Committee Hearings
The Committee on Licenses and Inspections heard testimony on the following legislation:
Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code (entitled “Service and Other Businesses”) to add business hour restrictions in the First, Seventh, and Eighth Councilmanic Districts, all under certain terms and conditions.
Amending Chapter 9-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Trades”, by adding requirements and establishing certain limits related to electrical contractors, all under certain terms and conditions.
While both bills were recommended favorably from the committee, Bill No. 250292 was met with opposition from both the Philadelphia Police Department and the Department of Commerce. Acting Commerce Secretary Karen Fegley read testimony on behalf of Deputy Police Commissioner Francis Healy, in which the department expressed concern with the expansion of curfew provision in the 7th and 8th Councilmanic Districts.
Earlier curfew expansions were enforced entirely by the police department, which was manageable due to the concentrated enforcement on specific commercial corridors. However, this expansion could stretch already stressed resources beyond effectiveness.
“This bill represents a substantial shift in scope,” Healy’s testimony read. “Expanding the curfew zone to include every neighborhood within the 7th and 8th Districts would dramatically increase both the number of business affected and the geographic area requiring enforcement. This change introduces significant operational challenges.”
Fegely added that the Commerce Department felt the legislation would cause confusion and create a mixed message regarding the city’s nighttime economy.
The Committee on Public Property and Public Works heard testimony on the following legislation:
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to convey fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest in and to all or a portion of the property in Cobbs Creek Park bordering City Avenue in Delaware County and in Cobbs Creek Golf Course bordering City Avenue in Philadelphia County, all under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority for use by the City of premises located at 1601-29 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions.
Bill No. 250434
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement for the use of all or a portion of the City-owned underground area, commonly known as Broad Street Sub-Concourse North, that neighbors the basement of the Municipal Services Building located at 1401 John F Kennedy Boulevard, under which the operator will maintain and operate the space to provide services to the community and unhoused persons, under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement with the Holmesburg Fish and Game Protective Association, Inc., for use of all or a portion of the City property bounded by the Pennypack Creek, the Delaware River, Pennypack Street, and State Road in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into an amendment to a lease agreement with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, for use by the City, of a portion of the premises located at 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease agreement with the New Market and Headhouse Conservancy for use of all or a portion of the City-owned premises, commonly known as the Headhouse and Shambles in Headhouse Square, located along 2nd Street between Pine and Lombard Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the public benefit, under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest in and to all or a portion of the property bounded by Cobbs Creek, 75th Street (extended), Buist Avenue, and 78th Street and owned by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, the Philadelphia Land Bank, or the Philadelphia Housing and Development Corporation, all under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest in and to all or a portion of the property known as 1822-1830 West Cayuga Street, all under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for the development of a mixed-use condominium and Health Center facility on premises located on Frankford Avenue in the vicinity of Pratt Street and Dyre Street; owned by FCDC Development Properties I LLC or an affiliated entity, and authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to enter into a long-term lease or sublease agreement for the occupancy and operation of the Heath Center facility on said premises; and authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire fee simple title to, or a lesser interest in, the completed Health Center facility, including a condominium unit, or to facilitate the transfer of title in the completed Health Center facility, including a condominium unit, to the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development or the Philadelphia Municipal Authori…
Authorizing the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation and the Commissioner of Procurement, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia (the “City”), to enter into a multi-year Concession Agreement with German American Marketing, Inc. d/b/a CHRISTMAS VILLAGE IN PHILADELPHIA, for the operation and management of a seasonal Christmas Village for the City of Philadelphia at LOVE Park and other potential City owned areas.
The Committee on Rules hear testimony on the following legislation:
Amending Section 14-303 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Common Procedures and Requirements,” by authorizing the Zoning Board of Adjustment to condition zoning approval upon provision of affordable housing, under certain terms and conditions.
Amending Chapter 14-516 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “/WST, West Overlay District,” by providing for new digital sign controls; all under certain terms and conditions.
To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Powelton Avenue, Preston Street, Filbert Street, and 41st Street, and to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code by adding Section 14-544 entitled /CSI, CSI Forensic Laboratory Overlay District, and making other related changes, all under certain terms and conditions.
Amending Section 14-533 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled “/MIN, Mixed Income Neighborhoods Overlay District,” to expand applicable areas of the overlay in the vicinity of 49th Street and Woodland Avenue
To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Fox Chase Road, Castor Avenue, Hoffnagle Street, and Alma Street.
Amending Chapter 14-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Use Regulations,” and Chapter 14-700, entitled “Development Standards,” to establish use requirements for above-ground garages owned by a public entity and new development standards applicable to certain areas of land located within an area bounded by 10th Street, Chestnut Street, 11th Street and Ludlow Street, all under certain terms and conditions.
To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Emily Street, 4th Street, Mercy Street, and 5th Street.
The Committee on Transportation heard testimony on the following legislation:
Authorizing the Procurement Commissioner to enter into agreements to purchase electricity, natural gas and motor fuel for use by the City in City facilities and vehicles, including agreements that obligate payment for delivery of such energy supplies in future fiscal years, all under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Procurement Commissioner, on behalf of the City, to enter into an agreement with the Philadelphia Energy Authority to purchase electricity and certain attributes and benefits related to the generation of such electricity from Abes Run Solar, LLC, for use in connection with City facilities, all under certain terms and conditions.
Authorizing the Council Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to investigate the potential locations of new intercity bus terminals in the City of Philadelphia
Until 2023, Greyhound operated an intercity bus facility at 1001 Filbert Street. According to Interim Director of the Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development John Mondlak, add the closure of the facility was due to industry-wide disinvestment of real-estate holdings nationwide in an attempt to cut costs.
Currently, bus carriers operate on Spring Garden Street between North Front and North Second, and on Schuylkill Avenue between Walnut and Chestnut Streets.
Mondale said the Department of Planning and Development, in coordination with the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS), the Streets Department, and the Commerce Department, were working to “develop bus operations that can accommodate the increased bus volume expected” for the city’s 2026 festivities. These locations would be temporary while a permanent space is identified and prepared.
The criteria for the potential temporary locations are as follows:
Near accessible public tranist
Space for a waiting area for riders that includes bathrooms, shelter from inclement weather, and seating
Can accommodate onsite sales of tickets
Easy access to highways with minimal time spent on neighborhood streets
Proximity to businesses including restaurants and cafes that riders can patronize
Potential locations has been identified by the city that meet the following criteria:
Within 1/4 mile of an off-street station in SEPTA’s ,metro network or of a Regional Rail Station serving more than 1 line
Lot’s that are least 7000 square feet
Can accommodate or is able to create wide enough widths for a bus turn radius
Land that is ideally owned by the City or another municipal entity or can be quickly acquired
Can launch in time to meet the 2026 event needs and serve until the long-term bus terminal is available
The city has identified six possible temporary locations and six potential permanent locations. Details will be announced at a later date.
This article is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and Philadelphia Health Partnership. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.
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