COMMITTEE ON RULES, June 3, 2026

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON RULES Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, June 3, 2026 2:39 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

251030, 260165, 260211, 260239, 260241, 260381, 260422, 260514, 260515, 260516, 260517, 260518, 260519, 260520, 260523, 260530, 260534, 260536 - - -

This hearing is now called to order. The Clerk will now take the roll.

Chairmember Bass.

Present.

Vice- Chairmember Squilla.

Present.

Member Gilmore Richardson.

Present.

Member Thomas.

Present.

Member Gauthier. (No response.)

Member Jones. (No response.)

Member O'Neill. (No response.)

A quorum of the committee is present. The Clerk will now read the title of each of the bills. And I do want to state, before we begin officially that Bill No. 12 251030 is going to be held and will not be heard today. 251030 is going to be held. (Background interruption.)

I know. I know. We're still working -- we're still working on some matters. We're going -- (Background interruption.)

We got it. Chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla, who is the author of the bill. (Background interruption.)

Hold it. Hold it, hold it one second, please. Chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla, the author of the bill.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do want to say that the intent today was to run the legislation as is with the amendments to that. This legislation was put forth as a notification bill that people believe that would make it easier for demolition and other things to happen when they notified the property owners that their properties are going to be designated as historic. That is not the case. There was a lot of misinformation being spread out there. We actually added additional language into this, working with the Law Department and the Historic Commission to guarantee that at notification there would be no chance of demolition. We added a lot of other information. We met with the Historic Commission, Law Department, Preservation Alliance and others for six months working on that language. We still don't have a consensus agreement on it, but we will continue to work on that and hopefully have a hearing in the summer to push it forward. So thank you so much.

Thank you for being here today. Thank you -(Background interruption.)

Please we're going to ask for some order.

I'm sorry the people are upset. (Background interruption.)

All right. Order.

Okay. Hold it, hold it, hold it. So let me just say something. We hear you -- UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible). (Applause.)

Well, thank you. Thank you for your input and thank you all for your dedication and service to the city. It's really important. And it's a shame -(Background interruption.)

Hold it. Hold it.

Please, please, please. We will have a hearing in the summer . You're all invited back when we share the amendments to the legislation. And hopefully, we'll get to a point working with the Law Department, Historic Preservation Alliance and other preservationists that were part of those conversations along the way. We made a lot of amendments that were set forth and were going to be presented today during the hearing, and we actually also had conversations about Tier 2 districts and other ways to improve and working with the Planning Commission to do surveys citywide to be proactive on nominations of historic properties throughout the district. So I know a lot of people are upset. Like I said, we'll still continue to work on this and we will take this as advice. But we also know that these recommendations came from the Historic Task Force, and we continue to implement legislation from -- (Background interruption.)

Please, please. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible).

Okay. Well, thank you. I'd be happy to meet with you. I'd be happy to meet with you if you want to meet with -- UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: (Inaudible).

I'm sorry I wasted your day.

So listen, you know, there has been a -- listen, obviously, we understand. We hear you. We are sorry that you are disappointed. But at this point, we are going to move forward with the rest of the agenda for this Rules Committee hearing. And there will be further opportunity to have commentary to express your concerns, your issues. If you support the bill, if you do not support the bill, there will be further opportunity to weigh in. So I want to make that absolutely clear this afternoon. Will the Clerk now read the titles of the bills.

Bill No. 23 251 -- (Background interruption.)

Listen, we have to have order. Please stop yelling out so that we can get through this hearing. Please stop yelling out so we can get through this hearing. If you want to speak with me, I'm happy to speak with you in the hallway. So just hold on for a minute. Hold on for a minute. I will be right out, right out. Give me one moment. Let us get through the bills. Please, please step outside. I'd be happy to talk to you. Will the Clerk now read the titles of the bills.

Bill No. 19 251030 --

(Inaudible).

I am. Is being held at the request of the sponsor and not being heard today. Bill No. 260165, an ordinance amending Section 14-545 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled /SEV, Seventh District Overlay District by adding provisions from the /AME, American Street Overlay District, and the /NCA, Neighborhood Commercial Area Overlay District, North Delaware Avenue, removing the /AME, American Street Overlay District from the Zoning Code, and making related changes, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Lozada. Bill No. 260211, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Erie Avenue, Front Street, Lippincott Street and Second Street. Introduced by Councilmember Lozada. Bill No. 260239, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia zoning maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Baltimore Avenue, Cobbs Creek Parkway, A SEPTA Regional Railroad Right-of-Way, and Cobbs Creek. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier. Bill No. 260241, an ordinance amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,” and amending Section 14-604 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Accessory Uses and Structures,” to provide for notice to owners and residents of a building regarding dwelling units licensed for limited lodging on the property, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Young. Bill No. 260381, an ordinance amending Title of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” by adding a new chapter to require specific permit applicants to provide notice of the presence of particular murals on the property to the Department of Licenses and Inspections, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 26024 -- or excuse me, Bill No. 260422, an ordinance amending Section 14-524 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “/FDO, Fourth District Overlay District” by authorizing Basic Systems and Utilities in the SP-PO- A zoning district in an area bounded by Ridge Avenue, Calumet Street, the Schuylkill River, and the Wissahickon Creek all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Jones. Bill No. 260429 is being held at the request of the sponsor and we will not be hearing testimony today. Bill No. 260514 is also being held at the request of the sponsor and we will not be hearing testimony today. Bill No. 260515 is being held at the request of the sponsor and we will not be hearing testimony today. Bill No. 260516, an ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning” by amending certain provisions of the CMX-1, Commercial Mixed Use, zoning district regarding uses, dimensional requirements, and parking, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260517, an ordinance amending Title of The 5 Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning 6 and Planning,” by revising certain 7 provisions of Section 14-513, 8 entitled, “/TOD, Transit-Oriented 9 Development Overlay District” to 10 rename it “/TOC, Transit Oriented 11 Communities Overlay District,” to 12 expand its applicability radius, 13 and amending various sections to 14 make changes to applicable use, dimensional and parking standards, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260518, an ordinance to amend Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” by revising certain provisions relating to the Transit Improvement Bonus, to clarify its parameters and revise the bonus structure, and by making related changes, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No.

260519, an ordinance amending Section 14-513 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “/TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District” by exempting certain districts from ground floor use requirements, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260520, an ordinance amending Section 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Use Regulations,” to allow Transit Station use in Commercial zoning districts, all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260523, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Roberts Avenue, Wissahickon Avenue, Hunting Park Avenue, and Fox Street. Introduced by Councilmember Jones. Bill No. 260530, an ordinance amending Section 14-702 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Floor Area, Height and Dwelling Unit Density Bonuses," to clarify the terms of the public street enhancement bonus and make related technical changes under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Squilla. Bill No. 260534, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Kensington Avenue, Clearfield Street, Tulip Street, and Lehigh Avenue. Introduced by Councilmember Squilla. An ordinance -- excuse me, Bill No. 260536, an ordinance 9 amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” to amend certain provisions of Chapter 14-500, entitled “Overlay Zoning Districts,” by creating the “/WCS, West Chestnut Street Overlay District,” all under certain terms and conditions. Introduced by Councilmember Bass for Council President Johnson. There are no other bills under consideration today. Thank you.

Do any members have any opening remarks on any of the bills as stated by the Clerk today? (No response.)

And seeing none, will the Clerk please call the first panel that we have to testify on Bill No. 260165.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. (Witness approached witness table.)

Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Good afternoon, Chairman Bass or 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. 260165, introduced into City Council on March 5, 2026 by Councilmember Lozada. Bill No. 260165 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by Section 14-545 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/SEV Seventh District Overlay District," by adding provisions from the /AME, American Street Overlay District, and the /NCA, Neighborhood Commercial Area Overlay District, North Delaware Avenue and removing the /AME, American Street Overlay District from the Zoning Code. The bill combined several zoning overlays in the Seventh Councilmanic District into the new /SEV, Seventh District Overlay District. The action will make the zoning code provisions that apply to this Council district easier to understand and administer. It will remove overlays that were exclusive to the Seventh Council District, and the overlays that were in shared Council districts will remain in the code. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 9 No. 260165 at its public meeting on March 19, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Any questions from the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else here to testify on this bill whose name has not been called, 260165, whose name has not been called? (No response.)

Okay. Thank you for your testimony. The Clerk will please call the first panel we have to testify for Bill No. 260211.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Thank you. Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony. Before you do that, I want to acknowledge the presence of Councilmember Gauthier and also Councilmember O'Neill.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 260211 introduced into City Council on March 12, 2026 by Councilmember Lozada. Bill No. 260211 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Erie Avenue, Front Street, Lippincott Street and Second Street located within the North Planning District. The bill proposes to change zoning designations of a number of properties in North Philadelphia to enable commercial and affordable residential development in existing buildings, correctively rezone active schools and playgrounds, and remove legacy industrial zoning from residential neighborhoods where it could be harmful. This action is consistent with several goals in the Philadelphia 2035 City Vision, which calls upon the City to promote strong and well-balanced neighborhood centers, improve the quality and diversity of new and existing housing and reposition former industrial sites for new uses. The North District Plan also recommends that the City encourage the rehabilitation of vacant buildings into affordable housing. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 13 No. 260211 at its public meeting on March 19, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone on the committee with any questions for this witness? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone else who is here to testify on Bill No. 5 260211 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. And, Madam Clerk, please call the first witness to testify on Bill No. 260239.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Thank you for being here. 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. 260239, introduced into City Council on March 19, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier. Bill No. 260239 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Baltimore Avenue, Cobbs Creek Parkway, a Septa Regional Railroad Right-of- Way, and Cobbs Creek in the Angora neighborhood, which is located within the West Planning District. The bill proposes to change the zoning for the property at 5900 Baltimore Avenue, where Motivation High School and KIPP West Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School are located from RSA-5, Residential Single Family Attached, to SP-CIV, Special Purpose - Civic, Educational and Medical. The comprehensive plan predates the creation of the SP-CIV base zoning district, but it was established to address several recommendations related to the maintenance and preservation of public educational facilities and is generally recommended for properties with active public schools. Representatives of the School District of Philadelphia confirmed to the Commission that this property is not on the list of properties for realignment, and that the district intended to continue the property's use as an active educational facility. This bill includes an amendment to update zoning maps to reflect the area changes as introduced. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 24 No. 260239 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions for this witness from the committee? (No response.)

Seeing none, thank you for your testimony. And is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260239 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, I want to thank the witness for her testimony. Clerk, please call the first panel we have to testify on Bill No. 260241.

Sarah Adamo, Director of Zoning and Legislation with L&I, Quality of Life Unit. (Witness approached witness table.)

Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Good afternoon, Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Sarah Adamo, and I'm the Director of Zoning and Legislation for the Department of Licenses & Inspections, Quality of Life. Today I'm here to provide testimony on Bill No. 260241 which, if enacted, will amend Title 9, entitled "Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions," and Section 21 14-604 entitled, "Accessory Uses and Structures," to provide for notice to owners and residents of buildings regarding dwelling units licensed for limited lodging on the property. Bill No. 260241 would establish additional disclosure requirements concerning limited lodging activity in multifamily residential building. Specifically, the bill would require landlords when entering into or renewing a lease, to disclose in writing to tenants whether any dwelling unit within the building are licensed for limited lodging. The bill also requires remedies for tenants when required disclosures are not made, including the ability to terminate a lease without penalty under certain circumstances. Additionally, the legislation would require limited lodging operator licensees to provide written notification regarding their activity to various affected parties, including property owners, residents of all dwelling units in the building and other owners within the same building plan unit development or cooperative housing agreement. The bill would become effective 60 days after enactment. L&I QOL supports the bill's goal of increased transparency for residents and property owners regarding limited lodging activity. L&I QOL does not oppose this bill. Thank you for your consideration. I'm happy to answer any questions from the committee at this time.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions from the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else who would like to testify on this bill, 260241, whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you very much for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the witness we have to testify on Bill No. 260381.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission; and Jane Golden from Mural Arts. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good afternoon. Paula, 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. 260381, introduced into City Council on April 23, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260381 amends Title of the Philadelphia Zoning 8 Code, entitled "Zoning and 9 Planning," by adding a new chapter 10 to require specific permit 11 applicants to provide notice of the 12 presence of particular murals on 13 the property to the Department of 14 Licenses and Inspections and will apply citywide. The bill proposes to create a new section of the zoning code dedicated to preservation notices for zoning permits issued for certain actions on properties hosting murals erected by a single entity, mural arts. The Administration is having ongoing discussions about how this would operate, if enacted. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 4 No. 260381 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended that the bill be held for an additional 45-day review. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Before we hear from Jane Golden from the Mural Arts Program, Chair recognizes Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you, Paula. We appreciate all of your help and we look forward to continuing to work with you and the team at the Planning Commission. So I wanted to just offer some brief comments about this bill. But first, I want to recognize and thank the incredible team at Mural Arts Philadelphia, especially Jane Golden, whose vision and leadership helped transform Philadelphia into the mural capital of the world, and I think we are all so proud of that designation. Your impact on this city is immeasurable, and generations of Philadelphians will benefit from the legacy that you are leaving behind. The bill before us today is pretty simple. It doesn't stop development, it doesn't override property rights or create a new approval process. It simply requires communication when a development proposal would remove or cover a mural. I think we all will agree that our murals are part of Philadelphia's identity. They tell the stories of our people, of our neighborhoods. They reflect our communities, they draw visitors from all across the world. And yet far too often, and this has come across so many times during my tenure, murals disappear or they're at risk of disappearing without anyone knowing until it's too late or until they're gone, in the worst cases. And so, this legislation creates a basic notice process between city departments and mural arts so that there's an opportunity to communicate, to document. And hopefully, the ultimate goal is to preserve or replace these important works of art. And so, at its core this is about communication and stewardship and protecting the identity and the culture of our neighborhoods. It's a modest, commonsense step that recognizes the value of one of Philadelphia's greatest cultural assets. And so, thank you so much for all of your work, for your partnership on this. And I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Council President Johnson for his leadership. He led the charge on this and I was grateful to work with him, and appreciative that we have a leader in Council that recognizes the importance of our beloved murals. Thank you so much. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for your commentary. And we now recognize Jane Golden for your testimony. Please proceed.

Hello, everybody. So my name is Jane Golden. And I'm so excited to be here today. It's a bill with a number. This is so exciting. I mean, it's -- we've been thinking about this for so long. So good afternoon, Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee. Thank you for having us here today. And I'm here to testify on Bill 260381, which requires specific permit applicants to provide notice of the presence of murals on a property to the Department of L&I. Throughout my career, I have worked tirelessly to make sure that the city has murals and to care for them, to think about preservation. Our city is so unique and wonderful. We have an extraordinary collection, unlike any city in the world to be honest with you. There are murals on every corner of the street. When people come here from outside, you know, when people come here from around the country and the world, they're just stunned. They're like, mural, mural, mural. They can't believe it. And I'm like, yes, yes. And they represent our history, our struggles, our stories, our triumphs. They range from work that is very personal, to topical, to lyrical, to urgent, and from the celebratory to the somber, and their collective diversity of style and tone and topic. The murals speak broadly and deeply about who lives in our city. They fill our public spaces with joy, with moments to reflect and with evidence of public participation and connection, something missing often in today's world. And of most importance, the work shows us how public art can reflect and generate community. Another measure of their importance isn't just how they look, but it's how they happen. It's how they were created, and the thread that links all the murals, like thousands of them, all over the city, from now, if you look back, back in the day to anti-graffiti, it's the broad range of authors that are involved. And when I use the word authors, I think of citizens, business owners, public agencies and departments, prisons, civic groups, students, and, of course, artists, we love artists. So broad authorship has been central to how we work. And this beautifully inspiring process of engagement that makes the mural movement in our city so resilient and has lasted over time. And that's why it remains beloved. We see ourselves in our murals. Our work has been analyzed and researched over years by people across the globe who have repeatedly come to the conclusion that mural-making is a process that builds social capital and creates opportunities over and over again for engagement that crosses boundaries in most unusual ways among the public, the private, the social, the civic and the esthetic. And this process of co-creating the work and creating a vision of public art into public life, this has an enormous impact on the people who live in Philadelphia. But just as we have seen all this growth in what we do, there's another trend that is very disturbing and sad. Developers, sometimes from outside the city, will tear down a mural or build in front of them, and that is very startling. And it's like we can't believe it. And I want to be clear, I'm not standing in the way of economic development or development, we have partnerships with developers and that's a win-win. And clearly, Philadelphia needs housing. But growth should not diminish or eradicate the cultural assets that make people want to live, work and invest in the City of Philadelphia. Repeatedly, people tell me this, and I am sometimes stopped on the street and people say, are you the mural person. And I'm like, yes. And they'll say, I moved to Philadelphia because of the murals. And I'm like, yay. Not that I'm excited or anything about it. And I would say that Mural Arts invests, you know, in over $2 million in hiring 250 artists every year. But it's not just artists. It's like we have participants in all our different programs, as you all know. And so, it's really an investment. Murals aren't just decorations.

They're repositories of community memory. And for decades we have built an international reputation as a city that values and believes in public art. And we're known as a city who invests in the arts, and that is wonderful. We have tours that draw people from all over the world. I led a tour last year. And someone was there from Australia, from Germany, from Japan, I couldn't believe it. This was just one little tour that I led. And they said, oh, one day we went to the Barnes, and the second day we're coming on a mural tour. And if you go on a mural tour, you're seeing things beyond Center City. You're going out into the neighborhoods, into the communities and seeing all this richness and wonder that makes our city so magical. And when murals go away, we lose more than paint on a wall. We lose stories, relationships. We lose our identity, our investments. And I believe, and I know I'm biased, but I do believe we lose a piece of our heart and soul. So the question is not whether development should happen. Of course it should. It is how development and cultural preservation can sit side-by-side. It is not a one or the other opportunity. I believe we are on the right track with this legislation being submitted today to protect our murals. And I'm so thankful, Councilmember Gauthier, to you and your staff, to Council President Johnson and his staff for really being tireless about this. And so, as Councilmember Gauthier said so eloquently, this is really a logical thing, like, tell us if this is going to happen, so then we can talk to the community, we can talk to the artists, we can talk to the developers and say, is there something we can do to preserve this. Like with the Martin Luther King mural, you know, on Lancaster Avenue, Full Court developers, they made space for a new mural. So the community was so sad and then so happy and it was great. It was like ta-dah. It was such a great -- I mean, I remember the dedication as if it were yesterday. It's like, oh, I loved it. So that's what we're advocating for. But when it doesn't happen right, driving -- I was driving down Chestnut Street not too long ago. We did this great mural that was a tribute to President Obama's initiative on My Brother's Keeper, really beautiful. Hundreds of men of all ages worked on this project. And driving by, it was rubble. It was rubble. No 8 one knew. No one told us. It was the most heartbreaking thing to witness. We don't have to have that happen. So encouraging conversation, examining design solutions, seeing if adjustments can be made, this is what we're advocating for. And remember, cities are judged not only by what they build, but what they choose to keep. Philadelphia has demonstrated that economic development and cultural stewardship are not opposing goals to me. They strengthen each other. Our murals tell the story of who we are. As we build Philadelphia, the Philadelphia of tomorrow, we must ensure that we do not, do not erase the Philadelphia that generations have created and loved and respected. Thank you so much. )

Thank you so much for your testimony. Any comments from members of the committee? Chair recognizes Councilmember Mark Squilla.

I just want to add one thing. I wish everybody who testified, testified like this. It was really a breath of fresh air. So thank you so much. I love your ability to always find solutions out of challenges. Sometimes when adversity strikes, it brings an opportunity and you will always be able to find that opportunity. Like you said, if a development needs to happen, can you provide a space for it or can you help pay for a new mural right on the corner or down the street. These things would be easier done if we knew they were happening ahead of time and not be reactionary but proactive in that approach. So thank you, Councilmember Gauthier and Councilman Johnson, for this legislation, and be happy to support. Great job.

Thank you so much. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone else here to -- seeing that there's no other questions from the committee, is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260381? Please come forward to testify on Bill No. 260381. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good 9 afternoon. How are you? My name 10 is Ryan Spak. 11

Good 12 afternoon. 13

I'm the 14 principal partner at Spak Group or 15 a real estate development firm 16 based in West Philadelphia. And we 17 have had the immense pleasure of 18 being a partner with Mural Arts on 19 several projects. We had purchased 20 the property on South 52nd Street 21 across from Malcolm X Park from a 22 family that had owned that property 23 for two generations. 24 And we had never really been a party to a mural in any way, shape or form, but what we came to find was that in order to keep the younger kids from tagging their building and simultaneously tell a story, the owners had commissioned their own mural on this property called Breaking Chains. And it was a depiction of historical African American leaders throughout time that they felt were imperative in teaching the youth in this community something impactful and it worked. For almost years, no 15 one tagged their property. 16 But when the building 17 fell into disrepair and they were 18 in preforeclosure, we became the 19 buyers. And the key to our 20 purchase agreement was to commit to ensuring that the mural did not disappear. And this building at 500 South 52nd Street now has a mural that depicts the same concept of breaking chains and is now double the size and was a chosen piece of art by Gabe Tiberino, an artist who I have fallen in love with, but it was chosen, the design, by the community itself. And what my company learned was a multifold of things. We learned that engagement with the community was an intense opportunity to learn what was important to that community. We gave power to the community to actually be involved in our development and what was happening in that property. The restaurant that is there now, Toast Cafe, is there because the community asked for a sit-down restaurant. And more importantly, when we went to build the next building up the street at 52nd and Addison, we put a secondary mural featuring Herbie the Love Bug with a suicide awareness concept behind it. And when we sold that building, that owner wanted to take that mural down and I realized that we had left a piece of the community vulnerable in the sale of that property. Because as stewards of that building, we had the ability to ensure that mural stayed, but the minute we sold it, we left that mural vulnerable. And so, we worked for almost a year and a half with Jane Golden and the team at Mural Arts to create agreements with the rest of our buildings that all have murals that the next owner not only has to be responsible for that mural in partnership with Mural Arts, but cannot take that mural down without a set of criteria, whether they put it back on the new building, whether they pay to move it to another building that the community agrees to. There are set criteria if Mural Arts, God forbid, were ever to disappear on us, what happens to that mural. This agreement is filed as an easement and goes against the title of the property. The idea behind it is much more stringent than the legislation you put forth today, and this legislation I am incredibly favored of. It is a start of an awesome conversation around public art and our ability as a community to support artists and the stories these communities have to tell. So thank you all for this effort. I love this legislation and congratulations. I hope it passes out of committee today.

Thank you for your testimony. Can we have the next speaker please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Aminata Sandra Calhoun. I am here definitely in support of 260381 and here more so to give personal attachment and association and activity around murals, and to speak on how I have been affected by a mural being removed by a developer. I returned to Philadelphia after two and a half weeks in Spain. Getting out the Uber that brought me to my home with my suitcases and whatnot, neighbors are running up to me, oh, what are you going to do. I'm like, what am I going to do. And they're pointing to the corner where the Ed Bradley mural was fenced up with fences around it. I'm like, oh my god, what is going on here. So not only was the Ed Bradley mural removed by developers. But as said previously in testimony with no warning, no 6 warning, as my City Councilperson so elegantly expressed, no warning to the community and God knows, no 9 warning to me, who spent many, many days up on the scalpel applying this mural. And I think it's a downright disrespect and disgrace not to be informed prior to, because you're looking at the millions of dollars. This is not paint by no numbers. A number of funds, a lot of funds go into this, time, activity, physically. But what is most profound about these murals and that I experienced from the Ed Bradley mural, it is a mental health piece. These murals serve as mental health therapy. You may not understand or know that for a fact, because those of us who appreciate these murals, some of us, we sit and gain energy, mental health. I am still affected today from the removal of the Ed Bradley mural, and now boots on the ground trying to find a location to replace this mural. So I need some therapy around this, the removal of not just the Ed Bradley mural, but many, many murals throughout the city because years back, I was employed with Mural Arts, wherein my position was to take and do tours of the murals by way of the trolley. We had visitors and people that would come on the trolleys and the trolley would tour around the city and I would explain the murals, the history and on and on. So let's look at what we can do between the developers and construction to not erase the murals, because that's the soul and heartbeat of Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.)

Thank you for your testimony. And can we have you please state your name for the record, sir. Can we have you please --

My name is Eric Okdeh --

-- state your name and proceed.

Okay. My name is Eric Okdeh and I've been fortunate enough to be a working muralist in Mosaic Arts in Philadelphia, and have done work in the U.S., across the U.S. and the world for almost three decades. I'm here today because I recognize the work that the Mural Arts program has done in collaboration with residents throughout our city, sets us apart from any other arts organization in the world. Murals in this city don't just appear one day out of nowhere. There are stories behind every mural that you see in this city, and every mural is the culmination of the collaborative efforts of a multitude of stakeholders and everyday Philadelphians over a long period of time. This bill is about communication, not stopping development. Over the years, Mural Arts has cultivated relationships with developers and work in tandem with them. We do not wish to halt development with this. But this bill affords us the time to ensure that we can contact all the project stakeholders and alert them to any development situation. It allows us the time to plan programming and documentation around the end of a project's life, while at the same time giving us the ability to see if we can utilize the momentum of a beloved mural disappearing and envision possibilities to recreate or reimagine the work in another location. This really hits home for me. I've unfortunately found out much too late about projects being built in front of. Most tragically, there was a mural that I had done in collaboration with another artist about the life of Dox Thrash, African American printmaker in Philadelphia. This was at 16th and Girard. My partner in that project was a man named Willis Humphreys, and Willis sadly died in 2019. And that was a big gut punch I think for everybody at Mural Arts, and we still feel that to this day. But the unceremonious disappearance of that mural was a sting on top of that. And as of this year, two of my foundational projects are being covered up as we speak. Both of these projects were yearlong in their development and contained the collaborative efforts of quite literally hundreds of people and many organizations throughout the city. One such project is called Family Interrupted. It's a project about the impact of incarceration on families, which was created in conjunction with a mural class that I taught at SCI Graterford Prison. And we've worked with longstanding institutions like the Pennsylvania Prison Society and various victims advocacy and reentry groups throughout Philadelphia to make this project happen. It contains scannable QR codes that lead to audio files of impacted people sharing their stories. The project has a website that's been alive since 2010 that contains the entire history of the project and testimonials of close to 100 people impacted by the issue. As technology develops, our potential for storytelling grows. Murals are far more than just that image that you see on the wall. There's so much more behind it. They have connected websites, accompanying films, enhanced augmented reality experiences. These projects are so much deeper than paint on a wall, and they deserve the time that this bill provides. So when they are decommissioned because of development, all the stakeholders, community liaisons and collaborators can be made aware of the situation, have the ability to create programming, documentation and awareness around the end of a project's life. And the artist has the ability to reconnect with these stakeholders, strategize and plan for the future as well as update those online experiences that accompany these projects accordingly. So thank you for this bill. I really hope it goes through and I appreciate the time today.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

My name is David Gwinn and I'm here to testify about Bill 260381. First, I want to just say thank you so much for bringing this bill, Councilmember Gauthier and all of Council. And I want to testify to the truth of everything that's been said before me. Murals, I've been a mural painter in Philadelphia for 28 years and I've painted dozens of murals throughout the city. And like has been said, I've seen the transformative impact that murals have and the way that they become a focus of community identity, a vessel for community history and bring beauty to all over Philadelphia. And by the same token, I've seen my share of murals lost to development. And, yes, it always happens in the same last- minute-through-the-grapevine way. And that's why this bill is so exciting. Because as has been said, it would be amazing to have a conversation where we can strategize with time to think about how these memories, how this history and how this identity can be preserved, can be stewarded going forward. Just recently at 27th and South, a mural that I painted with mural arts was torn down. As I said, I found out through the grapevine and I can't tell you how many people called me to let me know about it and to tell me how much it meant to them, how much it meant to have this mural in their neighborhood, how much it meant for them to see it on their commute across the South Street Bridge into Center City and how sad they were to see it go. There was really no 23 vehicle for us to pursue any remedy or look for a way to preserve this. What it all means to me, murals are a public good. The way that I look at it, along the lines of community gardens, parks, libraries. And there's a real cost when we lose those things. I've lived in Philadelphia my whole life, and I want Philadelphia to thrive and I'm always excited about new things being built. However, it's critically important that we have a process, a conversation to talk about the real value of what's being lost in development and how we can restore that. Thank you so much again for bringing this bill and I hope that it passes.

Thank you for your testimony. Hello. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Ann Northrup.

You can proceed with your testimony.

I'm a mural painter. I've lost a few murals. The first one was to a developer who just -- the neighbors had planted a garden on an empty lot and the neighbors requested a mural about the gardeners, and they wanted there to be a historical record of their work and their leadership in the community in creating this wonderful place. And so, it was wonderful working with them and they were characters in the mural that I painted for them. And what happened was the lot was owned by somebody, the prices in the neighborhood of the land went up. And so, a developer -- so they decided to develop the lot into a house. And that's not a tragedy, but so much is lost when that happens. Because here were these historical figures, these parents and good neighbors and gardeners, and it was really a beautiful thing that just was lost. Now, the idea, of course we had a chance, but we were not able to save it. But in some cases, there's no planning or any kind of communication about it. So I think it's really an important thing that you're doing here and I salute you for that. Then there was a second one that was going to be lost. That was one world at the Independence Charter School and they wanted to build a gym in front of it. Okay, that's good for the kids too. Maybe you could move it to the other side of the lot. But, no -- so they were proceeding with that. But we were able, because of the time that we had, to photograph the mural, to find donors who would pay for the replacement of the mural somewhere else, and that was just key. So at 21st and Market Street just behind the Dunkin' Donuts between Market and Ludlow, you can still see one world. And it's a mural about the wonderful families all across the world. I tried to represent the entire world. And every day when I was painting on it, people would come up and talk to me about how they felt about it and how they identified with the characters in the mural. And that was just a wonderful thing. Because the drunks were hanging around on the corner getting liquor from the store on Market Street. But there were other people that really were, you know, hardworking and appreciative people who were -- and even those people of course were appreciative even though they threatened to paint Donald Duck all over it. But even so, it was a great, you know, sort of conversational opportunity and place for people to identify with something good. So that was a great one. And now currently, my mural at Juniper and Spruce is under threat. That's the gay mural, the LGBTQ mural, Pride and Progress and that hurts me a lot. They want to build -- that community itself wants to build a high-rise affordable housing for LGBTQ people with no 20 money, so it's a good thing. But I think they should -- at least we have time to talk to them about how we might be able to replace it, protect it, that sort of thing. So I really applaud what you're doing. Thank you for that.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier for a brief comment.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to share one of the most painful experiences with this that happened in my district and on a positive note, I think one of the most painful examples I have seen came at the hands of one of the most unscrupulous developers I've dealt with, who develops extensively in my district, who decided to build in front of the Negro Baseball League mural on Parkside Avenue, which is beloved by the community and actually across from Fairmount Park where the actual Negro Baseball League played. And this developer said to the community, if you don't approve my variance for this development that I know you don't like, I'm not going to save your mural. And it was an extremely painful and traumatic experience where we were at the mercy of this person and then also there were different sides of the community who thought, oh, we have to approve it because we want to save the mural and other folks that were being penalized because they didn't agree with the development. And I have to think if we had more time, we wouldn't have been at his mercy. And so, for me that's a part of why this is important because it is a threat to -- sometimes development is a threat to real history and cultural assets. And then I'll end on a positive note by thanking Ryan Spak for his partnership overall. But the building that he testified about was actually my campaign office for like a year so I got to enjoy that beautiful mural every single day. But also, I want to thank you, Ryan, for just being a different type of developer. We've known each other for a long time and we debate a lot about development. But I was sitting in here and you testified on another bill the other day. And one of my District colleagues turned to me and said, I wish we had developers like that in my district. And I was like, oh, I guess he is kind of cool. So I just wanted to thank you for always being willing to work with the community and being a developer that does things a little bit differently and more equitably. Thank you so much, and thanks to everybody who helped out with this bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for your commentary. Is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260381 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the first person to testify on Bill No. 260422.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission; and Laura Copeland, Philadelphia Water Department. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you for your attendance. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon, Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee. I'm Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 260422, introduced into City Council on April 30, 2026 by Councilmember Jones. Bill No. 260422 amends Section 14-524 of the Philadelphia Zoning Code, entitled "/FDO, Fourth District Overlay District" by authorizing basic systems and utilities in the SP-PO-A zoning district in an area bounded by Ridge Avenue, Calumet Street, the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek and the East Falls neighborhood, which is located within the Lower Northwest Planning District. This bill will update the /FDO, Fourth District Overlay District to allow basic utilities and services as a permitted use in the SP-PO-A, Special Purpose - Parks and Open Space Active base zoning district, restricted to a defined area of the Queen Lane Raw Water Pumping Station. This legislation is intended to allow the Philadelphia Water Department to plan and carry out future work to upgrade municipal drinking water facilities related to the Water Revitalization Plan without needing to seek a variance or special exception before the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Philadelphia 2035 Comprehensive Plan recommends modernizing and repairing existing utility infrastructure, calling on the city to strategically and systematically replace obsolete water infrastructure. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 6 No. 260422 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Laura Copeland. Good afternoon, Chairperson Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Laura Copeland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Education, Community Engagement and Government Affairs with the Philadelphia Water Department. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. Today I'm here to express support for Bill No. 260422 amending the Fourth District Overlay by creating an area defined by -- excuse me, defined as the Queen Lane Raw Water Pump Station area and allowing basic services and utilities within the SP-PO-A, Special Purpose - Parks and Open Space Active zoning district. In this area, we have spent time connecting with individual Councilmembers to discuss parcels containing Water Department facilities that require corrective zoning, particularly in Districts 4, 8, 9 and 10. Today I would especially like to thank Councilmember Jones for his support of this bill. Passage of this bill 22 is critically important to ensure that PWD can effectively maintain and improve our drinking water infrastructure. Many of our facilities predate the zoning code, and their zoning does not reflect the long- term use of the site for drinking water infrastructure. We are working to correct the zoning for our drinking water facilities across the city to eliminate costly delays from seeking variances and addressing appeals to justify existing uses. In addition, these changes give residents confidence that sites near them will remain in civic use and not be redeveloped into uses incompatible with their neighborhoods. The facility we are discussing today includes a drinking water pump station, which moves water from the Schuylkill River to the Queen Lane Water Treatment Plant for treatment. The treated water is used by homes, schools, businesses throughout the city. This pump station is the only source of water for the Queen Lane Plant and central to PWD operations. It is currently zoned SP-PO-A, which does not include basic water facilities as an allowable use. Amending the Fourth District Overlay to allow basic services and utilities at the property ensures that this facility can be appropriately maintained and rehabilitated as necessary. This legislation is mutually beneficial to our partners at the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, as the area will retain its SP-PO-A zoning designation. And I'd like to thank our colleagues at PP&R for their continued partnership. We've already reached out to the affected RCOs to let them know about these corrective zoning efforts and we'll continue to engage with them. We are always seeking ways to reduce our overall costs and minimize impact to ratepayers. Maintaining this facility as it ages is just one example of customer-conscious planning and project work. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I'm very happy to answer any questions.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Are there any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you very much again. Is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260422? (No response.)

And seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the witnesses to testify on Bill No. 260516.

Michael Gall, Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon again, Chair, members of the committee.

Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon, Chairmember Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Michael A. Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 260516, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier on behalf of Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260516 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising several sections that regulate the CMX-1 neighborhood, Commercial Mixed-Use based zoning district, to update provisions regarding uses dimensional requirements and parking. This bill is part of Mayor Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy or H.O.M.E. initiatives Tier 2 of zoning legislation intended to allow the infill of vacant corner commercial units with residential uses. The action will update the CMX-1 neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use based zoning district by amending use and dimensional standards to allow new uses, including context-sensitive commercial uses and two-family residential use by-right, with more housing, with more unit allowances for larger properties based on their lot size. The changes support additional infill housing units and commercial allowances and create specific dimensional standards that do not rely on those of adjacent districts. This bill is consistent with several provisions of the Philadelphia 2035 Citywide Vision Comprehensive Plan. Specifically, it helps transition non-commercially viable locations to more appropriate land uses, stabilizes and upgrades existing housing stock and helps ensure a wide mix of housing is available to residents of all income levels. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 22 No. 260516 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260516 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you very much. Madam Clerk, please call the next witnesses to testify on Bill No. 260517.

Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Thank you again, Chair, members of the committee. Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, here to testify on Bill 4 No. 260517, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier on behalf of Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260517 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising Section 14-513, entitled "/TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District," to rename it to see "/TOC, Transit-Oriented Communities Overlay District" to expand its applicability radius from 500 feet from station entrances and exits to a quarter mile, and to amend various sections to make changes to applicable use dimensional and parking standards. This bill is part of the Transit-Oriented Communities package, part of Tier 2 of the legislative reforms, pursuant to Mayor Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative. The staff of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission has worked extensively with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and SEPTA staff on amendments to zoning code related to what is currently called transit-oriented development. Part of this work has included a shift in perspective from TOD and its focus on development to the more holistic and equitable practice of promoting transit-oriented communities or TOC. The goals of TOC are to make it easier for more people to access transit, improve the experience for both riders and employees of transit operators, to create economic opportunities near stations and a better built environment and to promote equitable housing options. The overall policy intention is to allow for more housing to be built near designated transit stations. The Comprehensive Plan explicitly calls for the city to coordinate land-use decisions with existing and planned transit assets to increase transportation choices, decrease reliance on automobiles, increase access to jobs, goods, and services and maximize the economic, environmental and public health benefits of transit. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 17 No. 260517 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

I have some questions on the previous bill.

Thank you for your testimony. Chair recognizes Councilmember Brian O'Neill.

I'm not going to ask questions about the transit-oriented. I'm going to ask you about the CMX-1.

Absolutely.

Did you contact my office to explain all the changes that are going on or --

We have --

-- am I exempt from this?

We have --

That's all I want to know. Is my district exempt?

So your district itself would not be exempt right now, but we have produced an amendment language that would push the date of enactment to later in the fall so that -- we've already set aside time with our staff and contacted your office to be able to exempt your district specifically.

Okay. Is there any reason that -- I'd like to ask the sponsor if this bill could be held over the summer if it's not going to become effective until some time in the fall. I think you said November something?

November 15 was the date.

Yeah, November 15. Is there any reason we have to rush this through? I'd rather have those discussions during the summer, not after a bill passes. If for no 22 other reason I go to a civic association meeting and they say, you voted for this and now you've changed your mind. There's no 2 changing of mind here. It's just a different -- I understand why people want this, believe me. But I ask people to understand why I wouldn't want it. Okay. That's all. I have a lot of CMX-1 in my district. This is not a friendly change for me.

Chair recognizes Councilmember Gauthier.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, colleague. I would just want to understand what that would impact from a H.O.M.E.'s perspective before agreeing to that. And I may be misunderstanding, but I also thought that and I may be wrong so someone can correct me, Councilmembers would have to affirmatively kind of remap in order for the change to go into effect or am I misunderstanding that part?

I guess I'm probably best able to answer your question. So currently CMX-1 is mapped in every district in the city. Councilmembers can change their district overlay to exempt or change the rules on top of that. But currently CMX-1, this would change the rules for CMX-1 citywide.

I see. I understand your concern. But even if we could recess to discuss a bit, I wouldn't want to agree to that without understanding in a comprehensive sense the ramifications.

Yeah. I mean, I would like it held over the summer, if possible.

Why don't we convene during our public meeting, our -- you know, our meeting after we take all of the testimony before we vote and we can make a determination at that point how we're going to proceed.

I may not be here for that.

Okay.

I'd like to get it done --

My intention is, well, I had some concerns and had some conversation with Planning about the 8th District and these changes by-right and -- thank you. So we'll come back to that in a moment.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. Is there anyone else to testify on Bill 260517?

Can Ted Zellers, Miles Owen, Brennan Maragh, I have Christina Robertson, Dustin Dove, can you please approach the witness stand to speak only on 260517. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you. Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony. We are going to ask that folks are brief because we're up against another hearing that has to convene shortly, very shortly. So if we could ask everyone to just be as brief as possible.

Understood. Thank you. My name is Ted Zellers. I've lived in Kensington for the last eight years, and I'm here in strong support of the TOD-TOC bill, all of the above. Housing near transit has been a huge driver for my whole adult life. It's why I moved to Philly, because of the transit system. When I moved here, I was able to sell my car, which was so exciting for me because it meant I was saving a lot more money. I was able to stay in more shape, better shape by transit, biking, walking altogether. And it's also -- it makes me feel good to feel like I have a managed impact on our environment because I worry about climate change a lot, as do most of my friends. My wife shares the same values. We both live near the El, use it all the time. We're really happy with our lifestyle. And I'll be moving to West Philly soon, yeah. And we just bought a place over there. It looks like a regular house from the outside, but inside it's actually a multi-unit. And this is really great for everybody I think, because it makes it more possible for us to have bought this place. The people living there help us out with a mortgage. And then for the people that are there, they have these small affordable apartments that are great for single people. And the weird thing about this house though is that it's kind of illegal, so it was made a multi-unit in the 1940s. And so, it's been around for like 80 years. People have been in it, it's been great. But when I look around my neighborhood, it's like all single family, even despite being between the El and the trolley line on Baltimore Ave. It's like, why am I the only person who gets this awesome house. It doesn't seem fair, you know. All my friends struggle with housing affordability issues and this is such a no-brainer formula to me of how to make housing more affordable if you don't need to pay for a car and you can have this like multi-unit situation. So I just hope we can expand this opportunity to other people and not just me. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon. Miles Owen. My name is Miles Owen. I'm a city planner, a regular user of our roads and transit systems. Division Zero Committee Co-chair for 5th Square advocacy and someone for whom the biggest factors in figuring out where to live is accessibility to transit. I'm here today to speak in favor of Bills 260516 through 260520, and especially 260517 to make it more robust. The math of transit is simple and unforgiving. The less people ride, the less we have in ticket sales to help fund capital projects and maintenance. This makes transit unreliable, resulting in even less people riding. Breaking this cycle of disinvestment and decline is absolutely crucial for a functioning transit system and a functioning city. The best way to break the cycle is to make it easier for more people to ride SEPTA. This will increase ticket sales, provide more money for projects and maintenance, and that is what these bills will accomplish. Allowing more people to live near transit will also create other benefits. Right now if someone wants to live near transit but can't find appropriate housing, they will expand their search and move in neighborhoods farther away. This bill helps focus housing density in areas near transit, allowing more housing opportunities for people who want to live in those areas. This isn't an academic argument for me. I don't own a car and haven't for decades. For me, this is a choice because this is how I like to live. Since I don't own a car, I don't park anywhere or cause wear-and-tear on our roads. This bill will create more housing for people like me, taking more cars off our roads and saving the city money at the same time. More housing near transit means more people riding transit, means better transit for all, means less people driving cars, means more vibrant streets, ultimately saving the city money and giving the SEPTA the tools it needs to thrive. Thank you.

Thank you so much for your testimony. Mo, please state your name for the record and proceed.

Can we also have Dr. Jay Arzu, City and Regional Planning for University of Pennsylvania, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, come up; Mr. Mo Rushdy, Business Industry Association; and Katrina Connors with the American Institute of Architects, please approach the table. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good afternoon, Councilmembers. Good afternoon, Madam Chair. My name is Mo Rushdy, and I'm testifying today on behalf of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia. The BIA is a trade association of small, medium, and large residential mixed-used developers working throughout Philly, along with the professionals who provide related products and services. The BIA strongly supports Bill 260517 and urges Council to pass it before the summer recess. Expanding trans- oriented community zoning is one of the most practical, cost-effective steps this city can take to grow its housing supply. Reducing parking minimums near transit is among the most impactful reforms in this bill. Structured parking can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to a project cost, actually 4 million. I did three of them last year. Near transit, where residents drive significantly less, those requirements make housing more expensive without adding real value, removing them allows our members to build more units at lower costs, savings that translate directly into more attainable rents and sale prices. As of right, zoning near transit also gives developers the certainty needed to move projects forward. Predictability is a prerequisite for investment, especially in neighborhoods where margins are the tightest, creating an opportunity for a major source of naturally occurring affordable housing. More homes near transit means stronger, more walkable commercial corridors. Active ground floor requirements in this bill will keep neighborhood retail strips occupied and vibrant. Residents living near frequent transit drive less, reducing congestion and emissions across the city and growing the base of transit riders near SEPTA stops, supporting fair revenue that sustains the system at zero cost to the city or the state. We urge Council to pass Bill 260517 and commit to follow-up station designation bills this fall, extending to benefits to more neighborhoods and more Philadelphians. The BIA is ready to be a partner in that work. Thank you very much.

Thank you for your testimony. Can we have you, sir, please state your name for the record and proceed.

Yes. Dr. Jay Arzu. Good afternoon, Chairmember Bass, Councilmember Gauthier and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Dr. Jay Arzu, and I am proud to call Philadelphia home. I am a housing organizer with 5th Square Advocacy, and I have spent my entire career studying how cities move. I'm here to strongly support Bill 260517. For too long, Philadelphia has treated land around our train stations like an afterthought. Surface parking lots, vacant storefronts and low-slung blocks sit on some of the most valuable transit access points in Philadelphia County. Bill 21 260517 begins to change that. It expands our transit overlay from 500 feet to a quarter mile from each station. It allows modestly more homes near the train and it adds to new buildings to put more life into ground floor uses instead of garage doors. But this is not just about zoning. It is about people. Imagine a Philadelphia where a family can live near the El, skip the cost of a second car and put that money toward rent, childcare and savings. Picture neighborhoods filled with corridors that have shops and storefronts instead of curb cuts, where more working families can afford to live in the very places that connect them to jobs and opportunity. And here is what I want this Council to hear most clearly about this bill: More homes near transit means more riders for SEPTA. More riders means more fair revenue to sustain SEPTA, at zero cost to the city or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. At a moment when we are fighting to save our transit system, this bill is one of the most powerful tools we have and it does not cost taxpayers a dime. But let me be honest with you, 7 stations is a start but not a 8 finish. The Broad Street line, our 9 Regional Rail, our trolleys and our 10 busiest bus routes all deserve to 11 be in this bill too. 12 Look no further than 13 North Broad, where six fast-food chain stores sit adjacent to Broad Street subway stations, prime transit land that we're allowing drive-throughs and parking lots to occupy. This is exactly the kind of transit-oriented communities -- this is kind of the community that the transit-oriented communities bill would put back in play. The placemakers and placeholders are already written into the text. I urge you to fill them. Let us build a stronger, fairer and more connected Philadelphia. I urge you to support Bill 260517 and pass it before the end of the summer recess and make it bigger and bolder in the fall. And we are here to continue to work with you. We look forward to further questions. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

Katrina Connors. Good afternoon, Councilmember Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Katrina Connors, and I'm testifying on behalf of the American Institute of Architects. Our members are architects and design professionals working across residential, commercial, mixed-use and (inaudible) projects throughout Philadelphia. AIA Philadelphia strongly supports the proposed ordinance amending Title of The 8 Philadelphia Code, entitled Zoning 9 and Planning, including the updates 10 to the Transit-Oriented Communities 11 Overlay provisions. These reforms 12 represent a thoughtful advancement 13 of Philadelphia's zoning framework 14 by helping address housing needs while supporting sustainable growth and neighborhood vitality. AIA Philadelphia supports these reforms because they expand housing opportunities in well-connected, walkable neighborhoods, strengthen neighborhood commercial corridors as vital economic and social anchors, and leverage existing transit infrastructure to promote more equitable access to opportunity. If implementation proceeds, we encourage the continued evaluation of the geographic extent of TOCs throughout Philadelphia and consideration of additional TOC areas near major transportation hubs that are not currently included. Expanding opportunities for transit-oriented development can help maximize the public benefit of existing and future transit investments. We commend city leadership for advancing forward- looking, policy-driven solutions, and welcome the opportunity to work with City Council to ensure these reforms are implemented in a manner that promotes design excellence, inclusivity and long-term benefit to the community. Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I respectfully urge the committee to support these zoning reforms.

Thank you very much for your testimony. And please state your name for the record and proceed.

Thank you, Chair Bass and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Dustin Dove. While I am President of the Fairmount Civic Association, I do not speak on behalf of them here. I'm here to support Bills 260516, 260517, 260518, 260519 and 260520, but I want to speak specifically to Bill 260517. If it becomes law, Bill 21 260517 will remove parking minimums in the transit-oriented communities overlay district and expand that district to cover more stations, including hopefully, if amended, to include the 5th District stops on the Broad Street Line that my neighbors and I use. All these bills taken together help ensure that Philadelphians of all incomes can live in neighborhoods like mine without needing a car, and also support SEPTA ridership by allowing more homes near transit stops. Transportation is the number two highest cost for most families in Philadelphia, and allowing more people to get to our job centers via transit is good for families and good for the city. I've walked the 0.6 miles from my home to the Fairmount Avenue stop on the Broad Street Line many times, and I can tell you that it is a reasonable distance for someone who wants to commute on the train to job centers in Center City and around the region. Residents may be priced out of neighborhoods because we built very little in recent years, often due to restrictions that don't allow the homes we need to be built. These bills will help increase the supply of homes and ensure that anyone who wants to live in Fairmount or similar neighborhoods can do so. The small businesses of Fairmount Avenue would also benefit from increased foot traffic if more homes were allowed nearby, which would help our small business community and increase safety and liveliness in the corridor. For future generations who desperately want to be able to afford to live in our city, for a transit system that needs the ridership and for small businesses that need the business, please support these bills. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. And please state your name for the record and proceed.

Hi. My name is Brennan Maragh, and I wanted to say thank you to Chairmember Bass and the rest of the Rules Committee for allowing me to speak today. I also represent 5th Square Advocacy as the Co-Chair of the Housing Committee, and I want to also thank a few of the members who are not here, who met with some of our members concerning these bills as well. So I'm in support of Bill 260517 as well as the accompanying Bills 260516 through 260520 for a multitude of reasons. In the interest of not repeating what others have said, you know, more homes near transit means more riders for SEPTA, lower transportation costs for families and also the ability for more people to put down routes in the city. Personally, I moved to Philadelphia about two years ago because I knew that it had strong transit infrastructure and the ability to get around without needing a car, which was very important to me. So even though the city has good infrastructure, we can't take it for granted. And Bill 260517 will help make sure that their investments in transit to make sure that it remains strong and powerful throughout the city. I would urge the Council to consider the following changes: Additions to 260517 which are removing parking mandates near transit, covering more stations on more lines, increasing the coverage radius beyond the current 1000 feet and allowing by-right multi-family housing in residential districts near transit areas. These changes will not only allow more people to live and get around Philadelphia, but also bring much-needed financial stability to SEPTA and encourage growth across the city. And look forward to speaking with Councilmembers we haven't met yet about the benefits of TOC and incorporating them into their districts. And we encourage you to pass these bills. Thank you so much.

Thank you for your testimony. I do want to acknowledge the presence of a member of the committee, Councilman Jeffrey Jay Young. Thank you for being here, Councilman. Okay. We're going to proceed. Is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260517? (No response.)

And seeing -- you already testified. Okay. And seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call --

Madam Chair?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Can I be recognized?

Yes. Chair recognizes Councilmember Brian O'Neill.

I have to leave the chamber. I may not be back before the end of the hearing. I would like to be recorded as aye on all bills and all amendments, all bills as amended. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. Madam Clerk, please call forward the witnesses to testify on Bill No. 260518.

Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. (Witness approached witness table.)

Good afternoon again, Chair and members of the committee. I am Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 260518, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier on behalf of Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260518 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising certain provisions related to the transit improvement bonus, an existing bonus to clarify its parameters and revise the bonus structure and by making related changes, all under certain terms and conditions. This bill is part of Mayor Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, Tier 2 of zoning legislation, as a piece of the Transit-Oriented Communities package. The transit improvement bonus was originally added with the new zoning code in 2013. It offers developers density bonuses in return for improvements to transit infrastructure. The current transit improvement bonus has only been used twice, both times by Comcast and Center City. This bill, crafted in close partnership with SEPTA, amends the existing transit improvement bonus in a number of ways to incentivize and further target its intended use, to expand its applicability and to clarify roles and responsibilities. This bill is consistent with several provisions of the Philadelphia 2035 Citywide Vision. Specifically, it calls upon the city to strengthen neighborhood centers by promoting transit- oriented development around designated transit hubs, to coordinate transit-oriented development efforts with transit providers and to invest in existing infrastructure to improve service and attract riders. Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 19 No. 260518 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'd be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260518 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the first panel to testify on Bill 14 No. 260519.

Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon. I'm Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 260519, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier, on behalf of Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260519 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising Section 14-513, entitled "/TOD, Transit-Oriented Development Overlay District," by exempting residential and park districts from the overlay's active ground floor use requirements. This bill is part of Mayor Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative in the Tier 2 of zoning legislation as a piece of the Transit-Oriented Communities package. This action will exempt all residential single-family detached, residential single-family attached, residential two-family attached, and all residential or all -- sorry, all special purpose parks and open space districts from the active ground-floor use requirement within the overlay applicability area of the TOD, Transit Oriented Development Overlay District. Currently, residential districts near designated TOD stations are required to either provide one of the few required ground floor uses allowed within their zoning district, such as family childcare or else seek relief from this requirement via the Zoning Board. The legislation before us would exempt homeowners from this process with the policy intention of protecting the character of single-family blocks located near transit stations. This bill is consistent with several provisions of the Philadelphia City 2035 Citywide Vision. Specifically, it helps strengthen neighborhood centers by promoting transit-oriented development around stations, focusing TOD efforts around nodes identified by PCPC staff, and encouraging context-sensitive density at these nodes according to the guidelines in the proposed zoning code, and coordinating transit-oriented development efforts with transit providers. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 17 No. 260519 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. Happy to answer any questions this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260519 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

And seeing that, thank you so much for your testimony. Madam Clerk, please call the next panel to testify on Bill 12 No. 260520.

Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Good afternoon, Chair, members of the Rules Committee. Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission here to testify on Bill 23 No. 260520, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Gauthier on behalf of Council President Johnson. Bill No. 260520 amends Section 14-600 of the Philadelphia Zoning Code to allow transit station as a use in commercial zoning districts. This bill is part of Mayor Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy Plan in the initiatives Tier 2 of zoning legislation, as a piece of the Transit-Oriented Communities package. The action proposed to allow transit station as a use by-right in all commercial zoning districts in the city. This bill 18 is consistent with several provisions of the Philadelphia 2035 Citywide Vision. Specifically, it helps the investment in existing infrastructure to improve transit service and attract riders and coordinate land-use decisions with existing and planned transit assets to increase transportation choices, decrease reliance on automobiles, increase access to jobs, goods and services and maximize the economic, environmental and public health benefits of transit. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 10 No. 260520 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. Happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Any questions from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, the Clerk will please call the next panel to testify on Bill No. 260520.

Jen Dougherty, SEPTA Manager of Real Estate Planning and Development, has submitted written testimony.

Written testimony, okay. So for the record, we had Jen Dougherty here, SEPTA Manager of Real Estate Planning and Development, who left written testimony on this matter. Thank you very much. Madam Clerk, please call the next witness to testify on Bill 12 No. 260523. Council will be at ease for one moment. (Council at ease.)

Thank you. Council will resume. And we will please have the Clerk call the first panel to testify on Bill No. 260523.

Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner, Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Good afternoon, Chair, members of the Rules Committee. I'm Michael Gall, Senior Legislative Planner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, here to testify on Bill 7 No. 260523, introduced to City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Jones, Jr. Bill No. 260523 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Roberts Avenue, Wissahickon Avenue, Hunting Park Avenue and Fox Street. The properties to be remapped were formerly the site of the Bud Company's Manufacturing Plant, a press steel fabricator that closed in the 1980s. The zoning is proposed to be changed from I-2, Medium Industrial, to CMX-3, Commercial Mixed-Use, to facilitate a redevelopment of parts of the industrial campus. A pair of active railroad rights-of-way crosses the site, a CSX freight line, and SEPTA's Chestnut Hill West Regional Rail Line, and the developer has expressed interest in activating a station there for the planned mixed-use development, which is also slated to include biotech research uses. The area has seen a decline in industry going back several decades and has transitioned to a mix of commercial uses consistent with this remapping action. Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 20 260523 at its public meeting on June 4, 2026. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Are there any questions or comments from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone who is here to testify on Bill No. 260523 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

Seeing none, thank you for your testimony. Clerk, please call the first panel to testify on Bill No. 16 260530.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. (Witness approached witness table.)

Good afternoon. Please state your name for the record and proceed.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 260530, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Squilla. Bill No. 260530 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by amending 14-702 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Floor Area, Height and Dwelling Unit Density Bonuses," to clarify the terms of the public street enhancement bonus and to make related technical changes in the Washington Square West neighborhood, which is located within the Central Planning District. The bill proposes correcting technical errors in Bill 23 No. 250436, which was previously approved in May 2025. This legislation fixes a text omission of percent signs in the bonus table. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 5 No. 260530 at its public meeting on May 21, 2026 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions or comments from members of the committee? (No response.)

And seeing none, is there anyone else here to testify on Bill No. 260530 whose name has not been called? (No response.)

Okay. And seeing none, thank you for your testimony. The Clerk will please call the first panel we have to testify on Bill No. 260534.

Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Please state your name for the record and proceed with your testimony.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 260534, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Squilla. Bill No. 260534 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Kensington Avenue, Clearfield Street, Tulip Street and Lehigh Avenue in the Port Richmond neighborhood, which is located within the River Wards Planning District. The bill proposes to change the zoning for three properties: 2782 Emerald Street, 2730 Frankford Avenue and 2010 Somerset Street. They are currently zoned ICM-X, Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use, I-2, Medium Industrial, and CMX-2, Commercial Mixed-Use, respectively. The new zoning designations are RSA-5, Residential Single-Family and RM-1, Residential Multi-Family. The remapping supports the development of the parcels through the Turn the Key program by addressing zoning barriers. The sites are part of a larger development package for approximately 20 affordable homeownership units. This bill includes an amendment to add Map A existing zoning and Map B proposed zoning to the legislation, which were not included when introduced. The City Philadelphia Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 260534 at its next public meeting on June 4, 2026. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Are 12 there any questions or comments 13 from members of the committee for 14 this witness? 15 (No response.) 16

17 Seeing none, is there anyone else 18 here to testify on Bill No. 260534 19 whose name has not been called? 20 (No response.) 21

22 Seeing none, I want to thank you 23 for your testimony. 24 And the Clerk will please call the first panel we have to testify on Bill No. 260536.

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. 260536, introduced into City Council on May 14, 2026 by Councilmember Bass for Council President Johnson. Bill No. 250536 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by amending Chapter 14-500, Overlay Zoning Districts by amending the /WCS, West Chestnut Street Overlay District in the Center City West neighborhood, which is located within the Central Planning District. The bill proposes to amend the existing WCS West Chestnut Street Overlay District that was created by Bill No. 7 200348, approved May 11, 2021. The provisions of this overlay lapsed on December 31, 2024 except as to any building permit there in effect. The amendment will now have the overlay lapsing on December 31, 2028. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission will consider Bill No. 260536 at its next public meeting on June 4, 2026. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time. And thank you for letting me present today.

Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. Is there anyone here -or let me ask is there anyone on the committee who has any questions? (No response.)