructure presented proposed changes to the city code regarding outdoor retail sales and services. A memo from David Green, director of PLI, said the three departments have developed legislation for more permissive vending regulations to align “with the goals of the Pittsburgh 2050 Comprehensive Plan, particularly the ‘Just Transition’ initiative focused on economic opportunity and urban vibrancy.” The final plan has not been presented to the public yet.

The standout amendment expands vendor sales to private property with a $135 annual permit.

According to a memo from the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, Pittsburgh has a significantly lower number of active vendors compared to peer cities.

The proposed changes would prioritize permits for existing storefront businesses to use space outside of their establishment. Deputy director of city planning Andrew Dash said an existing competition clause in the vending ordinance disallows vendors within 100 feet of a similar business.

Council members Anthony Coghill of Beechview and Theresa Kail-Smith of Westwood said they didn’t want the change to hurt storefront businesses, while Deb Gross of Highland Park pointed to the success of vendor expansion in some neighborhoods.

The legislation does not state how the permits would be enforced. Council Member Barb Warwick of Greenfield suggested that it should be in place ahead of the NFL draft next spring.

Members of council decided to hold the vending legislation in committee for two more weeks.

City Council

The city releases its plans for block grant money.

Social service and community groups across the city are set to receive more than $4 million in block grant money. Council takes a final vote next week. However, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's share won't arrive before federal food assistance funding expires Nov. 1. So far, neither the legislation nor council members have said when the money will be released.

Written by Amy Whipple

A bevy of social service and community groups across the city are set to receive more than $4 million from the city’s Community Development Block Grant funding.

Neither the legislation nor council discussion included when these funds will be released after a final vote next week.

Grants for the Neighborhood Economic Development program are slated to supply $720,000 in funding for 18 neighborhood organizations across the city.

The mayor’s office has a $100,000 allocation that is planned to go to 10 organizations including The Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh, the women’s shelter, and the emergency nursery Jeremiah’s Place. City council has a separate $450,000 allocation it has planned to distribute to 40 community organizations.

The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food bank is slated to receive $200,000. The money, however, will not be distributed before the funding for the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program expires on Nov. 1.

The remaining money has been designated for housing services. The Jewish Healthcare Foundation will receive $1.4 million to continue Housing and Urban Development-initiated services to people with HIV/AIDS. Another nearly $1.8 million will be distributed across seven organizations to provide emergency shelter services, street outreach services and rental assistance, among others. The final $100,000 will go to the Urban League of Pittsburgh for its housing counseling program.

City Council

Community benefits agreement reinforced for Lower Hill.

The Penguins no longer hold development rights to the former Civic Arena site in the Lower Hill. Their agreement expired Oct. 22, returning those rights to two public authorities. Now, council has given preliminary approval to amending the community benefits agreement that gives residents a voice there. Back in 1955, the city displaced 8,000 residents and 400 businesses to build the arena.

Written by Amy Whipple

After the Pittsburgh Penguins skated away from redeveloping the Lower Hill Special Planning District, last week, the council member representing the area moved to make sure the community benefits agreement was not put on ice.

“We’ve had a hockey team with development rights to 28 acres of prime real estate,” Council President R. Daniel Lavelle of the Upper Hill District said at the Oct. 29 committee meeting. “But now it’s back in the hands of government. I think we actually have a great opportunity to do wonderful things.”

On Oct. 22, the comprehensive option agreement between the Pittsburgh Arena Real Estate Redevelopment (PAR) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Sports & Exhibition Authority (SAE) expired. It had been in place since 2007.

Development rights for the former Civic Area now revert to the URA and the SAE.

Council gave preliminary approval to amend the community benefits agreement between the city, the county and representatives of the Hill District Community and the Lower Hill Working Group.

Community benefits agreements allow neighborhood residents to have a voice in development projects. Development in the Lower Hill Special Planning District is particularly charged. In 1955, the city displaced 8,000 residents and 400 businesses by demolishing the area to create the Civic Arena. According to the Trib, PAR developed fewer than eight acres of the site, which is now the First National Bank headquarters.

The latest plan for the rest of the site included affordable housing, an amphitheater and open public plazas.

City Council

Update on “protected classes.”

A plan to simplify the city code's language on protected classes isn't final yet. Council held off on its final vote after the legal department advised waiting for technical changes, a council member said. Those changes weren't named. For now, council will discuss the legislation again at its next committee meeting.

Written by Amy Whipple

Council did not cast its final vote to simplify language in the city code for protected classes. Council Member Erika Strassburger of Upper Squirrel Hill said the legal department advised them to wait until they could make unnamed “technical changes.” Council will discuss the legislation again at its next committee meeting.