COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON RULES Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, June 4, 2025 1:30 p.m. PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS, CHAIR COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA, VICE-CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL
250291, 250293, 250334, 250431, 250432, 250495, 250523, 250524, 250525 - - -
Good afternoon. And one more time good afternoon. This hearing is now called to order. Members and guests will please take their seats. And if we could have the Chair -- the Clerk call the roll.
A quorum of the committee is present and this is the public hearing of the Committee on Rules regarding Bill Nos. 250291, 250293, 250334, 250431, 250432, 250495, 250523, 250524 and 250525. At this time, I will announce that Bill No. 250495 is being held at the request of the sponsor and will not be heard today. Will the Clerk please read the titles of the bills.
Bill No. 24 250291, an ordinance amending Section 14-533 of The Philadelphia Code, Minimum -- or Mixed Income Neighborhoods Overlay District, to exempt certain requirements of that section residential development under programs designed to create affordable homeownership, which programs mandate deed restrictions and agreements establishing ongoing affordability requirements, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250293, an ordinance amending Title of The 14 Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning" by revising the one-year rule, which limits the filing of permit applications that are substantially similar to a prior application with respect to which an appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment has been denied or dismissed, and making related changes, all under certain terms and conditions. An ordinance amending Section 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled historic preservation, requiring notification to City Councilmembers of historical designations in the city of Philadelphia. Bill No. 250431, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Roy Street, 11th Street, Allegheny Avenue and Germantown Avenue. Bill No. 250432, an ordinance amending Section 14-529 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/VDO, Fifth District Overlay District" by removing exceptions for minimum residential law, area and floor area, height and dwelling unit density bonus eligibility, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250523, an ordinance amending Title of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning" by revising and clarifying certain provisions and making technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250524, an ordinance amending Section 14-802 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Motor Vehicle Parking Ratios," by removing residential parking ratio minimums for the CMX-4 and CMX-5 Zoning Districts, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250525, an ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning" for the creation of new zoning district titled entitled "RTA-2, Residential Two-Family Attached, all under certain terms and conditions. There are no other bills under consideration today.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Are there any members that would like to be recognized ahead of calling the witnesses? (No response.)
And I want to recognize the presence, that we've been joined by Councilmember Gauthier and also Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. And if we could have the Clerk call the first witness for Bill No. 250291.
Will Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Phillips Philadelphia City Planning Commission, please come to the table. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee, I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 250291, introduced into City Council on April 3, 2025, by Councilmember Gauthier. Bill No. 250291 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by amending Section 14-533 of The Philadelphia Code, MIN, Mixed- Income Neighborhoods Overlay District, to exempt residential development under programs designed to create affordable homeownership from certain requirements of that section. This action allows the Department of Planning and Development to certify first-time homebuyer programs, public land- holding agencies and public housing finance agencies that accept clients at an income level of up to 100% of the Area Median Income, AMI, adjusted for household size as meeting the requirements of the MIN, Mixed-Income Neighborhoods Overlay District. This action aligns with several recommendations in the Philadelphia 2035 Citywide Vision, the city's Comprehensive Plan, which calls on the city to promote and create mixed-income housing developments, particularly in specific geographic locations and near transit. The MIN overlay district covers many of these locations, intentionally designating many transit-oriented communities as mixed-income neighborhoods. There is a proposed amendment potentially that would change the income level from the current wording of 60 to 100% AMI to now read up to 100% AMI, which will allow potential inclusion of future products that provide deed- restricted affordable homeownership. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 12 No. 250291 at its public meeting on April 17, 2025 and recommended the bill for approval with amendments.
And thank you for your testimony. Additional testimony -- are you providing additional testimony?
Chair recognizes Councilman Jones. I'm sorry, were you -- is your light on? I'm sorry.
Yes. So I've been looking at the budget for H.O.M.E., and I think it has the tenets of being a really good thing for the city of Philadelphia. One question I would have is as we look at changing the Area Median Income, how do we plan to address the backlog that we currently have in some of those service delivery programs? I love PHDC. I'm going to say it again. I love PHDC. But often we are struggling with appraisers. We are often struggling with being able to move properties into a condition of satisfying it with contractors. How do we say now we're going to deal with the whole universe of people and not address -- how do we address the structural issues of ramping up for that?
That is a fantastic question and I'm going to try to pass the buck a little bit on this one. That is at the Department of Planning and Development, the larger level. So they have multiple plans, multiple strategies. Because I work in a division of it at Planning and Zoning, I have not been party to those discussions so I cannot answer you today, but we can get that information for your office and we can have somebody talk to you that will know more on those answers.
Madam Chair, I would like to say for the record that I was at the exact moment we were during the campaign knocking on doors up in the 34th Ward, which is a middle-income neighborhood, similar to most of the districts up here. A couple answered the door and said, hey, yeah, I'm for you, this is great, but I'm about to move. And the Mayor was like, why? They said because we don't qualify. We earn a dime too much for any of these great programs that you're pushing forward. So I support that aspect of it that we should not -- to quote her, it's amazing, I now quote her -- the haves versus the have-a-littles. I think that was what she said. So I'm for that, but I also know that in order to accomplish that, that infrastructure has to be there. So thank you, Madam Chair.
And may I say that this bill allows projects like our Turn the Key, so when we start reaching into that working middle class, that they will also be able to qualify for some of these programs. So Councilwoman Gauthier's bill tries to address that.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Chair recognizes Council -- Councilwoman Gauthier, did you have something?
All right. Thank you very much. Will the Clerk -- and I just want to also echo my colleague's statements that I think that this is something that's long overdue, and that for people who are just over the margins and unable to participate and take advantage of some of the really good programs but who are really still struggling financially, this makes a whole lot of sense. So thank you so much to you guys. Can we have the Clerk now call up the next bill.
For Bill No. 11 250293, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia Planning Commission.
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 250293, introduced into City Council on April 3, 2025 by Councilmember O'Neill. Bill No. 250293 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising the one-year rule, which limits the filing of permit applications that are substantially similar to a prior application with respect to which an appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment has been denied or dismissed. This bill will change the period of time that a denied or dismissed appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment must wait before submitting a substantially similar application to the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The current time period is one year and this bill 19 will now require a three-year waiting period. The Commission staff is concerned that the bill will cause equity issues between 2022 and 2024 approximately 83% of appellants whose appeals were dismissed by the Board were unrepresented by an attorney. Unrepresented appellants are often unfamiliar with the appeals process and unlikely to become repeat appellants. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 250293 at its public meeting on June 5, 2025. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Thank you. Any questions from the committee? (No response.)
I don't see any. And I do want to thank Councilman O'Neill for his work on this legislation. Our office worked with his and we introduced the original legislation which was at one year. And so now, I'm excited to see that that work continues on and we make sure that our neighborhoods and our constituents and our RCOs are protected. So thank you so much.
Yes. Thank you so much. Will we have the Clerk please call up the next bill.
For Bill No. 13 250334, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 250334, introduced into City Council on April 10, 2025 by Councilmember Bass. Bill No. 250334 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by amending Section 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Historic Preservation," requiring notification to City Councilmembers of historical designations in the city of Philadelphia. This bill will require the City Council to be notified when a property or district is nominated to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and when the Commission approves a designation. The requirements in this bill can be implemented through policy. The Historical Commission staff is working with the Law Department to revise their notification procedures and would like -- oops, I'm sorry. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 250334 at its public meeting on June 5, 2025. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Thank you. So I have a question for you on this. It looks like the Administration offered an amendment to remove the proposed designated timeline. And I'm just curious as to why in terms of notification that there should be at least 10 days prior to the scheduled public hearing, that that would be a minimum required notice? Is there any reason as to why that is?
Some of these amendments happened without me being party to it.
So I cannot speak to that exact thing today. I am sorry. We will get you an answer unfortunately after the hearing but this afternoon.
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the next panel to testify on the next bill, 250431.
I'll note for the record that there is written testimony from the Executive Director for the Greater Philadelphia -- for the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia for 250334. For 250431, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the City for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 250431, introduced into City Council on May 1, 2025, by Councilmember Young. Bill No. 250431 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning of land located in area bounded by Roy Street, 11th Street, Allegheny Avenue and Germantown Avenue in the Hunting Park neighborhood of the North Planning District. This bill will change the base zoning designation of the property located at 1112 Roy Street from RM-1, Residential Multi-family to ICM-X, Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use. The site was remapped in 2024 with Bill No. 240159, as part of the community remapping of large parts of the 37th Ward in the hunting Park community in the 5th Councilmanic District. The site was considered vacant while the owner was in the process of pursuing variance relief before the Zoning Board of Adjustment for use as a gymnasium. This new zoning designation permits this use while transitioning the site from its former heavy industrial use, as per the community's wishes during the recent remapping process. This action is consistent with recommendations in the North District Plan, part of Philadelphia 2035, the City's comprehensive plan, as the change in zoning repositions former industrial sites for new uses. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 9 No. 250431 at its public meeting on May 15, 2025 and recommended the bill for approval. I will be happy to answer questions at this time.
Seeing no questions from the committee, thank you for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the next panel to testify.
For Bill No. 20 250432, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
I'm going to be switching off to Michael Gall for the remainder of the testimony.
Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon, Chair Bass and members of the Rules Committee. I'm Michael A. Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 250432, introduced into City Council on May 1, 2025, by Councilmember Young. Bill No. 250432 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising the VDO Fifth District Overlay District to remove district exemptions for minimum residential lot area, floor area, height and dwelling unit density bonus eligibility. This bill removes three exemptions in the VDO Fifth District Overlay. First, it removes the 5th Council District's location-based exemption from density and height bonuses under the Mixed-Income Housing Bonus program. It also moves to restore the availability of density and height bonuses for green roofs across the 5th Council District, which the current overlay prohibits. It also restores the Council District's minimum lot size for the RSA-5, Residential Single Family Attached Base Zoning District, to the citywide standard of 960 square feet. The average parcel size of RSA-5 zoned lots in the 5th Council District is currently below 960 square feet, lowest in the city. So this would prevent a large number of properties from needing to seek variance relief before the Zoning Board of Adjustment in order to be improved upon or redeveloped. This bill is part of the Parker Administration's H.O.M.E. Initiative and will improve the speed of review and increase unit production. It improves the consistent functioning of the zoning code and creates a uniform predictable program for housing generation that is quicker and simpler for city staff to review and process. This bill will allow more housing units to be created through the expansion of bonus availability and the ability to develop more single family properties on the same land area. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 23 No. 250432 at its public meeting on May 15, 2025 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Okay. Any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)
And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the next panel to testify on Bill 13 No. 250524.
Will Michael Gall from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission please proceed.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Madam Chair and members of the Rules Committee, I am Michael A. Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 250523, introduced into City Council on May 15, 2025 by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 250523 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising and clarifying certain provisions and making purely technical corrections. This bill 12 provides technical changes to the zoning code, making minor corrections and providing clarity to the text. The bill does not make any substantive or policy changes to the Philadelphia Zoning Code. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission maintains a Zoning Technical Committee, which includes representatives from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Department of Licenses and Inspections and the Law Department. This group meets quarterly to identify and track technical errors in the zoning code, making periodic recommendations for changes to clarify or correct minor technical or spelling or numbering issues. This bill reflects those recommendations. With these proposed changes which aid the speed of review and reduced cost to developers, it meets the goal of the Mayor's H.O.M.E. Initiative. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 17 250523 at its public meeting on June 5, 2025. And I would be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Okay. Thank you for your testimony. Any questions? (No response.)
Okay. And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the next witness to testify on Bill 7 No. -- I'll let you call the Bill 8 No. because I don't want to mess it up just in case I'm wrong. 250524?
Yes. For Bill No. 250524, will Michael Gall from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission please proceed.
Good afternoon again, Chair and members of the Rules Committee. I am Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, here to testify on Bill No. 250524, introduced into City Council on May 15, 2025 by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 250524 amends Section 14-802 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Motor Vehicle Parking Ratios" by removing residential minimum parking ratio minimums for the CMX-4 and CMX-5, Commercial Mixed-Use Based Zoning Districts. This bill removes the minimum parking requirement for multi-family residential use in the CMX-4 and CMX-5 zoning districts, a designation found almost exclusively in and around Center City and University City. The current requirement for CMX-4 and CMX-5 is the provision of at least three spaces for every 10 units. For new multi-family residential uses, with 3811 housing units produced in greater Center City in 2024 according to the Center City District's recent 2025 Housing Report, the removal of this requirement could have enabled 337 additional units of residential multi-family housing to be built in that area in the same period. The Mayor's H.O.M.E. Initiative goals are established for creating improvements in speed of approval, clarity in the code, lowering the cost of development and creation of more housing units. Eliminating the requirement for parking could greatly reduce the cost of residential development in the CMX-4 and CMX-5 zoning districts and would allow more housing units to be created in the space currently required to be set aside for parking in those very same buildings. As Center City is the region's most heavily connected location with the highest density of both transit and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as well as the area's highest off-street parking availability, the impacts to Center City communities are expected to be minimal. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 250524 at its public meeting on June, 5, 2025, and I'd be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Is there anyone else -- oh, question from Councilman Brian O'Neill.
I understand the reason behind it. I support it. I understand it, but when you say it's intended for these designations in or around Center City, I understand it. It makes perfect sense. But I know I don't have any of this in my district, either of these, which I should particularly with your change. But there are several districts that in whole or in part, kind of like mine, you know, they're built out, Overbrook, Oak Lane, the two Oak Lanes, Chestnut Hill, to the extent that this exists in those areas have you notified the District Councilmember that they'll be affected by it as if they were in Center City and not closer to Montgomery County, Bucks County or anywhere else that might be similar? That's all I ask.
We have actually. Our staff went through and took a look at the locations of CMX-4 and 5 during the analysis part of this process. And we identified two Council Districts outlying in Greater Center City areas, one of them being yours, Council District 10, and one being Council District 8, 4800 North and 4900 North Broad Street. And we did craft bills along with both of your offices to make sure that you have the option to remap those two different --
Right, we did that with the school bill. But I understood there was a change right off the Academy Road exit. It's not my district, but it's very close to it and Councilman Driscoll was not here when that was passed. It's the Morrissey site, heavy industrial. I thought it went to CMX-4. Maybe it went to CMX --
(Inaudible) City GIS program. It did not pop up, but we can always go back and look at that just to confirm about --
It's about 27 acres. It's right off the exit. Okay. Thank you. Very residential neighborhood.
It was a consideration that we did not want to do this bill if we did not do the --
It had just been zoned for industrial, not multi-use or mixed-use and see if you could check that. That's the only one I'm aware of.
Thank you for bringing that up, Councilman O'Neill. I do want to state that we did have a great conversation with the Administration. They did come by and there were two parcels within the 8th District which we are going to remove, so we thank you for having that conversation and bringing it to our attention.
I appreciate that too, the understanding we're partners in all this. Thank you.
Any additional questions from the panel? (No response.)
Okay. Anything else? Thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone else here who would like to testify on Bill No. 250524 or actually let me ask Madam Clerk to please call forward those who have been scheduled to testify on a panel.
Yes. Panel 2, so will Diana Lind, founder of the New Urban Order and urban policy specialist Eric Guerra, Associate Dean for Research and Associate Professor in City and Regional Planning in the Weitzman School of Design. Will Titania Markland, Sustainable Transportation Program Manager for Clean Air Council and Brennan Maragh, Housing Committee Co-chair for 5th Square Advocacy, please come to the table. Thank you. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Thank you for being here. And please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Diana Lind. Good afternoon, Chairwoman Bass and members of City Council. I'm a resident of Fairmount and I moved to Philadelphia nearly years ago to become the Editor-in-Chief of Next City and Urban Policy and Social Justice publication. I'm here in support of Bill 250524. Removing parking minimums in Philadelphia's most dense neighborhoods will make it easier and less expensive to build housing. It will help lower the cost of housing construction by not requiring developers to use valuable land on parking. According to a 2020 Brookings study, each structured parking spot adds an average of $50,000 in housing construction costs. Given that nearly 1/4 of Philadelphians live in poverty and 1/3 do not own cars, parking requirements prioritize the already privileged in Philadelphia. Cities from Austin to Minneapolis to San Francisco have gotten rid of parking minimums entirely while New York has eliminated parking minimums in dense areas like Manhattan. But it's not just big cities that have made this move. Smaller cities such as Buffalo, New York; Bend, Oregon and Burlington, Vermont have eliminated parking minimums in an effort to reduce barriers to development. So there's no special level of urban density that makes it feasible to get rid of parking minimums. All it takes is leadership from elected officials. Indeed I would challenge you to consider expanding your scope to include not just CMX-4 and CMX-5, but CMX-3 zoning. By removing parking minimums in CMX-3, you would help get more housing built in similarly dense but yet vacant areas like the many blocks between Spring Garden and Callowhill, east of 9th Street, along Front Street, in the shadow of the El and surrounding the North Philadelphia train station. Beyond housing, parking minimums also affect brick and mortar businesses that are struggling in the face of online competition. Removing parking minimums will make it easier for these businesses to thrive without dedicating their valuable real estate to parking spaces. In sum, removing parking minimums will help our economy and support a virtuous cycle. By encouraging housing construction and local business success, we can grow our population and sustain government through tax revenues. This is a much better and higher impact use of our limited real estate than parking. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
Good afternoon. Thank you. My name is Eric Guerra. I'm a Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania where I teach courses in transportation planning and quantitative methods. My research and teaching focus on the relationships between urban form, transportation systems, travel behavior and transportation- related outcomes like traffic safety, household spending and the cost-effectiveness of public transportation. I am here to express my support for Bill No. 21 250524 to remove residential parking ratio minimums for the CMX-4 and CMX-5 zoning districts. I'd also like to advocate for the removal of minimum residential parking minimums in CMX-3 districts. The research into the effects of minimum parking requirements is relatively straightforward. Minimum parking requirements increase the cost of housing, reduce housing production, encourage more driving and reduce property values. Parking requirements moreover are frequently used as a pretext to prevent the development of affordable housing and also can prevent the reuse of historic buildings. Removing minimum residential parking requirements is likely particularly beneficial in older denser parts of cities, such as CMX-3, 4 and 5 zoning districts with building stock that is older than the current zoning requirements on average. And removing minimum parking requirements is generally credited with helping to spark major housing production and revitalization. In Downtown Los Angeles, the population has more than doubled from under 30,000 residents to over 80,000 since parking reforms in the 1990s. In Philadelphia, area zone CMX-3, 4 and 5 are also generally well-served by transit and quite walkable. Removing parking requirements that also help support the city's goals to promote transit use, improve traffic safety and reduce pollution. The densest parts of the city, where people tend to drive the least, also tend to be the safest parts of the city from a traffic safety perspective. Finally, providing more housing in central parts of the city can help Philadelphians spend less on transportation. After housing, transportation is the line item that eats up the highest share of households budgets. And according to the Federal Department of Transportation's National Household Travel Survey, nearly half of Americans report that owning and operating a car is a major financial burden. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. Okay. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
Good afternoon, Chairman Bass and members of City Council. My name is Titania Markland and I am the Transportation Program Manager for the Clean Air Council, the oldest environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting everyone's right to a healthy environment, which includes walkable neighborhoods, affordable housing, cleaner and greener streets. I have been a resident of Philadelphia for over six years, but before that lived in Minneapolis, where housing seems to be more affordable in comparison to Philadelphia. I learned that parking regulations in both these cities are different and therefore affect housing prices. I am here to support Bill No. 2505 -- 250524, sorry, which aims to remove parking minimum regulations in Philly's most densely populated neighborhoods. This will provide a cost-saving opportunity for housing, reduce car dependency and help to create a more walkable and cleaner and greener city. Parking regulations influence America's reliance on single occupancy vehicle, which helps our transportation sector to become the most leading source of carbon pollution in the country and Philly as well. Our roads are congested and a lot of our streets are not walkable. Not only do parking minimums regulation influence pollution in our city, but it greatly affects affordability and availability of housing for our residents. Required parking lots increase cost of housing for Philadelphia residents and other cities. Adding a parking space to an apartment building can result in Philly residents paying an increase in rent of up to $400 per month or more regardless of owning a car or not. Our cities need to improve air quality and have more affordable housing. Getting rid of parking minimum regulations can help us achieve these goals. Many other cities such as Buffalo, New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis and many more have removed parking minimum regulations. These cities are seeing the results of more affordable housing and a reduction in car dependency. We have seen cities of various sizes remove parking minimums. Therefore, our City of Brotherly Love can do the same. Philadelphia needs to push policies that prioritize people over parking. Removing parking minimum regulations will allow more affordable housing, create more walkable neighborhoods with fewer cars on the roads, a cleaner and greener city. I encourage our leaders to pass these bills which will help to make housing more affordable in Philadelphia. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony. And can we have you please state your name for the record and proceed.
Good afternoon, Chairwoman Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Brennan Maragh. I am a resident of Point Breeze and here representing 5th Square Advocacy. I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me today testifying on Bill 250524, which would remove parking mandates in zoning districts CMX-4 and CMX-5. This bill is important because it would open up more space in Center City for things that Philadelphia residents need, such as housing, small businesses and recreational space instead of being storage space for cars. I applaud and support Mayor Parker's administration and this body for acting on this important policy and I do think this body should go further and consider eliminating parking mandates in larger areas of the city. According to a study done by the Research Institute for Housing America, the City of Philadelphia has nearly 2 million parking spaces which equates to roughly four spaces per household and continues to impose parking requirements for new construction, despite parking occupancy rates dropping since 2005. As some of the other witnesses have stated, not only do parking mandates raise costs for both home builders and residents who need housing, they also deprive the city of space that could be used in more productive ways, such as building public transit, establishing small businesses or, as we've mentioned a lot before, providing more housing for people who need it. These things not only generate much more revenue for the city, they would also grow the economy and provide more of the amenities that make our city a great place to live. Earlier this year Dallas, Texas, which is a far more car-reliant metro than Philadelphia, passed comprehensive parking reform that eliminated mandates near public transit stations in historic districts and for residential buildings under 200 units. At a time when housing prices have skyrocketed and crucial public agencies like SEPTA face crippling budget shortfalls, I urge the Council to take bold action on ideas like these to help the city grow. Thank you again for listening to my testimony and I urge you to pass this bill out of committee.
Thank you for your testimony. Madam Clerk, do we have anyone else to testify on Bill No. 10 250524?
Okay. Can we ask you to please call forward the next panel to testify on Bill No. 250525.
For Bill No. 17 250525, will Michael Gall from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission please approach the witness table. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good afternoon, Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 250525, introduced into City Council on May 15, 2025, by Councilmember Gauthier from Council President Johnson. Bill No. 250525 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code to create a new base zoning district, entitled RTA-2, Residential Two- Family Attached. The new RTA-2 District was created to be more reflective of the city's housing stock and parcel dimensions in areas of the city that are not well-served by current zoning districts. This will provide District Council offices a new tool to be responsive to both community concerns and the city's growing housing needs. Based on trends among cases coming before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the need was identified for this new bass zoning designation to reflect a residential housing typology common across certain parts of Philadelphia, but not currently supported by zoning policy. This new zoning designation is restricted to rowhome housing types and allows a maximum of two dwelling units. It allows for a maximum of three stories and a height of 35 feet, and the minimum lot size is 1080 square feet. Under Mayor Parker's H.O.M.E. Initiative, the Administration is looking at ways to make new housing units more accessible to all Philadelphians. Since this is not a base zoning designation that would automatically be mapped onto existing areas, further action would need to be taken by individual Council offices to map RTA-2 in their districts as they see appropriate. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 250525 at its public meeting on June, 5, 2025. I would be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Thank you very much for your testimony. I don't have any questions, but I did want to underscore, particularly for District Councilmembers, that the designation would be -- well, further action would be required by individual District Councilmembers before this would be applied or could be applied, that they would actually have to legislate this to be a part of their district.
That's correct, Chair. The process basically is just allowing District Council offices to have another tool in their toolbox to respond appropriately to the --
Excellent, excellent. Thank you. The more tools the better. Thank you. Any questions? (No response.)
Okay. No questions from this panel. Thank you very much for your testimony. Will the Clerk please call up any additional panels to testify on this bill.
Will Nora Dowd Eisenhower at AARP, Mo Rushdy at Building Industry Association, Kevin Malawski at American Institute of Architects and Carrie Rathmann at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia please approach the witness table. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Thank you very much for being here. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good afternoon. My name is Nora Dowd Eisenhower. I am the Volunteer State President for AARP Pennsylvania. AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan, social impact organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50-plus to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 300,000 members in Philadelphia, we advocate on issues that matter most to older adults and their families, with a focus on health security, financial resilience and livable communities. We appreciate the opportunity to explain why AARP has made housing a cornerstone of its local advocacy. The results of an AARP 2024 Home and Community Preferences Survey reveals that 75% of 50-plus adults wish to remain in their homes as they age and 73% hope to stay in their communities, significantly higher than young adults aged to 49 at 60 and 63% 16 respectively, but existing housing 17 policies and community 18 infrastructure are not keeping pace with this increasing need. For AARP, the issues we have been advancing in the city are important to creating safer, more secure and livable communities for all Philadelphians. This is our mission: Zoning reforms can play a vital role by providing different housing options for older adults who want to age in place or downsize or simply provide a place for loved ones to stay. Empowering Philadelphians age 50-plus to age in place requires a culture of innovation and flexibility within city zoning and planning efforts. AARP believes that the four bills under consideration today, they are Bill Nos. 250432, 250523, 250524 and 250525 represent a strong first step towards removing longstanding policy barriers that have left many residents, especially homeowners, trapped in disadvantaged housing situations that foster social isolation, challenge caregiving and reduce opportunities for the transfer of generational wealth. To build a healthier, safer and more vibrant Philadelphia, we must prioritize accessible, affordable and diverse housing options that meet the needs of the 50-plus population and multi-generational households. The lack of what is often called missing middle housing, a variety of housing types, sizes and price points, limits opportunities for residents to stay in their communities as they age or as their needs change. Regarding Bill No. 15 250432 and Bill No. 250525, each reflects forward-thinking and responsive policy that will increase Philadelphia's supply of middle housing and allow older adults to age in place. The proliferation of side-by-side duplexes and triplexes in the case of the 5th District Overlay on a greater variety of lot sizes and with crucial coverage and setback reforms allows for families to upsize or downsize their living situation according to their multi- generational household, caregiving needs and financial circumstances. Additionally, it allows older adults to live in a neighborhood that embodies the principles of a livable community. These housing solutions not only foster healthier, safer communities, but also help reduce the difficult trade-offs many older adults face when choosing between spending their savings on housing, medication or groceries. Far too often older Philadelphians are forced to spend down their assets to near poverty levels just to qualify for Medicaid due to a lack of accessible housing and community-based care options. By expanding housing options, such as the missing middle housing that will include accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs, and universal design options, the City of Philadelphia will provide older residents and their families with the opportunity to choose where they live to age in place, preserve generational wealth and remain in the communities they have helped build for many years to come. Regarding Bill No. 13 250524 and Bill No. 250523, each proposes to arm city planners working with developers to create more mixed income, mixed-use and multi-family housing solutions that older and younger residents will equally benefit from.
A part of the middle housing continuum, larger housing developments, including mixed-income and mixed- use commercial and housing projects, provide equitable solutions for residents with accessibility challenges or who are otherwise unequipped to maintain a single family residence of their own. Providing the City Planning Commission with review and prerequisite approval authority over certain large projects will accelerate the important public and private cooperation that is already taking place in Philadelphia to create adequate housing. Additionally, Bill No. 15 250524 is poised to further incentivize developers to invest in bringing large scale housing to the city by loosening burdensome parking requirements, a much-needed reform which has disincentivized high density investments. We do however encourage the members of this committee to consider balancing this act of deregulation with equal efforts to streamline and protect the designation of dedicated accessible parking spaces around CMX-4 and 5 properties as well as accessible pick-up and drop-off zones. These buildings, having been exempted from residential parking requirements, should also be encouraged to incorporate universal design elements that orient entrances to such zones and access to transit options. AARP has been walking working across the country with many local and state elected officials to pursue much needed changes to remove barriers that prevent smart land use and the creation of affordable, accessible housing. We look forward to being a resource as you move forward through this process. Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony and for being here today. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
My name is Carrie Rathmann. Thank you for the opportunity today, Chairwoman Bass and members of the Rules Committee. I also was going to quickly just comment on three bills so I'll name them all. I proudly represent Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia where we create and preserve affordable homeownership for low-income families and individuals, helping move our city to a closer to one where everyone has safe and decent place to live. But today I'm here to express strong support for Bill 250525, 32 and because zoning really 22 matters. 23 Habitat builds homes for 24 first-time homebuyers, folks making between 30 and 80% AMI with a special focus on Black and Brown families historically excluded from wealth-building through homeownership, but rising costs make this work more difficult every year. City Council with these bills can support the work by promoting medium-density housing, eliminating excessive parking requirements and requiring -- and rightsizing lot sizes. These policies reduce development costs, they lessen reliance on public subsidies, they streamline the zoning process, they save time and money for both developers and the city. So regarding Bill 525, creating the RTA-2 zoning district, thank you to Councilmember Gauthier for introducing this bill. This bill is a really important gap between single-family rowhomes and multi-unit apartments, enabling two-family homes on rowhouse-sized lots. At Habitat we recently built affordable homes, including four 6 duplexes and a triplex and our next 7 project will also follow that same 8 model in North Philadelphia. 9 This strategy helps us 10 serve more low-income homebuyers, 11 while also keeping homes within financial reach. RTA-2 will also help preserve affordability in areas where duplexes already exist but require time-consuming variances to make more. Regarding Bill 432, amending the 5th District Overlay: We strongly support Councilmember Young's proposal to eliminate the 1440 square foot lot minimum, which makes affordable infill development much, much harder. His district is a rowhouse scale district, and adjacent districts already allow for lots as small as 960 square feet. Habitat has worked in the 5th District for 40 years and our next large development will also be there. This bill will support development that fills both the neighborhood and the financial capacity of many, many Philadelphia residents for rental and homeownership. Regarding Bill 524, reducing the parking minimums: Now, while Habitat doesn't yet build in large commercial zones, we have still seen parking requirements derail our affordable homeownership projects. Last year, several years ago at this point we couldn't build a single family home because of an illegal parking spot. That lot still sits unfinished next to six single family homes, and there is one more family in Philadelphia that is not homeowners. Reducing parking minimums helps create more housing. It lowers construction costs, it supports car-free households and it will increase SEPTA ridership. In high opportunities, especially like Center City and University City, it makes the housing market more inclusive. These bills offer practical zoning reforms that will support affordable homeownership, reduce public costs and make our neighborhoods more equitable. We urge you to pass them all and keep moving toward a city and expand upon them where Philadelphians can access safe, decent and affordable homes. So thank you so much for your time today.
And thank you for your testimony. Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones.
I want to thank you both for your testimony today, AARP, because of some of your groundbreaking work. As we become a grayer city but a grayer 4th District, I think my demographics are one of the older ones other than Member O'Neill. So thank you for helping us to create good public policy. You don't need certain types of equipment when you want to have more passive activity or intergenerational activity and those kinds of inputs help me to understand that. Habitat for Humanity, you don't just do the 5th District. You have helped me in the 4th District and you have brought some of my residents to tears because of the input and getting their housing situation straightened after years of neglect. So I want to thank you both.
We dedicated another house in your district. I just invited you via email.
My name is Mo Rushdy. I serve as President of the Building Industry Association. It's a trade association of small, medium and large residential developers working throughout Philadelphia. I want to thank Chair Gauthier and the rest of the committee -- actually, Chair Bass and members of the committee for allowing us to provide testimony today in support of the Mayor's H.O.M.E. Initiative legislation. Bill No. 250432 eliminates 5th District restrictions on eligibility for height and density bonuses for mixed-income housing. The bill 9 also eliminates exemptions from the city green roof, height and density bonuses and reduces the standard residential minimum lot size to be consistent with the rest of the city. I have recently completed a project at 680 North 13th Street where we built 28 homes and it could have been a 41-home project and single family home for sale. And so, there's about 13 people that missed out on buying in the 5th District as a result of that rule. The BIA commends Councilmember Young for introducing the bill and for his commitment in bringing more affordable housing to his district. The bill will provide an opportunity to produce more units and increase contributions to the Housing Trust Fund as well. Developers need predictability and this bill is a welcome move toward uniform citywide zoning. Bill No. 250524 removes parking minimums for multi-family residential use in CMX-4 and CMX-5 District. We wish we saw that also in CMX-3 District where it's much needed. This relief though will lower overall project costs, allowing developers to finance projects that would not previously pencil out. And just to put some numbers into perspective, we just completed two projects, each 200 units. These podiums cost about $4 to $5 million. And so, the math that Donna said that it costs about $40,000 to $50,000 per unit in increased cost is real. It's a lot of money and it does increase the overall cost of the project. While modernizing the zoning code to reflect current transportation needs, the CMX-4 and 5 zoning designations are in Center City which is walkable and transit- rich. Developers in Center City would much prefer to build less parking and deliver more units, making Center City more affordable with greater options. Finally, Bill 250525 creates a new zoning district which is restricted to rowhome housing types with a maximum of two dwelling units. This type of housing is prevalent throughout the city, but is no longer allowed byright under the current code. The new zoning district will serve as a middle ground between RSA-5, residential single family home- attached, and RM-1, residential, multifamily and better reflect existing neighborhood housing typologies. Allowing duplex housing is an easy solution for making more housing options accessible to all Philadelphians. We hope that all District Councilmembers not only support this bill but quickly remap their districts and apply this new option wherever feasible. The BIA strongly supports the Mayor's H.O.M.E. Initiative and applauds these bills focus on reducing the cost of housing development. We look forward to supporting more bills that provide effective and pragmatic solutions like the ones mentioned today. The BIA recently testified against bills that would make it harder to provide housing in the city of Philadelphia. So this is a refreshing opportunity for all of us. More must be done if we are going to solve the city's affordable housing crisis. But right now the Mayor's plan is the right vision for the right time. Thank you for your consideration.
And thank you for your testimony. And can we have you state your name for the record and proceed.
Yes. Thank you. My name is Kevin Malawski. I'm here speaking on behalf of the Philadelphia Chapter 21 of the American Institute of Architects, otherwise known as the AIA. We're here in support of Bill 24 Nos. 250524 and 250525 today. Our chapter is the leading voice of the architectural profession in the city, representing more than 1700 members, 260 member firms, 220 allied companies that supply products and services to the regional construction and design industry. AIA Philadelphia supports Bill No. 250524, which removes the mandatory parking requirements for zoning districts CMX-4 and CMX-5. These zoning typologies are typically located near transit-risk corridors, as we've heard, and provide ample opportunities for residents to get around the city without a personal vehicle. As the organization representing architects in the Philadelphia region, we know about the challenges compulsory parking creates for new construction. From a design perspective, parking often sacrifices part of the prime real estate at street level, creating areas devoid of life and activity. Our city streets should be vibrant and thriving, not relegated to parking garages and entries for car storage. Furthermore, the cost of the parking garage as we've heard can also burden a project. Due to small lots, the majority of the parking must often be located below grade, which comes at significant expense and also may prevent a project from penciling out or will require additional costs to be passed on to residents, further encouraging the use of cars. Removing this mandate allows design teams and developers the flexibility to include parking where appropriate and avoid it where other uses would be preferred. The proposed change also aligns with the city's housing and climate goals. Without parking, projects can deliver more dwellings within the same footprint and the city can create more density, especially near transit- rich areas. Fewer privately reserved spaces also encourages residents to take advantage of existing transit infrastructure, bike lanes as well as shared mobility options, ultimately reducing the congestion in our most transit-rich neighborhoods. We recognize though that some residents in the CMX-4 and CMX-5 areas will still choose to own their own cars. However, according to the Philadelphia Planning Commission 2020 parking inventory, Center City already has significantly lower car ownership percentage than the rest of the city, as we've heard earlier today. This is a great model for the rest of the city, as it demonstrates how high walkability a dense public transit network and limited parking availability can reduce the car usage and congestion within Philadelphia. However, lifting parking minimums does not prohibit onsite parking. It simply allows developers to tailor the supply to the real demand rather than a blanket requirement. Overall the bill aligns with Philadelphia's vision for channeling growth to transit-rich corridors, lessening dependence on personal vehicles and building a city where walking, cycling and public transit are the easiest, most affordable ways to get around. We encourage the committee to support Bill No. 2 250524. And lastly, I'll talk about 525. Bill No. 250525, which creates two-family dwellings byright expands the missing (inaudible) housing stock. By eliminating the need for costly and uncertain variance hearings, this bill will increase density at a scale of growth that our city needs to meet the population demands without overwhelming existing rowhouse blocks. Allowing homeowners and small builders to convert or construct two-unit residences within the rowhouse envelope respects Philadelphia's historic streetscape while increasing the quantity of housing available to our residents. This incremental density supports housing affordability and supports variation in the housing stock by creating smaller and more attainable apartments.
Two-unit buildings can also provide existing owners with a path to generate rental income, build generational wealth and promote multi-generational homes, which supports more residents to age in place. Over time, thousands of such units can create a wider range of price points in the market and increase density. The RTA-2 framework therefore advances the city's equity goals by pairing affordability with the familiar rowhome typology, which Philadelphians both appreciate and value. We urge Council to map the new district with care, prioritizing parcels and corridors already served by high frequency transit such as the El and the B Lines, previously known as the Broad Street lines, and the Market- Frankford Line. Locating two-family conversions of single family homes and rowhomes near subway, trolley and frequent bus routes will minimize additional traffic, reinforce sustainable transportation habits and reduce the total cost of living for future tenants by pairing affordable rents with affordable mobility. With thoughtful placement, the RTA-2 district can deliver more homes, build stronger communities and create a greener, more inclusive Philadelphia. Thank you for your time and we strongly encourage both of these bills be supported.
Thank you very much for your testimony and for your patience today. Madam Clerk, is there anyone else to testify on Bill No. 4 250525?
Okay. I will ask if there -- or, Madam Clerk, that we now go into public comment and if you could call for the names who are listed for public comment.
Well, Alex Roederer and Job Itzkowitz please approach the witness table as well as Jack Ullman and Emmanuel Schorsch. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed.
Thank you, Chairwoman Bass and members of the committee. My name is Alexander Roederer. I live in Center City near Broad and Pine. I'm here to speak in support of Bill 250524, removing parking minimum ratio requirements for CMX-4 and 5. Thank you to Councilmember Gauthier for introducing the bill on behalf of Council President Johnson. I strongly support the Mayor's H.O.M.E. Initiative. Building and rehabilitating more housing in our city is key to keeping long-term residents in their homes and preventing displacement while keeping our city welcoming to immigrants and newcomers by keeping housing costs low. Welcoming more people to live in Center City will keep our streets and businesses growing and thriving, but studies show that parking minimums make housing more expensive. As we've heard, as I understand it building a parking spot as part of a housing project costs something like $50,000 per spot. That cost gets added to the price of new housing, increasing costs for buyers and for renters who often don't own a car. Center City where most CMX-4 and 5 is, is well served by SEPTA and it's very pedestrian- friendly. Something like 50% of Center City residents don't even own a car. And we as a city I think should continue to empower residents in Center City to choose to walk, to bike, to use SEPTA, environmentally-friendly transit options and not force them to preemptively pay for parking spots as part of their housing costs, which will add more cars to our streets. Also, parking spots contribute very little economically to the city. In a commercial mixed-use zone, parking takes up space which could otherwise be used to house more people or have a new small business, a grocery or a dentist or offer a government service like a library. Removing parking minimums means smaller projects become more feasible. This might mean one more household of people living in Philly, supporting local businesses, paying local taxes and being a customer and a friend and a neighbor versus a parking spot where a car might sit waiting to be driven maybe once a week, maybe once a month. If home builders want to include parking as an amenity in their buildings, as I understand it this bill still allows them to do so. They can and likely still will. But I think the city shouldn't need to force them to do it and definitely shouldn't force homeowners and renters to pay the cost of a parking spot just to find a place to live. I ask Council to support this bill and agree with previous speakers that we should look into going even further and consider expanding this to CMX-3 for many of the same reasons. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your testimony. Job Itzkowitz, state your name for the record.
Good afternoon, Chair Bass, members of the committee. My name is Job Itzkowitz and I'm the Executive Director of the Old City Special Services District. I'm here to testify regarding Bill No. 250524. So on March 1, 2022, I appeared before this committee to testify in support of Bill No. 4 210829, which Council passed unanimously later that year. The bill eliminated parking mandates in the commercial core of Old City. At that hearing I testified at length about how stakeholders wanted to have more residents, more visitors, more workers in Old City and fewer people driving private vehicles. Further, I testified about how the elimination of parking mandates supported the values of quieter, cleaner and more pedestrian-friendly streets. As the boundaries of Old City are mostly CMX-3, and that bill was passed four years ago, this bill 22 doesn't apply to most of our properties in the Old City District except for a handful of the periphery across Walnut Street. However, because the bills are so similar I wanted to share Old City's experience since the passage of that bill with a couple of specific examples. On South Second Street, a former surface lot was developed into The Amble, a 61-unit building without offstreet parking. The building is performing well. Lease renewals are high and a cafe is slated to open on the ground floor later this year. That cafe is situated in the same place where curbcuts were previously located for the surface lot. At Second and Race Street, six condos were built with two commercial spaces on the ground floor. Similarly, those commercial spaces are where parking otherwise would have been. The building occupies land where there was previously two single-story buildings in the driveway. On a larger scale, 400 Market Street former offices are being converted into 176 residential units. While there's some pre-existing parking available for tenants, it's less than what would have been required by the mandates. Enforcement of the previous mandate would have limited the number of units and that would have made the conversion financially impossible and that building would likely be sitting vacant today. Also on Second Street, the Tun Foundation is building a recreation of the Tun Tavern, the tavern where the U.S. Marines were founded. When completed, that will eliminate the last surface parking lot on the block, which will allow more opportunities for outdoor dining, block parties and even curbside loading. The Old City Eats Block Party is on that block this week, June 5th, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and even curbside loading. None of which would have been possible with the parking mandates. Four years after the elimination of parking mandates in the commercial core of Old City, we have not received a single complaint about their elimination. Foot traffic is up among both visitors and workers. The residential population is growing. And though there are physically fewer parking spaces, there is more available parking. Like PCPC, we conduct a five-year review of available parking spaces, so there's more people, fewer cars, more available parking. In conclusion, the elimination of parking mandates has greatly benefited Old City. Thank you for the opportunity to share the Old City experience with similar legislation and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions from the committee? (No response.)
Okay. And, Madam Clerk, is there anyone else listed for public comment?
My name is Emmanuel Schorsch. I live in Center City and I'm here testifying in favor of Bill 250524. Thank you.
Parking minimums make housing more expensive and change was possible to build, as you've heard today. The simple way that I think about a change like this is to imagine what the city of Philadelphia would look like if parking minimums were always in effect as they are today. So I love walking around Center City. So many of the loveliest parts of Center City wouldn't be the same if parking minimums had always been there. I just imagine 12th Street, 13th Street, Chestnut, if parking minimums were there and so many of those surface level and surface street stores were instead garages or entrance to parking. So I think that these restrictive, mandatory parking minimums, as everyone has said, bear a large cost and it's sometimes harder to see that cost because it plays out over so many decades, but we are very much experiencing that cost and missing out on many incredible stores and housing because of those minimums. I do not have a car. 50% of Center City residents do not have a car. 50% do. Developers are very aware of what their residents need and their customer requirements. So having a parking minimum only makes the system biased against people like me who don't have cars and makes it more expensive and difficult for developers to build projects targeted at lower car ownership. I want a Philadelphia, as everyone here does, that is affordable, filled with life activity and so for this and so many other reasons, I urge you to oppose these parking minimums. Thank you.
Thank you much. Okay. Is there anyone else that is listed for public comment, Madam Clerk?
Is there anyone else here whose name has not been called, Jeremy Blatstein, who would like to give testimony?
Please come forward. (Witness approached witness table.)
How are you today? My name is Jeremy Blatstein. I'm here to testify on three bills. The first bill is 250291. It's the MIN in the 5th District. Councilman Jones, I just want to clarify what this bill 6 does, right. This bill is related to the MIN that Councilwoman Gauthier has in the 3rd District, right. And right now currently Turn the Key house projects over the number of 10 units would have had to have a requirement of 20% of the units at 60% AMI. That was not financially feasible, which is why this is being adjusted, right. And realistically -- we'll talk about that later -- but realistically the MIN is being an impediment, as we said, right. If at the current pace of development it's going to take us 200 years, then something else has to change. And currently the MIN is broken and we need to look at it further. This bill is a good step in the right direction, but we should look at it further to see if it's going to produce actual units or it's just kind of going to stop development. Second, 250432, in support. It's great. Let's get rid of that overlay in the 5th District. It's a restricted zoning overlay. That's bad. But there's other restricted zone overlays that are in the 5th District that need to be looked at, right. There was a lot of restricted zoning overlays that were put in over the last 10 years that have impeded development. So that's the last -- and then the last thing is 250524, parking minimums. This doesn't go far enough. You've heard it from everybody, right. Realistically, CMX-3 is what's going to have the biggest impact to get more units built along with SEPTA, right. We're talking about public transportation. We want more people to ride SEPTA. Let's get rid of parking minimums along CMX-3 as well to encourage more density along our transit corridors so that more people are riding our public transportation. Thank you.
Thank you. Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record.
Good afternoon. My name is Abraham Reyes, Vice-president of Housing at the Urban League of Philadelphia. I'm here to provide comments in favor of Bill 250525. Creating zoning ordinance, including one like RTA-2, offers numerous benefits such as promoting efficient land use, protecting property values and encouraging orderly development. RTA-2 is specifically (inaudible) incentivized compact, mixed-use development and reduce (inaudible). Small lot multi- family housing is an important piece for the creation of more deed-restricted, naturally- occurring affordable housing. By splitting the land, cost to family homes can be somewhat more affordable than single family homes. RTA-2 will provide Philadelphians with a middle option between one family rowhouses and RSA-5 and rowhouse-sized apartment buildings with four, six units. Homes with fewer units are still eligible for FHA mortgages and the owner-occupant can count on the rental income from the other units towards their ability to pay that mortgage. This option of homeownership-plus should be available to more Philly residents, particularly those seeking to age in place of multi-generational households. As I was listening to AARP earlier today, I couldn't stop but thinking about my clients, switching hats as a housing counselor who assists in foreclosure prevention cases involving reverting mortgages. How many of those senior citizens that have supplemented their income by going into the reverse -- by obtaining a reverse mortgage could have tapped into rental income as a source to sustain and maintain their livelihood. Several cities across America have already legalized accessory dwelling units as a byright housing option as part of our efforts to tame housing costs. ADUs are a good option for less dense parts of Philadelphia, where people have more room for a backyard cottage or addition. But in rowhouse neighborhoods, two-family rowhouses may be a more realistic option for achieving the same goals. Anecdotally, we know duplex rowhouses already exist in every rowhouse neighborhood. Rezoning these properties to bring them into compliance with the zoning code will help prevent naturally-occurring affordable housing and prevent the Zoning Board of Adjustment from having to evaluate each one of these individually. Thank you.
And thank you so much for your testimony. And I will ask the Clerk is there anyone else here who has signed up for a testimony?
Okay. Is there anyone else here who would like to make public comment whose name has not been called? (No response.)
Thank you, Madam Chair. I always encourage the use of facts for people who come down to testify. So there was some incorrect information given out earlier that I just wanted to take a moment and set the record straight. The Mixed Income Neighborhood Overlay covers a large part of the 3rd District as well as the 7th District with other sprinklings of other districts across the city. The intent of the overlay is to include affordability in new developments. It requires 20% of affordable units in any development that's rental or homeownership that's 10 units or more. For the homeownership option, we require that the affordable units be at 60% of AMI. The change that we're making today is because the effective price of the Turn the Key homes once they're built and the city adds all the subsidy in is about 60% of AMI. Because the program meets the requirements of MIN, we don't have a need to include that program or to make the same requirement of that program. That is why we are making the change in the overlay. We continue to support MIN, we continue to know that we need MIN and we continue to work with developers in both the 3rd District and the 7th District to develop affordable units. Thank you so much.
Thank you for your testimony and for the correction. Appreciate the information. Chair recognizes Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the Committee on Rules stand in recess until 5:30 p.m. (Duly seconded.)
Okay. A motion has been made that we stand in recess until 5:30 p.m. and it has been properly seconded. All in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
And seeing none, this committee stands in recess until 5:30 this evening. Thank you. (Recess.)
Good afternoon. This is the Committee on Rules. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
I note there is a quorum. The Chair recognizes Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that City Council Committee on Rules stand in recess until 6:45 p.m. (Duly seconded.)
A motion has been made that we stand in recess until 6:45 p.m. All in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. I do want to recognize the presence of Councilmember Mark Squilla from the Committee. And that being said, that concludes the business of the committee for now until 6:45 p.m. Thank you. (Recess.)
Good evening. This is the Committee on Rules. Will the Clerk please call the roll.
Thank you. A quorum is present. The Chair now recognizes Katherine Gilmore Richardson for a motion.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I make a motion that the Rules Committee stand in recess until 7:45 tonight. (Duly seconded.)
A motion has been made that we stand in recess until 7:45 p.m. All in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and this committee will stand in recess until 7:45 p.m. Thank you. (Recess.)
Good evening. This is the Committee on Rules. Will the Clerk please call the roll.
Thank you. A quorum is established. Chair recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson for a motion.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Committee on Rules stand in recess until 8:45 p.m. tonight. (Duly seconded.)
A motion has been properly seconded. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the Committee on Rules will stand in recess until 8:45 p.m. tonight. Thank you.
Good evening. This is the Committee on Rules. Will the Clerk please call the roll.
Thank you. A quorum is established. Chair recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson for a motion.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Committee on Rules stand in recess until tomorrow, Thursday at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
A motion has been properly seconded. All those in favor signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the Committee on Rules will stand in recess until Thursday, June 5th at 10:00 a.m. Thank you. (Adjourned.)
Thank you for your patience. We will now go into our public meeting for the Rules Committee. Will the Clerk please call the roll.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. I note for the record that a quorum of the committee is present and the Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 250291.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 250291. A copy the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee. I move that Bill No. 250291 be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 250291 be adopted. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The amendment to Bill No. 16 250291 has been adopted. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250291 as adopted --
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 3 250291 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250291 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 10 250293.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 250293. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee. I move that the amendment to Bill No. 250293 be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 250293 be adopted. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And the amendment to Bill 12 No. 250293 has been adopted. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250293 as amended.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 19 250293 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250293 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 2 250334.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 250334. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee and I move that the amendment to Bill No. 10 250334 be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 250334 be adopted. All of those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And the amendment to Bill 3 No. 250334 has been adopted. And the Chair now recognizes Councilmember squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250334.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 14 250334 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250334 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250431.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 22 250431 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended at the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250431 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250432.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 6 250432 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250432 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 12 250523.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 250523. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee. I move that the amendment to Bill No. 20 250523 be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 250523 be adopted. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries and the amendment to Bill No. 13 250523 has been adopted. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250523 as adopted.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 20 250523 as amended --
-- be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
I want to do that language over again. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250523 as amended.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 16 250523 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250523 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Chair now recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250524.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 250524. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the committee. I move that the amendment to Bill No. 6 250524 be adopted. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 250524 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, the motion carries and the amendment to Bill No. 23 250524 has been adopted. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250524 as amended.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I Move that Bill No. 6 250524 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250524 as amended be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All of those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 250525.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 15 250525 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250525 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And if there are no 19 additional remarks from the committee or I guess this concludes the business of the Committee on Rules for today. Thank you all very much for your attention. (Committee on Rules concluded at 5:30 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. __________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL