City Council

Smart Loading Zones Pilot to Be Extended with No End Date.

Smart loading zones let drivers park free for 15 minutes, with cameras enforcing charges after that. The pilot is now set to be extended with no end date. The zones aim to keep spots turning over, cut double parking, and improve traffic safety. One council member, however, raised concerns about sharing revenue with private entities.

Written by Chris Maury

  • Smart loading zones are free for 15 minutes and enforced via camera (see below for rates).
  • The goal is to promote turnover in what are designed to be temporary spots, reducing double parking and increasing traffic safety.
  • Councilperson Gross expressed concern about the risks of revenue sharing with private entities, raising some of the risk factors in those public-private contracts.

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City Council

Public Hearing Requiring City Council Approval for New Community Housing.

The zoning board has the final say on new group homes for people with disabilities in residential zones. A proposed bill would hand that approval to council. It covers homes for 8 or more residents, including people leaving hospital or institutional treatment. However, it's in tension with the mayor's proposed fair housing amendment, which aims to ease building housing.

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Budget Planning Hearings Held for Every Major City Department.

Some city ambulances have broken down on the way to calls or with patients inside. In budget hearings with every major department, council heard that underinvestment in vehicles is driving up maintenance costs. The city's $665 million operating budget is $31 million smaller after tax shortfalls from appealed downtown assessments. Even so, it's balanced.

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City Council

Council Interested in Revisiting Community Banking Requirements for Banks Doing Business with the City.

Banks that hold the city's money are scored partly on how much they invest in the community. A bank needs an average score of at least 3 out of 5 to qualify. Council will let the mayor extend contracts with those banks. Still, members said they want to revisit the criteria and raise the bar on community investment.

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City Council

Councilman Charland Called a Special Meeting to Discuss the Mayor's Agreement with (Now Retired) Police Chief Larry Scirotto.

The mayor let the police chief referee 40 NCAA basketball games on his personal time off, without telling council or the public. After the news broke, the chief retired early. This week, a council member called a special meeting with top city officials, but the chief didn't attend despite an invitation. Several council members said they now have no trust in the mayor's office.

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City Council

Council Is Ready to Suspend the Program Allowing for the Purchase of Neighboring Lots for $200.

Council is suspending the Side-Yard program, which let residents buy city-owned lots for $200 if they didn't build on them. Over several meetings, members couldn't agree on its future, so it's on hold until they settle on an alternative. One question was whether only adjoining property owners should qualify. For now, residents can still buy city property, just without the discount or the building limit.

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City Council

Public Hearing on Zoning Changes to Allow Very High-Density Housing on Negley Ave. in East Liberty.

A zoning change would allow 264 new housing units on Negley Avenue in East Liberty, north of Penn. At a council public hearing, housing affordability advocates backed the project. Nearby residents, however, raised serious concerns about the added cars. They worry the neighborhood's infrastructure can't support them.

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City Council

Council Expressed Support for the City to Own Proposed Solar Farm in Summerset at Frick.

A canceled housing site could become a large solar installation, with the rest joining Frick Park. The Summerset at Frick plan was dropped over its roughly $40 million infrastructure cost. This week, council voted to support ending the tax program meant to fund it. Members also discussed who should own the solar array and whether it could power nearby homes.

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The Details.

About 1,000 traffic calming requests are waiting, and the city can only complete 10 a year. Now, council is considering spending $130,000 to unlock $1.3 million in federal funds. The grant would pay for three demonstration sites and a design guide for 10 high-need corridors. Projects are prioritized using crash data, nearby schools, and other factors.

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Special Session on Trash Can Fines.

Resolving a trash can complaint in the city takes about three months, and violations end up in magistrate court. This week, a council member led a meeting on proposed fines meant to speed up clean-up. They're also meant to end reliance on the court. Meanwhile, the mayor's draft budget includes money to hire more inspectors.

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