COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS - - - Room 696, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, October 2, 2002 - - - BILL 020379 - an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire some or all of certain real estate parcels in the Eastwick section of the City of Philadelphia, all under certain terms and conditions. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chair COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN JOAN KRAJEWSKI COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR. - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (215) 561-2220 I N D E X BILL 020379 PAGE KEN SIPOS, Public Property .................. FRANCIS DOCHERTY, Assistant Managing Director 3 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The Council Committee on Public Property and Public Works is now in session. Thank you for your patience in waiting. We're here to listen to testimony and vote on Bill No. 020379, which is an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia to acquire some or all of certain real estate parcels in the Eastwick section of the City of Philadelphia, all under certain terms and conditions. Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good morning, Chairman Kenney and members of the committee. My name is Ken Sipos. I'm testifying on behalf of Commissioner Perez of Public Property. These properties were damaged in Hurricaine Floyd. Using federal emergency management funds and Pennsylvania emergency management grant money for 97 percent of the project, we plan to acquire these properties. Acquisition of Eastwick parcels on Lindbergh, Morris Place, Venus Place, Pompey Place, and Saturn Place. 4 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379 The Department of Public Property supports the measure. And accordingly, I respectfully ask that the City Council Committee on Public Property and Public Works approve Bill No. 6 020379. I also ask the rules be suspended so the ordinance may be passed upon the second reading at Council. I also have with me Fran Docherty from the Managing Director's Office who has more information on this.
Sure. Francis Docherty, Assistant Managing Director. I have been designated as the applicant's agent for the City to deal with the paperwork and the liaison with the community groups in Eastwick and help them through the process. And I'm available now to answer any questions you may have.
How many properties are involved total? 5 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379
The overall project has been divided into two phases, Phase 1 involves 42 homes, Mr. Chairman. The second phase involves 33 homes.
Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Docherty or Mr. Sipos? Councilwoman Miller.
When you say involves, what do you mean? You're going to build 42 homes?
No. The hazard mitigation process by which the funds are being granted to the City of Philadelphia means that these homes that have been damaged by Hurricane Floyd will be demolished. And the land becomes in perpetuity the City's land.
Working with President Verna's office, we will discuss whether, you know, the land -- whether playgrounds are needed or just green space. In effect, it becomes green space otherwise.
Thank you. 6 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379
The acquisition cost for Phase 1 totals -- let me get the exact number for you -- $4.9 million, of which the percentage is 75 percent is paid from the federal government, 22 percent from the state government and 3 percent from the city government. The second phase of 33 homes totals $3.9 million. The same ratio breakdown.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple of brief questions specifically. These dollars are for acquisition of homes, also relocation costs associated with the residents there?
It does not involve relocation costs. The process by which -- and I should say to the committee that the rules here are imposed upon the city from the federal and state officials. These are not our rules. The homeowners will be offered a fair market value based on an 7 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379 independent appraiser, and it's a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.
No, they have not. This is the first step that we need in terms of an ordinance to allow the City then to take the next step and hire an appraiser. And once the appraisal is done, then the homeowners -- we'll sit down with the homeowners and they will be offered this price.
Any other questions? We don't have a stenographer today and we're recording this for the record, so I want to make sure that we understand that myself, Councilman Kenney, is the Chair; also in attendance is Councilmembers Blackwell, Clarke, Miller, Krajewski, and Rizzo. Since there are no other questions for these witnesses, is there anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Seeing none, that 8 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020379 will conclude our public hearing. - - - 9 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE ON PUBIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS - - - Wednesday, October 2, 2002 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, held in Room 696, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILL 020379 - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chair COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN JOAN KRAJEWSKI COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR. - - - 10 10/02/02 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - PUBLIC MEETING
We now will convene a public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Clarke for a motion to approve Bill No. 020379.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I make a motion that Bill No. 020379 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for suspension of the rules. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 020379 reported out of this committee favorably. A request will be made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council Session. Thank you very much for your attendance for your patience in waiting. (Council adjourned.) - - - 11 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of October 2, 2002, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public