COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON RULES Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, June 12, 2025 9:05 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS, CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL
Good morning. This hearing is called to order. This is the public hearing of the Committee on Rules regarding Bill No. 250333. Members and guests, please take their seats and the Clerk will now take roll.
A quorum of the committee is present and the Clerk will now read the title of the bill.
Bill No. 13 250333, an Ordinance amending Title 14 Zoning Code of The Philadelphia Code, Sections 14-409 entitled "SP-CIV, Civic, Educational, and Medical (Special Purpose) District," and amending Title 14-602 entitled "Use Tables," by allowing Religious Assembly uses in certain Special Purpose districts, all under certain terms and conditions. There are no other bills under consideration today.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. And will you now call the first panel we have to testify on Bill No. 250333.
Will David Fecteau, City Planner Supervisor for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Please approach the witness table. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good morning, Chairmember Bass, members of the Rules Committee. I'm David Fecteau, Senior Legislative Planner with the Legislative team at the City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 250333, introduced into City Council on April 10, 2025, by Councilmember Squilla. Bill No. 250333 amends Section 14-602, of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use Tables" by allowing religious assembly uses in certain special purpose districts. This bill will add religious assembly as an allowed use in the SP-CIV, (Special Purpose) Civic, Medical, Educational-based zoning district. This use is currently only allowed by-right in certain commercial and light industrial zoning districts. It requires a special exception in residential zoning districts where most religious institutions are located. The Commission notes that prohibiting religious uses in the district creates an inequitable situation compared with other civic uses such that have similar impacts, such as schools, libraries, museums and hospitals, which are allowed in the SP-CIV. The zoning district is not widely mapped and is typically done so only by request from a property owner. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 8 No. 250333 at its public meeting on April 17, 2025 and recommends this bill for approval. I will be happy to answer any questions at this time.
Thank you very much for your testimony today. Are there any questions from the panel? Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
Go through in English what this changes and just explain it to somebody who just walked in and doesn't know anything about zoning because I feel like I am right now.
Absolutely, Councilmember. And I apologize if it was a little bit --
That's okay. I'm just following. I actually thought you were going to get closed to it.
Okay. So this is a zoning district that we specifically designed during the last administration, specifically to accommodate civic activities, schools, medical centers, any place where people are gathering in a public space. The last administration did not want to include churches, mosques, synagogues, et cetera, in this category. We believe now that it's inequitable not to do so. We had a case where we recently wrote a zoning bill for the 7th Council District and there was a mosque called the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, 1500 block of Germantown Avenue who wanted to expand their primary educational school, and SP-CIV would have been the perfect zoning district for them. But unfortunately, it would not have allowed the mosque, right. There was the primary reason why the school was there. So we thought that was a very strange situation. It was not equitable, as I said. And so, we would like to put this forward. And we asked the Councilman to introduce it, to allow religious assembly where the schools, medical centers, et cetera, are allowed.
So we did change -- well, we did bring over, let me say, the parking requirements from other zoning districts where religious assembly is allowed. So this will carry the same parking requirements. I've got written down here one parking space for every seats or one 7 parking space for every 1000 square 8 feet, whichever is greater, and 9 require those parking requirements 10 just like churches, mosques, synagogues, et cetera require in other zoning districts.
And aren't there some zoning districts that allow churches, mosques and don't really have any parking requirement other than what the residential zoning calls for, which is often one parking spot?
Councilman, I'd have to check that for you. I don't have that information in front of me.
Okay. That's my understanding. I know that's still the case. But as you're reviewing these kind of things, you may want to look at it. It was always assumed there was going to be a big parking lot next to a church, mosque. But if the zoning doesn't require it, then you've got something in a residential district that while everybody's in favor of it, it still needs parking. And so, it'll be helpful if you would look at that. Thank you. Thanks for the explanation.
Thank you, Councilman. Any additional questions? Chair recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson -- no, okay. Thank you. Seeing no additional questions from the panel, is there anyone else here to testify on this bill today?
Okay. There are no final further witnesses. I will ask if there is anyone else here in chambers that wishes to testify before the committee today? (No response.)
Seeing none, we will now go into our committee meeting. Will the Clerk please call the roll.
Okay. I now note for the record that a quorum of the committee is present. The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore. Richardson for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 250333.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 250333 be amended -- one moment, Madam Chair.
Okay. We're going to do that again. I want to recognize that a quorum of the committee is present. Chair now recognizes Councilmember Gilmore Richardson for a motion on Bill No. 250333.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 250333 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 250333 be reported from this committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to prevent first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of this motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. And if there are no 17 additional remarks from the committee or our guests, this concludes the business of the Committee on Rules today. Thank you all very much for your attendance. And Chair recognizes Councilmember Isaiah Thomas in attendance. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Chair. (Committee on Rules concluded at 9:20 a.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. __________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL