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Minutes

Committee Hearing, February 15, 2001

Philadelphia City Council Committee HearingsFeb 15, 2001

People mentioned

Names our system found in this transcript. Automatically extracted, so it can include anyone named in the record, not only officials or parties.

  • Brian O'Neill

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 401, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, February 15, 2001 10:15 a.m. - - - Continued hearing on Bill No. 010092 - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DI CICCO COUNCILMAN WILSON W. GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO - - - 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 010092 MR. CUORATO ................................. VINCENT DOUGHERTY ........................... CRAIG SCHELTER .............................. 5 6 3 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092

Council President Verna

Good morning everyone. Sorry for the delay. This is the continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole regarding Bill No. 010092. Mr. Cuorato, I understand that there has been a revised list.

Mr. Cuorato

Good morning, Madam Chair and Members of the Council. Madam Chair, that is correct. There have been just a couple of modifications to the list of properties that was presented to Council yesterday; actually, two changes. And with your permission, I will describe those.

Council President Verna

Please.

Mr. Cuorato

The first is we are excluding or deleting from the list a property at 3401 Chestnut Street. We have been advised that there is a possibility that that would be developed as a residential property and, therefore, to be consistant with our policy, we are excluding it. The second change, Madam Chair, occurs in the Philadelphia Naval Business Center proposal, and of the area that was submitted for inclusion, we will be deleting an area that is bounded by the 4 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 Mustin Field Runway, the Delaware River and the extension of League Island Boulevard. It's basically the area to the south of the Mustin Field Runway. That area would be excluded. The rest of that portion of the property will remain in. Madam Chair, at Council's direction, we also have maps of all of the subzones that we can distribute and descriptions of each of the properties. They are available.

Council President Verna

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Councilwoman Blackwell

Thank you, Madam President. I wanted the Commerce Director and Vince Dougherty to know we do have a map. University of Pennsylvania said they would do that last night and a detailed page by page with every location listed description of all the areas that they talked about yesterday. So certainly, we have all the information. If you don't have a copy, we'll make it available to you so that all of us are definitely on the quote/unquote same page.

Mr. Cuorato

Thank you, Councilwoman. I believe we have copies of that as well.

Council President Verna

The Chair 5 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 recognizes Councilman Kenney.

Councilman Kenney

Thank you, Madam President. I was in discusssion a minute ago. I didn't know whether or not this was being discussed at all, but prior to our final vote on this out of committee, will we have the appropriate amended map so that we can see each of the parcels? As I said yesterday, it's almost impossible to invision based on the parcel descriptions in these subzones where this property is. I mean, I don't mind voting for things at the last minute, but at least if I could see a map of what it looks like, it would be a help.

Mr. Cuorato

Yes, Councilman, we have do have maps of each of the subzones. We think they may have been distributed.

Councilman Kenney

These are maps of the amended subzone for the Navy Yard?

Mr. Cuorato

No, it is not. There is a very distinct parcel that we're excluding that I believe I can describe to you that would make it clear what's being excluded.

Councilman Kenney

Madam President, do you mind if he describes it?

Council President Verna

No. Please 6 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 do, Mr. Cuorato. I thought he did that.

Councilman Kenney

I'm sorry. It's just a very confusing process, as you know.

Mr. Cuorato

Councilman Kenney, it is the area south of the Mustin Field Runway that extends from the extension of League Island Boulevard to the Delaware River.

Councilman Kenney

Is there any particular items in that particular area of importance or significance, any piers.

Mr. Dougherty

That area is occupied by housing and the far east end of base today and it's also occupied with the housing and was used for the Congressional Village during the R & C. Otherwise, it's vacate land with the exception of one old airplane hanger, which is a historic structure.

Councilman Kenney

The airplane hanger is in or out?

Mr. Dougherty

That would be out.

Councilman Kenney

Thank you.

Council President Verna

Are there any other questions from members of the committee?

Mr. Schelter

Madam Chair, may I note that what was distributed, Exhibit 7, that reflects 7 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 the change that Jim talked about, about 3401 being removed from the list. So Exhibit is where I 4 took that property out of the description and 5 reconnected it. 6

Council President Verna

Thank you. 7 Does everybody have a copy?

Mr. Schelter

It should be noted as Exhibit 7 revised 02/15/00.

Council President Verna

I'm sorry, Vince. Would you identify yourself for the stenographer, please?

Mr. Dougherty

I'm sorry. My name is Vince Dougherty. I'm from the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department.

Council President Verna

Excuse me, could we go to Exhibit 4, please? All we have here is lower Delaware River subzone insert legal description.

Mr. Schelter

That is the same legal description as yesterday, Madam Chair.

Council President Verna

But we don't have the exhibit, do we? Was the exhibit circulated?

Mr. Schelter

Yesterday, ma'am. 8 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092

Council President Verna

Does everyone have a copy of that on their desk? Because we had hearings yesterday, I don't know whether they were distributed.

Mr. Schelter

Additional copies are on their way, I'm told from PIDC. We're awaiting them at this moment.

Council President Verna

Thank you. The Chair recognized Councilwoman Tasco.

Councilwoman Tasco

Madam Chair, I have a map that says Upper Schuylkill River Subzone but it's for 31st and Master. The revised Exhibit 7 talks about Civic Center Boulevard.

Mr. Schelter

The Upper Schuylkill Subzone consists of areas around the University City Science Center and then continues up the Schuylkill River and connects with 31st and Masters sites. So the maps that were circulated fromt he University of Pennsylvania and the map that you have there are 31st and Masters sites form the Upper Schuylkill River Subzone.

Councilwoman Tasco

Does Councilwoman Blackwell have the maps available as amended? Do you have the maps as amended that we might be able 9 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 to look at.

Council President Verna

It should be everybody package. Everybody should have a copy of the map and the description. And if you don't have it, I think it has to be circulated. Is that being circulated now? Councilwoman Tasco has a question.

Councilwoman Tasco

I'm talking about the color map that she has from the University of Pennsylvania.

Councilwoman Blackwell

They just handed me this. I can try to make copies. Would you like to see this now, Councilwoman?

Councilwoman Tasco

Yes.

Mr. Cuorato

Madam Chair, we do have copies of that.

Council President Verna

Have they been circulated? Does everybody have a copy of the map? Councilwoman Tasco, do you have a copy of the map before you?

Councilwoman Tasco

Yes.

Council President Verna

Do you have any questions?

Councilwoman Tasco

No. Thank you. 10 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092

Council President Verna

Councilwoman Blackwell, I think you had some concern yesterday afternoon. Are your concerns addressed?

Councilwoman Blackwell

Yes. Thank you.

Council President Verna

The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.

Councilman Nutter

Thank you, Madam Chair. Earlier I thought I heard you ask a question about Exhibit 4, and I only have an Exhibit 1 which is the revised 02/15/01 Upper Schuylkill River Subzone. It looks like we received an Exhibit 1, Northeast Philadelphia Airport Subzone, and it looks like a new list of all of the subzones. Are there -- (Pause.)

Councilman Nutter

Okay, I understand now. You were asking about Exhibit 4 which doesn't exist right now.

Council President Verna

Yes.

Mr. Schelter

Madam Chair the legal description for the Navy Yard 4 Subzone 4 has been distributed.

Council President Verna

So the 11 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 Philadelphia Naval Business Center should be noted as Exhibit 4?

Mr. Schelter

Correct, Madam Chair.

Council President Verna

Councilman, you have a copy of that?

Councilman Nutter

I do now have a copy of that. Okay, so this should go behind Exhibit 4. Okay.

Council President Verna

Are there any other questions? Seeing none, the Chair would recognize Councilwoman Blackwell. This will conclude the public hearing. Do you have anyone else to testify on this bill? Do we have anyone to testify on this bill? Seeing none, this will conclude our public hearing. - - - 12 2/15/01 - WHOLE - BILL 010092 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Thursday, February 15, 2001 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, held in Room 401, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILL 010092 - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILMAN FRANK J. DI CICCO COUNCILMAN WILSON W. GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANGEL L. ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO - - - 13 2/15/01 - PUBLIC MEETING - BILL 010092

Council President Verna

We will now go into our public meeting. And the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Councilwoman Blackwell

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I move that Bill 7 No. 010092 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, and also that the Rules of Council be suspended.

Council President Verna

Just a moment. Mr. Cuorato, doesn't this have to be amended? Does the bill have to be amended?

Mr. Cuorato

Yes, Madam Chair. It does.

Councilwoman Blackwell

Madam President, then I move that Bill No. 010092 be amended as has been reported in the record.

Council President Verna

Do I hear a second? (Duly seconded.)

Council President Verna

It has been moved and seconded that the amendments be adopted. All in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Council President Verna

Those opposed? 14 2/15/01 - PUBLIC MEETING - BILL 010092 (No response.)

Council President Verna

The ayes have it. The amendments have been adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Councilwoman Blackwell

I move that Bill No. 010092, as amended, be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, and also for suspension of the rules so as to be considered this day. (Duly seconded.)

Council President Verna

It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 010092 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, as amended, and further that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Council Session. All in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Council President Verna

Those opposed? (No response.)

Council President Verna

The ayes have it. And Bill No. 010092 has been reported out of committee, as amended, with a favorable 15 2/15/01 - PUBLIC MEETING - BILL 010092 recommendation and the Rules of Council have been suspended. I would ask all of the Councilmembers to please go into directly into the Caucus Room because we are running a little late. (Council adjourned at 10:30 a.m.) - - - 16 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 February 15, 2001, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public