Topic
City Council
About a half mile of trees along the Ohio Riverfront Trail were cut down without permission. A city arborist said a neighboring property owner did it and dumped much of the wood into the river. On Oct. 7, council advanced paying for an independent tree count there. The city forester said that's needed to seek restitution.
City Council
Neighborhood groups can again get paid back for projects that fight blight or create art. On Sept. 9, council advanced $20,000 for 17 groups through Love Your Block, which is back after a two-year pause. Still, two council districts got no money, one because no groups applied. A city official said his office is helping groups prepare for next year.
County Council
Most Allegheny County Council members don't want data centers on county-owned land. Legislation introduced Aug. 25 would ban them there, as members cite worries about soaring water and electricity use. However, it would cover only county property, since state law leaves zoning to municipalities. For now, the proposal sits with council's sustainability committee.
County Council
Allegheny County employees no longer get paper paystubs, and the switch saved $100,000 in the past year. On July 15, the sustainability director told a council committee it's part of the county's zero-carbon goal. Her other priorities include more efficient county buildings, park trees, greener employee commutes, and sustainable purchasing. Still, she said the work will need upfront funding.
City Council
Five years ago, the city supported only four gardens, and in 2025 it was about 60, a council member said. A proposed program would let residents and community groups garden and farm on underused city land like parks and greenways. Participants could sell up to $25,000 a year of unprocessed food or flowers off-site. Still, the package has to pass council first.
City Council
Adopt a Lot, which leases vacant city lots to residents, started with gardening. A proposed bill would expand it to uses like public art, which a planning official said residents had asked for. The bill also calls the program temporary, since lots are meant to be sold. Still, the council president asked how that squares with gardens serving the community.
City Council
Neglected hillside lots could become permanently protected open space under a $25,000 grant to buy tax-delinquent land. However, a council member asked how the city would prevent dumping, which is common at some sites. A city planner said departments are looking to build a long-term maintenance plan. For now, council has held the related bills for one week.
City Council
Later this summer, Pittsburgh's young people could help develop local climate solutions. On May 27, council gave preliminary approval to a $50,000 Bloomberg Philanthropies grant for the effort. City staff said it would become microgrants of up to $5,000, with local youth organizations as partners. If the city moves quickly, Bloomberg may double the amount, a city manager said.
City Council
Pittsburgh's recycling and trash crews still follow routes printed in paper binders. Now, council has agreed to move forward with software to replace them. The routes were last updated in 2008, and the longest recycling route runs about 10 hours. Still, in-vehicle navigation isn't part of the deal and needs a separate contract.
City Council
Tree canopy covers less than 20% of some lower-income Pittsburgh neighborhoods, the city's forestry division says. On April 29, council advanced a 10-year deal for Student Conservation Association volunteers to keep working in parks. The group's spring plan focuses on the tree canopy, its program director said. State money pays for the work, and the city doesn't have to match it.
Forward Township
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has pushed the township’s Board of Supervisors to resolve a longstanding sewage problem in the Axelton neighborhood.
City Council
Half of the city's electricity comes from renewable sources, and it costs less than the national average, officials said. Now council has advanced a six-year contract with Enel X, which advises the city on when to buy energy. The request says it comes at no added cost to the city. The current contract runs out March 31.
City Council
Online shopping has added recyclable packaging, but public works says recycling rates have stayed flat. On Dec. 29, council authorized a $100,000, one-year contract with Eastern Research Group to teach residents to recycle. A 2024 KDKA report put the city's rate at 17%, against a 30% national average. Even so, the city keeps its goal of 90% diversion by 2030.
County Council
Landlords must address chipped or peeling lead paint but aren't required to remove it. Now, county council has authorized the health department to remove lead from private properties when it's a public health hazard. The owner will be billed for the work plus a 10% fee. Another bill halves asbestos permit costs for disadvantaged or distressed businesses.
City Council
Old paint, electronics, and household chemicals should be easier to get rid of next year. Council has moved forward with a recycling contract with Noble Environmental Specialty Recycling. It includes twice weekly drop-off hours at five neighborhood centers and curbside pickup on request, both for a fee. The one-year deal costs $571,250, but Noble hasn't released its fee scale yet.
City Council
Organics like food scraps and yard waste made up 24-28% of the county's municipal solid waste, a 2022 study found. Soon, three city departments will start phase two of a community composting pilot. It'll explore collection options, like curbside pickup on request or farmers market drop-offs. Still, a city official said the city can't afford pickup at every home.
City Council
Illegal dumpers target vacant properties, alleyways, and hillsides, leaving items like construction debris. Now, Allegheny CleanWays has agreed to lend the Department of Public Works surveillance cameras at no cost. An enforcement team will place the cameras and share data with law enforcement. Other terms aren't set yet, though the public works director said the deal will likely cover two years.
City Council
Every year, the city's 311 line gets 6,000 litter complaints. On Oct. 28, public works staff told council the problem keeps getting messier despite cleanups. The director estimated that handing out trash cans with tight lids would cost $8 to $9 million. Meanwhile, the Clean Pittsburgh Commission recommended public education about litter and a staff member to coordinate volunteers.
City Council
A Hazelwood recycling facility sits 300 feet from homes and has a longstanding rat problem, a council member said. Its current owner is seeking a 2019 state permit to convert it to hold raw garbage. Now, she has proposed barring such sites within 500 feet of homes, businesses, schools, and parks. Next, the bill goes to the planning commission for its approval.
City Council
Pittsburgh residents always want to talk about city trash cans, one council member said. Now, another member has asked to move $9,000 from his office's postage budget to buy nine smart cans for his district. The cans alert public works when they're full. On Oct. 28, council will hold a meeting on litter.