COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON RULES - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, April 3, 2008 9:25 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY BILL 080255 - An ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Community College of Philadelphia... BILL 080256 - An ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Community College of Philadelphia... - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a public hearing of the Rules Committee. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read Bill No. 080255. MR. McPHERSON: Bill No. 8 080255, an ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Community College of Philadelphia by allowing for the construction of a new building to be used for additional classroom space, dining and educational space at the College.
Good morning, Mr. Kramer. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good morning, Chairman Verna. Before I start my testimony, we did do the testimony for both bills involving Community College. Would we want to take both bills at this time?
I think that would be a good idea. 3 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. MR. McPHERSON: Should I read the title?
Yes, please. MR. McPHERSON: Bill No. 7 080256, an ordinance to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan of Community College of Philadelphia by allowing for the construction of an addition to an already existing building to be used for additional classroom and educational space at the College.
Good morning, Chairman Verna and members of the Rules Committee. I am William Kramer, the Division Director of the Development Division of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here today to testify on Bill Nos. 080255 and 080256, which were introduced into Council March 6th of 2008. The purpose of these bills is to amend the Institutional Development District Master Plan for the Community 4 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. College of Philadelphia. These amendments contain two major components. The first, Bill No. 080255, will permit the construction of a new two-story 37,776 square feet student dining building called The Pavilion located on the west side of 17th Street just south of Spring Garden Street. This new building will include a new enhanced dining area for faculty and students, including a new kitchen. This building will also serve as the new location for the College's consolidated Culinary Arts Program, Hospitality Program, and it will serve as the new Visitor's Welcome Center. It is the College's intent to apply for LEED certification for this building from the United States Green Building Council. The second amendment is the subject of Bill No. 080256, which will permit the construction of a 5,219 square foot addition to the main entry of the Bonnell building, which is located across 5 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. 17th Street from the proposed Pavilion building. This new addition will improve pedestrian circulation and permit the creation of a one-stop enrollment area. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission at its meeting of February 19, 2008 considered and approved the amendments to the Master Plan of Community College of Philadelphia which are the subject of Bill No. 080255 and Bill No. 080256. At the request of the Law Department, they have requested a technical amendment be made to the bill 16 essentially to make the body of the bill 17 consistent with the short title of the bill. I believe that those amendments have been circulated.
This concludes my testimony. I appreciate the opportunity to appear, and would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
6 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. Mr. Kramer, what will the additional educational space be used for? Is it solely for the creation of the one-stop enrollment area that you referred to in your testimony?
I believe that it is. Let me make certain of that. There are representatives of Community College here that may be able to answer that question.
That would be fine. Perhaps whoever is here from the College, I think they should approach the witness table, please. (Witnesses approached witness table.)
We have our architect here and I would like for him to explain what is happening in that new building. 7 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc.
Mr. Pringle, you're going to have to move the microphone closer to you. Thank you.
Thank you. I'm John Pringle. I'm with Burt Hill Architects. We're doing the two additions to the Community College that are proposed in the IDD amendments. Of the two components, one is for an addition to the Bonnell building, which improves circulation and allows for the consolidation of the one-stop enrollment area, but in order to make room for that, the second building, the building across 17th Street, is being built. So we moved food service over there and we moved the Culinary Arts Program to the portion of the building 8 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. across the street as well. The Culinary Arts is a classroom-based program.
So let me ask a question. Will the new building allow for expanded enrollment or is it simply to enhance existing facilities?
We have 38,000 students and approximately, in terms of faculty and staff --
I'm sorry. I don't think you identified yourself.
I'm sorry. Lynette Brown-Sow. We have 38,000 students. In faculty and staff, there are another 3,000.
So we're not actually adding faculty or 9 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. students?
No, we're not. Presently our student services are around the College in various different locations. This allows for us to have the opportunity to bring admissions and all of the services for students in one location so they don't have to run all over the building for it.
So there's no question about additional traffic?
Great. When do you expect construction to start?
May of the following year. 10 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc.
Are there any plans for additional future development of the College's physical plant?
Okay. Are there any questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)
Do we have anyone else to testify on these bills? (No response.)
Okay. Thank you. All right. The Chair 11 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. recognizes Councilman Kenney for a motion on Bill No. 080255.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 080255 be amended accordingly with the testimony given by the Planning Commission. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment provided by the City Planning Commission be approved. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
I move that Bill No. 080255 as amended be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow for first 12 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 6 080255 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation as amended; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Again, the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 080256 be amended in accordance with the testimony of the Planning Commission. (Duly seconded.)
It 13 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. has been moved and seconded that the amendment proposed by the City Planning Commission be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the amendment is adopted. Councilman Kenney.
I move that Bill No. 080256 as amended be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 23 080256 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation as amended; further, that the rules of Council be 14 4/3/08 - RULES - BILL 080255, etc. suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. This concludes our public meeting. Thank you very much. (Committee on Rules adjourned at 9:35 a.m.) - - - 15 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on April 3, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)