COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON STREETS AND SERVICES - - - Room 401, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, June 24, 1999 9:20 a.m. - - - BILL 990492 - An Ordinance amending Section 9-208 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sidewalk Cafes," by permitting sidewalk cafes on the north side of Ridge Avenue from Lyceum Avenue to Conarroe Street and on the west side of Conarroe Street from Ridge to Mitchell Street - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN FRANK DI CICCO, Chairman COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN ANGEL ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - 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 990492 JOHN CUNNINGHAM, Dept. of Streets ........... THERESA COYLE ............................... 3 BILL 990492
Good morning. The Committee on Streets and Services public hearing is now in session. Present with me is Councilwoman Miller, Councilman Cohen, Councilman Ortiz and Councilman Rizzo. Bill No. 990492, An Ordinance amending Section 9-208 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sidewalk Cafes," by permitting sidewalk cafes on the north side of Ridge Avenue from Lyceum Avenue to Conarroe Street and on the west side of Conarroe Street from Ridge Avenue to Mitchell Street. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman, my name is John Cunningham Right-of-Way Manager for the Department of Streets. With reference to Bill No. 990492, an Ordinance amending Section 9-208 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled "Sidewalk Cafes," by permitting sidewalk cafes on the north side of Ridge Avenue from Lyceum Avenue to Conarroe Street and on the west side of Conarroe Street from Ridge Avenue to Mitchell Street. Ordinarily, the Department would oppose the addition of an entire block to the code, but 4 BILL 990492 because in this instance there are no other restaurants on the block, the Department has no 4 objection to the passage of this ordinance.
Thank you. Any questions for this witness from the Committee. Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? Please step forward and identify yourself for the record.
Good morning. I'm Theresa Coyle. I'm the owner of Coyle's Cafe. And other than asking for the ordinance to be passed, we have support from two of the civic associations in Roxborough. So with the Streets Department, we hope to get it passed.
We will be serving American fair with specials of Italian, seafood, things like that.
Seafood, you got a customer. I will be there. I'm a single man so I live in restaurants. Councilmember Nutter, you have anything 5 BILL 990492 you wish to say.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, as Ms. Coyle mentioned, and she's been working with my office for some time, we appreciate the cooperate of the Streets Department. This is somewhat of an unusual situation. But I would ask that if the letters that were sent in support by the Central Roxborough Civic Association and the Roxborough Development Corporation, if they could be included as a part of the record as if they had been read into the record, I would greatly appreciate it. There is neighborhood support for this. And as the gentleman from the Streets Department indicated, there are no other restaurants on this block, and so we don't have to worry about any other businesses trying to take advantage of this particular provision. The Roxborough Development Corporation believes that this kind of sidewalk cafe opportunity on Ridge Avenue will help to revitalize Ridge Avenue. We're working with the Development Corporation and the business corporation on other activities on Ridge Avenue, but we think that this will bring a unique characteristic to the community, 6 BILL 990492 and we're very enthusiastic about this bill.
Thank you. And we will make certain that the letters from the civic groups are entered into the record. And I do agree with you, Councilman Nutter, representing a district that has a significant number of restaurants and cafes, one of the nicest things to happen in our City especially in the downtown or uptown from me is the addition of the outdoor cafes. It really does bring a lot of vitality and energy to that community. It actually makes the streets much safer because people are outside and really experiencing the street-scape and all the activity out there. I want to commend you for doing business in Philadelphia and wish you lack. I'll be up for some seafood. Any other questions for these witnesses from the Committee?
Mr. Chairman, if I could only request that there be a suspension of the Rules to allow First Reading at today's Session, I would appreciate it.
One other minor point from the Streets Department. In reading the location of the cafe, I just want to put on the record that it should read the west side of Ridge Avenue.
It should say west side of Ridge Avenue and south side of Conarroe.
Okay. So we have two amendments then. West side of Ridge and then the north side of Conarroe?
South side. So noted. This concludes the public hearing on the Committee the of Streets and Services. We will now go into the public meeting. - - - 8 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE ON STREETS AND SERVICES - - - Thursday, June 24, 1999 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Streets and Services, held in Room 401, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILL 990492 - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN FRANK DI CICCO, Chairman COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN ANGEL ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - 9 PUBLIC MEETING
The chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 990492.
Mr. Chairman, I move that the amendment to Bill 990492 be approved.
And the amendment should read, "by permitting sidewalk cafes on the west side of Ridge Avenue" as opposed to the north side; and "the south side of Conarroe Street" as opposed to the west side of Conarroe Street from Ridge to Mitchell. (Duly seconded.)
It has been properly moved and seconded that Bill No. 990492 be amended. All those in favor of the amendment signify by saying aye. Nay? The amendment is approved. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz for a motion on Bill No., as amended.
Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 990492 be approved and recommended with a favorable recommendation out of Committee, as amended, with a request that the Rules of Council be 10 PUBLIC MEETING suspended so as onto permit First Reading in the next session of City Council. (Properly seconded.)
I'm not opposing action on the bill, but I have series questions as to the legality of the amendment and would just suggest that after we take this action that a corrective bill be put in so that no one will later be able to challenge the legality of the action.
Thank you. It has been properly moved and seconded that Bill No. 990492, as amended, be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and that the Rules of Council be suspended. All those in favor of the bill signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The bill is approved. This concludes the public meeting on the Committee on Streets and Services. Thank all of you for attending. Thank you. (Council adjourned at 9:30 a.m.) - - - 11 C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of June 24, 1999, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE ON STREETS AND SERVICES ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public