COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING AND PUBLIC MEETING BEFORE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia Pennsylvania Wednesday, 5/15/02 2:48 p.m. - - - BILL 010631 - Authorizing Commissioner of Pub. Prop. to acquire fee simple title to certain parcels of property owned by RDA, known as parcels 5 and 8 of the Eastwick Urban Renewal Area Stage I, bounded generally by Redwing Place, Meadow Lark Place, Lapwing Place, and Longspur Place and in the general vicinity of the northeast corner of Island Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard. BILL 020094 - Authorizing Commissioner of Public Property to acquire by condemnation a certain underground easement through 3822 Ridge Avenue for sewer and drainage purposes. BILL 020202 - Authorizing Commissioner of Pub. Prop. to acquire by condemnation a certain underground easement through 3111 West Allegheny Avenue, for sewer and drainage purposes. BILL 020203 - authorizing Commissioner of Pub. Prop. to acquire by condemnation a certain underground easement through 3500 Scotts Lane for sewage and drainage purposes. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: James F. Kenney, Chair Jannie L. Blackwell, Vice Chair Darrell L. Clarke Michael A. Nutter Frank Rizzo - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 WITNESS BILL 010631 Ken Sipos, Department of Public Property..... BILL 020094, 202, 203 Paul McCloskey, Water Department............. 3 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 010631
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We have four bills to consider today. The first is Bill No. 010631, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire fee simple title to certain parcels of property owned by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia known as parcels 5 and 8 of the Eastwick Urban Renewal Area Stage I bounded generally by Redwing Place, Meadow Lark Place, Lapwing Place, and Longspur Place and in the general vicinity of the northeast corner of Island Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard, under certain terms and conditions. (Witness comes forward.)
Good afternoon, Chairperson Kenny and other members of the committee on Public Property and Public Works. My name is Ken Sipos, and I'm representing the Commissioner of Public Property. I'm here today to testify in support of Bill No. 010631, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire fee 4 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 010631 simple title to certain parcels of property owned by the Redevelopment Authority of the City known as Parcels and the Eastwick Urban Renewal Area 5 Stage I, bounded generally by Redwing Place, 6 Meadowlark Place, Lapwing Place, and Longspur 7 Place, and in the general vicinity of the northeast 8 corner of Island Avenue and Lindbergh Boulevard, under certain terms and conditions. The purchase of these lots will allow open space for recreation and neighborhood green space. These land-locked pieces have been historically vacant and acted as buffers to the surrounding land. After conveyance to the City, the parcel will be maintained by the Recreation Department. The Department of Public Property supports this measure; accordingly, I respectfully ask that the committee approve this bill. I also ask that the rules be suspended so that the ordinance may be paced upon the second-reading calendar at Council. Thank you for your consideration, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you very 5 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 010631 much. Any questions for this witness? (No questions.)
Seeing none, thank you very much. Anyone else here to testify on this bill? Anyone else? (No response.)
That will conclude the consideration -- or testimony on Bill No. 12 010631. - - - 6 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203
The next bills I will call together as a group 'cause the testimony will be basically the same on all three. The first is Bill No. 020094, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire by condemnation, or by purchase in lieu of condemnation, a certain underground easement through 3822 Ridge Avenue for sewer and drainage purposes, under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 020202, an ordinance 13 authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire by condemnation, or by purchase in lieu of condemnation, a certain underground easement through 3111 West Allegheny Avenue, for sewer and drainage purposes, under certain terms and conditions. And Bill No. 020203, an ordinance 21 authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire to acquire by condemnation, or by purchase in lieu of condemnation, a certain underground easement through 3500 Scotts Lane for sewage and drainage 7 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203 purposes, under certain terms and conditions. (Witness comes forward.)
Please identify yourself for the record. MR. McCLOSKEY: Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. MR. McCLOSKEY: My name is Paul McCloskey, and I'm from the Water Department of the City of Philadelphia. Bills No. 020094, 020203, and 020202 authorize the Public Property Commissioner, on behalf of the Water Department, to purchase or, if necessary, condemn a 50-foot right-of-way through the properties located at 3822 Ridge Avenue, 3111 West Allegheny, and 3500 Scotts Lane for the construction of the Dobson's Run storm water flood release sewer. The Water Department proposes to reconstruct the sewer at the lower end of the Dobson's Run sewer in the East Falls area of the City. Currently, industrial businesses in the area are experiencing severe flooding due to surcharging the storm water sewer. The existing sewer is in a bed of former Ontario Street, which has been 8 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203 retained as a drainage right-of-way. Former Ontario Street runs east and west and in between Scotts Lane and the CSX Transportation Railroad. The existing sewer begins at the Schuylkill River and travels eastward to Henry Avenue and beyond. Between 32nd Street and Ridge Avenue, most of the sewer has warehouses and factory buildings built directly on top of it. In order to avoid condemning these businesses, we plan to redirect the drainage in a new sewer in a proposed right-of-way on the line of 32nd produced from former Ontario Street southward to Willard Street and continuing southward on 32nd from Willard to Allegheny Avenue, then continuing on Allegheny Avenue from 32nd Street to Ridge Avenue, then continuing beneath the Laurel Hill Cemetery, the Kelly Drive, and over to the Schuylkill River. The sewer shall be constructed totally in tunnel so as not to disrupt the community or any properties. The tunnel under the Laurel Hill Cemetery requires a 50-foot right-of-way from Ridge Avenue to Kelly Drive, beginning at a variable depth of 30 to 50 feet below the surface of the 9 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203 ground. The top of the sewer shall have a variable depth of 48 to 63 feet below the surface of the ground. No construction in any matter of easement rights shall be allowed above the elevation line. The tunnels shall have a depth so as not to involve the existing burial chapels or produce settlement of the monuments or vibration. We are aware of the sensitivity of the property, that it's consecrated ground and that it has significant historical value. However, the area 10 to feet below the surface is solid rock and the 14 design of the sewers and plants was not to affect 15 the function of the facilities or the property in any way. The 50-foot right-of-way required through 3111 West Allegheny Avenue in on the line of 32nd Street produced from the north side of Willard to the south side of CSX Railroad. The right-of-way crosses the main employees' parking lot at Pep Boys. The sewer should be built totally in tunnel, the depth of the tunnel should vary between and 60 feet below the surface of the 25 ground, and no disruption of the property or its 10 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203 business shall occur. The proposed 50-foot right-of-way required through 3500 Scotts Lane is on the line of 32nd Street from the north side of the CSX Railroad right-of-way line to the south side of the existing drainage right-of-way on former Ontario Street. The proposed right-of-way is approximately 90 feet long and is in the extreme rare of the property. The property is on a commercial site, and the rear of the property is undeveloped. The rear of the property that faces the railroad is a narrow plateau and behind a closed fence. The plateau drops 30 feet to railroad. The sewer and construction shall be placed within the shaft in connection to the existing Ontario Street right-of-way with a proposed sewer that shall be built in the tunnel.
The sewer shall have a variable depth between 40 and 60 feet below the surface to the ground, and minimal disruption of the site shall be expected. The Water Department favors passage of the bills.
With a suspension of the rules? 11 5/15/02 PUB. PROPERTY/WORKS - BILL 020094, 202, 203 MR. McCLOSKEY: A suspension of the rules is requested too, Mr. Chairman.
Great. Anyone have any questions of this witness? (No questions.)
Anyone else here to testify on any of these bills? (No response.)
Seeing none, that will conclude our public hearing. - - - 12 5/15/02 PUB. PROP./PUB. WORKS - PUBLIC MEETING
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Nutter for a motion on Bill No. 010631 with a rules suspension.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 010631 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a further recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session.
It's been moved and seconded. All in favor? There are none opposed. Bill No. 010631 will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Rizzo for a motion on Bill No. 020094 with a rules suspension.
Mr. Chairman, I move 13 5/15/02 PUB. PROP./PUB. WORKS - PUBLIC MEETING that that bill -- and I apologize for not having it in front of me --
-- be moved out of committee with a favorable recommendation and a request of a suspension of the rules so that it can be heard at our next Council session.
It's been moved and seconded. All in favor? There are none opposed. Bill No. 020094 will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Clarke for a motion on Bill No. 020202.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I make a motion that Bill No. 23 020202 -- it's a great number. (Laughter.)
-- be reported out 14 5/15/02 PUB. PROP./PUB. WORKS - PUBLIC MEETING of committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for a suspension of the rules so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and seconded. All in favor? There are none opposed. Bill No. 020202 will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Blackwell for a motion on Bill No. 020203.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 020203 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also a recommendation for a suspension of the rules so as to permit first reading at the next session of Council.
It's been moved and seconded. 15 5/15/02 PUB. PROP./PUB. WORKS - PUBLIC MEETING All in favor? There are none opposed. Bill No. 020203 will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. That concludes the business of the Committee of Public Property and Public Works. Thank you for your attendance. (Proceedings end at o'clock p.m.) - - - 16 2 CERTIFICATE 3 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia's meeting of the Committee on Public Property and Public Works of Wednesday, May 15, 2002, are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. RE: Bill No.'s 010631, 020094, 020202, 020203 _______________________________, Josephine Cardillo Registered Professional Reporter and Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)