2026-09-29 - Committee on Rules

00:20Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat.

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00:45Heat. Heat.

00:55Heat. Heat. Heat.

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01:52The best

01:55man.

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02:39Everybody has a free

03:28Good morning. This is the public hearing

03:29of the committee on rules. Members and

03:31guests, please take their seats. And

03:33this hearing is now called to order. The

03:35clerk clerk will now take the role.

03:39>> Chair member Bass,

03:40>> present.

03:41>> Member Gilmore Richardson,

03:43>> present.

03:44>> Member Jones,

03:45>> present.

03:46>> Member Goautier,

03:47>> present.

03:48>> Member O'Neal,

03:50>> Vice Chair, and member Thomas.

03:54>> Thank you. A quorum of the committee is

03:56present and the clerk will please read

03:57the title of the bills.

04:00>> Bill number 260342,

04:03an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

04:05zoning maps by changing the zoning

04:07designations of certain areas of land

04:09located within an area bounded by East

04:11Washington Lane, Credin Street, East

04:14Topal Hawin Street, East Hayne Street,

04:16and Arley Street. Bill number 260343,

04:21an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

04:23zoning maps by changing the zoning

04:25designations of certain areas of land

04:27located within an area bounded by East

04:29Washington Lane, Stanton Avenue, East

04:32Hayne Street, and Arley Street.

04:35Bill number 260344,

04:38an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

04:40zoning maps by changing the zoning

04:42designations of certain areas of land

04:44located within an area bounded by North

04:4618th Street, Colonial Street, North 17th

04:49Street, and Shelton Avenue. Bill number

04:52260345,

04:55an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

04:56zoning maps by changing the zoning

04:58designations of certain areas of land

05:01located within an area bounded by West

05:03Seymour Street, Knox Street, West Logan

05:06Street, and Kaiser Street. Bill number

05:09260429,

05:11an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

05:13zoning maps by changing the zoning

05:15designations of certain areas of land

05:17located within an area bounded by

05:19Frankfurt Creek, Aramingo Avenue, Butler

05:22Street, and Frankfurt Avenue. Bill

05:25number 260462,

05:28an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia

05:30zoning maps by changing the zoning

05:32designations of certain areas of land

05:34located within an area bounded by

05:36Thompson Street. 17th Street, Gerard

05:39Avenue, Ridge Avenue, 19th Street, Cabat

05:44Street, 18th Street, and amending

05:47section 14-500 of the Philadelphia Code

05:50entitled overlay zoning districts by

05:53amending section 14-529

05:56entitled VDO, fifth district overlay

05:59district, all under certain terms and

06:01conditions. There are no other bills

06:03under consideration today.

06:10Thank you, Madame Clerk. Do any members

06:12have any opening remarks on any of the

06:14bills slated by stated by the clerk

06:16today? And seeing none, we'll proceed to

06:19the first witness. I think who's the

06:22only witness today?

06:24>> Paula Bumblo Burns, director of

06:25legislation for the Philadelphia City

06:27Planning Commission.

06:31>> Good morning.

06:32>> Morning everyone.

06:34Please state your name for the record

06:35and proceed with your testimony.

06:37>> My name is Paula Brumbello Burns. I am

06:39the director of legislation for the

06:42Philadelphia Planning Commission. And

06:43good morning.

06:44>> Good morning,

06:44>> Chairperson Bass and members of the

06:46Rules Committee.

06:46>> Good morning.

06:47>> It's good to be back.

06:48>> Good to see you.

06:50>> So, I am here to testify on bill number

06:52260342

06:54introduced into city council on April

06:5616th, 2026 by council member Bass. Bill

06:59number 260342

07:01proposes to change the base zoning of

07:03the Parkway Northwest High School site

07:05from RSA2 residential single family

07:07attached to SP CIV special purpose civic

07:10educational and medical. The site

07:15is part of Alberry Superblock, an area

07:18with a mix of residential and other

07:20institutional uses in the upper

07:21northwest planning district. The

07:23Philadelphia City Planning Commission

07:25considered bill number 260342

07:27at its meeting of May 21st, 2026 and

07:30recommended that the bill not be

07:31approved, noting concern that the change

07:33would could prolong vacancy since the

07:35school district plans for the site

07:37remain uncertain. I'll be happy to

07:39answer any questions at this time.

07:42>> Well, thank you for your testimony and

07:44I'll state as the author of this uh

07:46legislation as well as the the next

07:48three that are coming forward. um that

07:51or the next two, excuse me. Uh I

07:53certainly understand the planning

07:55commission's uh desire to uh keep things

07:58as they are for, you know, numerous

08:01reasons. Um but I will state that the f

08:03the first thing is that they were

08:05improperly zoned in the first place.

08:07They were never supposed to be

08:09designated as residential. Um they were

08:13built as schools. So, I don't even

08:14understand how that happened and why it

08:16was allowed to go on for such a long

08:19period of time. Nonetheless, we are

08:21certainly open to having a dialogue. The

08:25purpose of this resoning is strictly to

08:28give the community some input and say

08:31about what happens in their community.

08:33If we are closing these schools, which

08:35we hope um you know that there may be

08:37some last minute hail Mary that will

08:39save them, but if we are closing these

08:42schools, then the community has to have

08:44an opportunity to have a say in what

08:46goes on those sites. And so that is the

08:49sole purpose of uh this this legislation

08:52that we have before us today. This and

08:55the other um pieces of legislation that

08:57you'll be uh testifying against in the

09:00in the next few minutes. So, thank you,

09:02>> Madam Chair.

09:03>> Yes, chair recognizes Council Member

09:05O'Neal.

09:07>> I go back a little further than a lot of

09:08people here. Uh, there was no school

09:12zoning. Uh, every school was zoned

09:14residential.

09:15>> There was no recreation and park zoning.

09:18>> It was all zoned residential.

09:20>> Um, this is, you know, we've caught up

09:23to and and we have zoning for that now.

09:27Uh but you know if you don't do

09:30remappings and nobody brings it brings

09:32it up to you and um you know things stay

09:35the same. So um the fact that you're

09:38changing it to recognize that I think is

09:40a good thing. Thank thank you uh council

09:44member and um and I will state that you

09:46know it it just in terms of the way the

09:48city works

09:50>> at the time when the zoning designation

09:52became available that that schools um

09:55could be designated as schools

09:58>> it was really I believe the

10:01responsibility of the planning

10:02commission to come forward at that time

10:05and and to notate every school that was

10:07not properly designated and to get it

10:10done at that time. I'm not exactly sure

10:12when that was. I'm sure it wasn't um on

10:14your watch, but I'm just saying that

10:16when it was when when it came forward

10:20that this would be a new zoning

10:22designation, the next appropriate step

10:25should have been to then go back and say

10:28who does not have that zoning

10:30designation and let's make that a

10:33priority to to fix it, to get it right.

10:36And it's it's something approximately

10:382018 2019 the designation was made when

10:43we were going into communities with

10:44remappings or a property was getting

10:48remapped and we saw a school on it. Our

10:50strategy was to get to them as we got to

10:53them. We did not make a large plan for

10:57all of the schools. We ran into COVID

11:00with different priorities. So we are

11:02trying to catch up. So, but you

11:04understand the idea that when we get to

11:07things, when we get to them, we never

11:09get to them.

11:10>> We are trying our hardest. I know I

11:12listen that is not to say that, you

11:14know, folks aren't working hard on this,

11:16but you know, um it it's clear that we

11:19could have a list of every school in the

11:22city of Philadelphia and have a list of

11:24all of the zoning designations and then,

11:28you know, uh parcel it out to the

11:30district council members to get it done

11:32so that we're effective and efficient in

11:34the way that we operate. So, again, no

11:37no blame game going on here. you know

11:39what my team's going to be working on

11:40right now.

11:41>> Oh, I'm I'm so excited for that.

11:42>> I think they're watching this. So,

11:44>> I think that we're all so excited for

11:45that and we'd be happy to help

11:47>> in any way that we can.

11:48>> And I do want to note there is a

11:50particular challenge with schools and we

11:51definitely ran into this with the third

11:53council district and the fourth council

11:55district. The schools purchased

11:58property. They may have never

12:00consolidated the properties. They may

12:03have been deeded some land that doesn't

12:06necessarily, especially in council

12:08district 4 with Lanol, it was a property

12:10that had no bounding streets that were

12:12legally on the city plan. So, we've been

12:15having to work with records is doing a

12:17parcel realignment and we have to ask

12:19and request that the parcel realignment

12:21be done first. Then we have to go back

12:23and review historic deeds. So sometimes

12:26schools are a particular challenge in

12:29mapping which is why these have taken

12:32these are why we had to ask you to give

12:34us a little more time to make sure we

12:35get the maps correct.

12:37>> Okay. Uh chair recognizes council member

12:39Jones.

12:40>> Uh thank you madam chair and thank you

12:42for reinforcing some of these overlays.

12:46My concern I probably most likely share

12:50with my colleague in the third when we

12:53start talking about Roersonson and it

12:56started down the bottom now real estate

12:59wise is at the top.

13:00>> Mhm. When you look at Lanov, that was

13:04bucallic from the beginning, but now

13:07wouldn't be a bad place to put uh town

13:10homes in.

13:13Differences in property values

13:17should not determine our urgency to

13:19protect those sites. If you look at uh

13:22Barry,

13:23you know, nobody's talking about Barry,

13:27but they're talking about Overbrook

13:29Elementary, which has come up in

13:32property values all around it. So, as we

13:35look at prioritizing these things, um we

13:38should do it with a sense of urgency

13:41that a looks at where the students want

13:44to go and b where the developers should

13:47not go.

13:49Thank you, Madam Chair.

13:50>> Thank you. Chair recognizes council

13:52member Gothier.

13:54>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll I'll add in

13:56I also did this type of zoning in the

13:58third district last council session

14:01session and for me it was sort of

14:02twofold. It was absolutely corrective.

14:05Um these are schools uh and should be

14:08zoned as such. But for me there was

14:11another um motive and that was focusing

14:14the conversation. I was very dismayed

14:17when um the facilities plan was finally

14:21unveiled to us the day before it went to

14:23the press that I did not understand the

14:25reason for the closure recommendations.

14:28And not only did I not understand them,

14:30particularly when it um as it related to

14:33high performing schools like Robson,

14:36like Lanenol, I found it gross that this

14:39school facilities conversation was mixed

14:41with a real estate conversation where

14:44the plan targeted several schools that

14:47our children were still sitting in um

14:50for the development of other facilities.

14:53So to me, not only was it corrective

14:55zoning, but it was also to focus the

14:57conversation because if we are talking

14:59about facilities, we need to talk about

15:01facilities and student success. Not we

15:03don't need to be mixing that

15:05conversation with speculative real

15:07estate development. And so for me, I

15:10took away that as a part of the

15:12conversation because it was

15:13inappropriate from the beginning. Thank

15:15you.

15:17>> Thank you, ma'am. Uh thank you, council

15:18member. chair recognizes California.

15:20>> I just add corrective zoning is really a

15:23good thing.

15:24>> Yes.

15:24>> But but protective zoning is much

15:27better.

15:28>> Yes.

15:30>> Mic drop.

15:33>> Thank you, Councilman O'Neal. Um and and

15:36uh I think that you can guess from the

15:39um panel here the sentiment of members

15:42of council that um you know we have some

15:45very challenging times ahead obviously

15:48with the conversation around schools but

15:50mixing

15:52the the the issue around housing and

15:55mixing that with the closure of schools

15:58it just didn't make sense. It doesn't

15:59make sense. I know that that's not

16:01really your lane, but we what we're

16:04trying to do is make sure that we have

16:05the protective zoning in place. These

16:07communities where these schools exist in

16:09my district, I'll speak for my district,

16:11folks want them to remain as educational

16:14institutions.

16:15um you know, dropping a um uh you know,

16:19basically a whole neighborhood um

16:21because some of these parcels are

16:23extremely large pieces of real estate,

16:25but dropping basically an entire

16:27neighborhood into the fabric of an

16:30existing community without any input

16:32from the community itself uh is

16:35obviously a no-go. So, um that's

16:37something that we all stand very firm on

16:39uh that I stand very firm on, I'll say.

16:42And um you know, we look forward to

16:44having further conversation. We realize

16:45that it hasn't been flushed all the way

16:47out by the planning commission, but once

16:49it is, we're certainly willing to come

16:51back to the table and have those

16:52conversations, and I want to make that

16:54clear. So,

16:55>> thank you.

16:55>> Thank you.

16:56>> I needed I needed a winter project.

16:59>> I needed a fall winter project.

17:01>> Yes. Okay. Any additional conversation

17:05from the panel? Okay. No. All right.

17:07Thank you, madam. Is there anyone else

17:09here to testify on bill number 260342

17:12whose name has not been called?

17:15No. Okay. Hearing none, I want to thank

17:17the witness for her testimony. And can

17:19we have the clerk please call the next

17:20panel to testify on 260 343.

17:24>> Paula Brolo Burns, director of

17:26legislation for the Philadelphia City

17:28Planning Commission.

17:31>> Please say your name for the record and

17:32proceed. I am Paula Brumblo Burns,

17:35director of legislation for the

17:36Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

17:38I'm here to testify on bill number

17:40260343

17:42introduced into city council on April

17:4316th, 2026 by council member Bass. Bill

17:47number 260343

17:49proposes to change the base zoning of

17:51the former Ada Lewis Middle School site

17:53from RSD3 residential single family

17:55detached to SPIV special purpose civic

17:58educational and medical. The site is

18:01part of the Alberry Super Block, an area

18:03with a mix of residential and other

18:05institutional uses in the Upper

18:06Northwest Planning District. The

18:08Philadelphia City Planning Commission

18:10considered bill number 260343

18:13at its meeting of May 21st, 2026 and

18:16recommended that the bill not be

18:18approved, noting concern that the change

18:20could prolong vacancies since the school

18:21district's plans for the site remain

18:23uncertain. I'll be happy to answer any

18:25questions at this time.

18:30Thank you for your testimony.

18:34Uh any questions from the committee? And

18:37seeing none, uh is there anyone here to

18:40testify on bill number 260343?

18:44Anyone else to testify on that bill?

18:46Seeing none, thank you very much for

18:48your testimony. Madame Clerk, can we

18:50have you call the next uh or the same

18:54witness?

18:56>> Paula Brumblo Burns, director of

18:58legislation for the Philadelphia City

19:00Planning Commission.

19:01>> Testify on bill number 260344.

19:03Please state your name for the record

19:04and then proceed.

19:05>> I am Paula Brolo Burns, director of

19:07legislation for the Philadelphia City

19:09Planning Commission. I am here to

19:10testify on bill number 260344

19:13introduced into city council on April

19:1516th, 2026 by Council Member Bass. Bill

19:18number 260344

19:20proposes to change the base owning of

19:22General Lewis Wagner Middle School site

19:25from RSD3 residential single family

19:27detached to SPIV special purpose civic

19:30educational and medical. The site is

19:32located on Shelton Avenue in the West

19:34Oaklane section of the Upper Northwest

19:36Planning District. The Philadelphia City

19:39Planning Commission considered bill

19:40number 260344

19:42at its meeting of May 21st, 2026 and

19:45recommended that the bill not be

19:46approved, noting concerned that the

19:48change could prolong vacancy since the

19:50school district's plans for the site

19:51remain uncertain. I'll be happy to

19:54answer any questions at this time.

19:56>> Thank you for your test.

19:59>> Thank you for your testimony. Any

20:00comments, questions from the committee?

20:02Um the only thing I'll say is that the

20:04school district doesn't have plans for

20:06that and it's been vacant for about 20

20:08years now. So

20:11unacceptable. Um but not again not you.

20:14Um thank you so much for your testimony.

20:17Is there anyone else here to testify on

20:20bill number 260344?

20:23Anyone else? And seeing none, thank you

20:26so much for your testimony.

20:31Will the clerk please call the first

20:32panel to testify on bill number 260345.

20:37>> Paulo Brumalo Burns, director of

20:38legislation for the Philadelphia City

20:40Planning Commission.

20:41>> Thank you. Please state your name for

20:42the record and proceed. I am Paulo

20:44Brumblo Burns, director of legislation

20:46for the Philadelphia City Planning

20:47Commission. I am here to testify on bill

20:50number 260345

20:52introduced into city council on April

20:5416th, 2026 by council member Bass. Bill

20:57number 260345

20:59proposes to change the base zoning of

21:00the Fit Fitler academics plus school

21:04site from RSA3 residential single family

21:07attached to SP CIV special purpose civic

21:10educational and medical. The site is

21:12located in the West Germantown

21:13neighborhood of the Upper Northwest

21:14Planning District and is owned by the

21:16city of Philadelphia.

21:18The Philadelphia City Planning

21:20Commission considered bill number 260345

21:22at its meeting of May 21st, 2026 and

21:25recommended that the bill not be

21:26approved, noting concern that the change

21:28could prolong vacancies since the school

21:30district's plans for the same for the

21:32site remain uncertain. I'd be happy to

21:34answer any questions at this time.

21:36>> Thank you for your testimony and seeing

21:37there are no questions from the panel.

21:41Uh is there anyone else here to testify

21:42on bill number 260 345? Nope. And seeing

21:46none, thank you for your testimony.

21:48Madame clerk, please call the first

21:50panel to testify on bill number 260429.

21:55>> Paula Brumblo Burns, director of

21:57legislation for the Philadelphia City

21:58Planning Commission.

21:59>> Good morning. Please state your name for

22:01the record and proceed.

22:02>> I am Paula Brumblo Burns, director of

22:04legislation for the Philadelphia City

22:06Planning Commission. I am here to

22:07testify on bill number 260429

22:10introduced to the city council on April

22:1230th, 2026 by council member Driscoll.

22:15Bill number 260429

22:17proposes changes to the zoning map for

22:19an edge section of a Conrail right ofway

22:22near 2173 Butler Street to enable a

22:25trucking terminal supporting

22:27construction, demolition, salvage, and

22:29reclamation activities. The Philadelphia

22:31City Planning Commission considered bill

22:33number 260429 at its meeting of May

22:3621st, 2026 and recommended that the bill

22:39not be approved, expressing concern

22:40about additional point source pollution

22:43and proximity to nearby residential

22:44areas. I'll be happy to answer any

22:46questions at this time.

22:49>> Thank you for your testimony. Any

22:51questions from the committee? Okay. And

22:54seeing none, um, is there anyone else

22:57here to testify on bill number 260429?

23:01Okay. And seeing none as well, thank you

23:05very much for your testimony,

23:07will the clerk please call the next

23:09panel to testify on bill number 260462.

23:14>> Paula Brumbo Burns, director of

23:16legislation for the Philadelphia City

23:17Planning Commission.

23:19>> Thank you for

23:21good morning. Please state your name for

23:22the record and please proceed.

23:24>> I am Paula Brumblo Burns, director of

23:26legislation for the Philadelphia City

23:28Planning Commission. I'm here to testify

23:30on bill number 260462

23:32introduced into city council on May 7th,

23:352026 by council member Young. Bill

23:37number 260462

23:39proposes to remap parcels around St.

23:41Joseph's Preparatory School from a

23:43current mix of residential and

23:44commercial zoning to SPIV special

23:46purpose civic educational and medical.

23:49The bill also proposes to create a sub

23:51area within the VDO, fifth district

23:54overlay district, to enable a parking

23:56garage with a rooftop athletic field and

23:58related campus improvements. The

24:00Philadelphia City Planning Commission

24:02considered bill number 260462

24:05at its meeting of May 21st, 20 26 and

24:08recommended the bill for approval. I'll

24:10be happy to answer any questions at this

24:12time.

24:16>> Thank you very much for your testimony.

24:18Thank you.

24:18>> Is there anyone else here to testify on

24:20bill number 260462?

24:23And I know that the uh bill sponsor is

24:26also uh in attendance and is in route I

24:29believe to this hearing.

24:31>> Please state your name for the record

24:32and proceed with your testimony.

24:38>> Good morning.

24:39>> Good morning.

24:41>> Um

24:44chairwoman, members of the committee,

24:45good morning. Can you please uh thank

24:46you for taking the time. My name is John

24:48Marinachi, M A R I N A CCI, and I'm the

24:52president of St. Joseph's Preparatory

24:53School in Philadelphia. We would also

24:56like to acknowledge and thank Council

24:57Person Young for his sponsorship and

24:59support of bill number 260462 and for

25:02his ongoing support of St. Joseph's

25:03Prep. The bill before you today, if

25:06approved, would allow us to execute the

25:07next stage of the transformative renewal

25:09of our North Philadelphia campus. It

25:12would revamp the entire St. Joe's Prep

25:14campus located between 17th Street and

25:1619th Street from Gerard Avenue to South

25:19Street to the uh excuse me to the civic

25:22institutional and medical special

25:24purpose district or SPIV.

25:27The bill also amends the fifth district

25:29overlay

25:31to amend certain development standards

25:33that will apply only to the newly

25:34created St. Joseph's Reparatory School

25:36sub area. These standards will allow for

25:39the construction of a partially sunken

25:41parking garage and rooftop athletic

25:43field.

25:44Before diving to the details of the

25:46project, I'd like to share more about

25:47our institution, its relationship with

25:48the city of Philadelphia. The prep has

25:51175-year history of educating young men

25:53from across the Delaware Valley to

25:54become men foreign with others, and we

25:56are deeply committed to our North

25:57Philadelphia neighborhood.

26:00Following a devastating fire in 1966,

26:02the prep was offered land to move to the

26:04main line, but chose to remain in the

26:06city because of the opportunities it

26:07presents to our students. Today, 935

26:11students from 180 zip codes attend the

26:13prep, where they receive an excellent

26:14education both in and out of the

26:16classroom.

26:18St. Joseph's Prep is renewing our

26:20commitment to Philadelphia and is

26:21planning a major renovation of our

26:22campus that will greatly impact their

26:24students and the surrounding

26:25neighborhood. Our vision is to create a

26:27campus courtyard that presents academic,

26:29social, and spiritual opportunities, a

26:31native plantings garden that will serve

26:32as an educational resource, a

26:34multi-purpose athletic field, and a

26:36parking facility that enhances safety

26:37and security for the entire community.

26:40Developing a multi-purpose athletic

26:42field will address a major challenge

26:43that has existed at the Prep for

26:44generations. For the first time in the

26:46history of the school, a student will be

26:48able to walk across 18th Street and

26:50experience the convenience of an onampus

26:52field to practice, play, or watch a home

26:54game. A new parking facility located

26:57under the field will address a major

26:58parking challenge by significantly

27:00increasing the number of spaces

27:01available to students and faculty and

27:03removing cars from local streets.

27:05Continuing our long tradition of active

27:07neighborhood involvement, we have

27:08drafted these plans with the community

27:09in mind. Today, our indoor facilities

27:12are utilized by multiple community

27:14organizations and we regularly host

27:16grocery giveaways and gatherings that

27:18benefit our neighborhoods along with

27:19youth sports organizations.

27:21This project will enhance those

27:23opportunities and while addressing

27:24safety with parking issues. With the

27:26help of Council Member Young, we have

27:28hosted and held uh community meetings

27:30with the with members of our community

27:32to receive and incorporate feedback on

27:33the project. We're very appreciative of

27:35their ongoing support for the prep and

27:37this project. The $100 million project

27:40itself will be privately funded. In

27:42April of this year, St. Joseph's Prep

27:43announced an historic gift that will be

27:45used to advance the Prep's mission and

27:47help transform our campus. Of the $73

27:50million gift received, 29 million will

27:52be used to fully fund 20 low-income

27:54student scholarships per grade for the

27:56next 15 years. 37 million will be used

27:59for the campus project, which will

28:00benefit the neighborhood by removing the

28:02blighting influence of numerous empty

28:04lots and dilapidated structures. Allow

28:06for the expansion of the prep's ongoing

28:07tradition of partnering with the local

28:09community and provide access to modern,

28:11clean, and secure recreational

28:12facilities. We respectfully request the

28:14committee support for bill number 260462

28:17which would allow the prep to bring this

28:19vision to reality. We appreciate your

28:21consideration and are happy to answer

28:22any questions the committee may have.

28:24Thank you.

28:25>> Thank you for your testimony. Mr.

28:26Mccclure, can you hold for one second? I

28:28do want to recognize the author of the

28:30bill. Uh chair recognizes Council Member

28:32Young.

28:33>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um and I just

28:35want to say for the record for the

28:36members of the committee that my office

28:38has been working with, uh St. prep. Um

28:42throughout the duration of this process

28:44um we have uh met with community members

28:46um and that conversation is still

28:48ongoing. Uh but we believe that uh there

28:51is uh enough uh support in the community

28:54to move this project uh forward um today

28:58and ask that you um vote favorably to

29:01push this bill out of committee today.

29:03Um, you know, the the prep has been a uh

29:07an institution in North Philly that has

29:10given back to the community. Um, and we

29:12want people to know that this project

29:14does not uh displace anyone. Um, for the

29:18most part, uh, the prep owns all the

29:21properties that are around or in

29:22conversations to own um, every property

29:24that is uh, in the footprint of of this

29:27uh, new plan. Um, so there are no uh

29:30residents being forced out um or or

29:32pushed out. Um, and I I can tell you

29:34that um every transaction that the prep

29:36has um engaged in uh with uh property

29:39owners have been arms length

29:41transactions where folks were fairly

29:43compensated for their uh properties.

29:47>> Thank you uh council member. Appreciate

29:49it.

29:49>> Thank you.

29:50>> Okay. Chair Oh, chair recognizes council

29:53member O'Neal.

29:54>> First like to thank Council Member

29:56Young. uh he's probably been more

29:58involved with the prep than any of the

30:01uh uh other fifth district members um

30:05since I've been here and that only goes

30:07back 12 terms. But uh the uh and and so

30:11I I want to recognize that. But I I was

30:14a junior uh when the fire happened. So

30:17my last year and a half was spent in

30:20cafeterias becoming classrooms and

30:22everything. And uh uh so the fact that

30:26we stayed, the fact that uh we're now

30:30reaching our full potential uh and it it

30:34it's a miracle and um I also

30:36congratulate you on good counsel here. I

30:39understand he had pretty good high

30:40school education. Uh so so uh it's good

30:44good choices all all around and uh just

30:47want to say first class institution and

30:50it's just even getting better. I don't

30:52know how you get better in first class,

30:53but uh somehow you're managing. So,

30:56congratulations and thank you, uh,

30:57Councilman.

30:58>> Thank you, Councilman Young. Thank you,

31:00Councilman Neil.

31:01>> Thank you, uh, Council Member O'Neal.

31:04Chair Chair recognizes uh, Majority

31:06Leader Gilmore Richardson. Thank you.

31:09Thank you very much, Madame Chair, and,

31:10uh, thank you so much, uh, to our fifth

31:12district council member, Council Member

31:14Young, um, for all of your work on this

31:16project. I wanted to have the

31:17opportunity to review, uh, the prepared

31:20testimony. So, I apologize. I was trying

31:22to hear what you were stating, but I

31:24didn't have it in the book. Uh, it's

31:26stated here that it's a $100 million

31:30project, uh, privately funded, and you

31:34all will fund 20 lowincome student

31:36scholarships per grade for the next 15

31:39years. Will all of these, uh, lowincome

31:42student scholarships be from young

31:44people who live in the city of

31:45Philadelphia?

31:47>> Um, that's not a stipulation of the

31:49scholarship. they tend so the funer

31:51already sponsors uh 15 students a year

31:54so this is in there this 20 are in

31:56addition to um and all of them come from

31:59inside of the I I don't want to misspeak

32:03the vast majority of them come from

32:04inside uh of the school we are currently

32:08uh 41% from inside Philadelphia county

32:10in terms of our population right now as

32:12it stands

32:13>> okay I I just wanted to ask particularly

32:15for the young people who live in and

32:17around that 19121

32:19um zip code. I had an opportunity to

32:22visit uh St. Joe's Prep recently um and

32:25thought it was a really wonderful campus

32:27um was there to utilize some of the

32:30existing um athletic facilities actually

32:33with my son who's a part of a wrestling

32:34program uh and we were there for a

32:37wrestling match over the weekend. So I I

32:39was able to see the facilities. Uh

32:41lastly, I wanted to to ask about the uh

32:44numerous empty lots and the dilapidated

32:47structures that you referenced. Is that

32:49mostly on the side streets like closer

32:51to Kabad and 18th?

32:53>> Okay. And just talk to us about what you

32:55all are going to do there.

32:56>> Yes. So, um, currently, uh, the from

33:00Styled Street to Kabat between 18th and

33:0319th. Um, there there are structures

33:05that have been empty for some time. We

33:07own a good number of those structures.

33:08There are empty lots or or structured

33:11parking lots that we own. Okay. Um and

33:13uh by structured I mean paved and lined

33:15and things along um that uh would be in

33:18all of those would be incorporated into

33:19the footprint of this project. So the

33:21project would go to the

33:23>> the construction itself would go to the

33:25south side of Kabat Street. So it would

33:27cross styles and go all the way up to

33:29Kabat. Yes, that's correct.

33:31>> And then on the north side of Kabat um

33:34we own uh will have owned by the time we

33:38start um a majority of the lots there.

33:41And uh something we've been talking with

33:42the council person about and people in

33:44the neighborhood councilman about is

33:46what our neighborhood needs and an

33:47ability to do something whether it be a

33:50playground or green space or something

33:51along those lines either there or on

33:54another property that we owned on the

33:55east side of campus. What makes sense uh

33:57to partner and provide something for the

33:59neighborhood as well.

34:00>> Great. Great. Well, I want to thank

34:01Council Member Young um for working with

34:03the community on this project and also

34:06for responding to my question relative

34:09to ensuring that no one would be

34:11displaced um as a result of this

34:13project. So, thank you very very much.

34:16>> One more

34:20let him go.

34:21>> I'll wait.

34:22>> Madam Chair,

34:27>> I have one comment.

34:30Okay. Just thanking council

34:33>> thanking you and your good judgment with

34:34council. Uh and um I see Mr. Aori who's

34:38filled me in from as if I'm at the

34:40project. Uh and while he's not a prep

34:43grad, he's Jesuit trained. So um little

34:47Scranton areas I I believe somewhere up

34:49that way. But uh uh he's he's excellent.

34:53Thank you.

34:55>> Madam Chair, may I add some

34:58>> Matt? Do you want to go ahead and state

34:59your go ahead and do your testimony?

35:01>> Sure.

35:01>> So we can have it on the record and then

35:03we'll go back to questions.

35:04>> Great. I apologize. Uh Madame Chair, um

35:07members of the committee, Council Person

35:08Young, thank you so much. Uh Matt

35:10McCclar from Boward Spar uh here on

35:12behalf of St. Joseph's Prep Preparatory

35:14School. One quick uh point of order just

35:16to bring up there is a amendment we have

35:19just remind you of the of the

35:21legislation. The maps were not

35:23introduced when the bill was introduced.

35:25So we have a there's an amendment which

35:27is the maps to the bill because the bill

35:29does both a remapping to SP as well as

35:32as well as um the technical amendments

35:35to the fifth district council council

35:37overlay. So

35:39but if there's any other technical

35:40questions I'm available.

35:43>> Thank you so much.

35:44>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

35:46Chair recognizes Council Member Jones.

35:48>> Thank you so very much Madam Chair. Uh

35:51Matt, you are well acquainted with

35:55institutional

35:56development and its impact on

35:59surrounding neighborhoods. I reference

36:01St. Joe's uh and thank you for uh being

36:05a part of that discussion. What I would

36:08ask is what is and maybe a map of a four

36:12square block area of the residential

36:15properties. what is the percentage of

36:18residents that own those properties

36:20versus uh

36:22>> so the institution?

36:23>> This is a fairly unique situation. Um

36:26the main parking lots that are between

36:30Ridge Avenue um Style Street and 18th

36:34Street are actually zoned as CMX4 CMX 3,

36:39which is probably pretty inappropriate

36:41for the community. Uh the prep itself is

36:45zoned primarily CMX3 including the JZoo

36:49church which makes no sense whatsoever.

36:52The properties uh north of Style Street

36:54to the south street south side of Kabat

36:57are zoned a combination of RMM1 which is

37:01right on 19th Street and then the rest

37:03are RSA 5. The vast majority of them

37:07other than two structures right now are

37:09owned by the St. Joe's Preparatory

37:11School. One's one is under contract and

37:14the other is about to be under contract.

37:16So yes, we are reszoning to SP civ. Yes,

37:22there's residential to the north side of

37:24Kabat.

37:26Vast majority of that is already owned

37:27by the prep. But at the end of the day,

37:31compared to SP CIV, we believe that this

37:33is a more appropriate remapping for the

37:35community. uh anyone knows and I'm sure

37:37the councilman O'Neal knows obviously

37:38that CMX3 has very few protections for

37:41the community. SP Civ was really I

37:44really want to

37:45>> have none in I have none in my district.

37:47>> No, not in your district. So SP but SP

37:49is a is a great district because it

37:51recognizes

37:53that we have all throughout Philadelphia

37:56educational institutions that need to

37:58grow. Yes, the yes, the dimensional

38:01requirements are different than

38:03residential, but they're not they're not

38:06CMX3. They're not SP uh SP uh INST. They

38:12they are designed for neighborhoodbased

38:17um u based institutions like the prep.

38:19Uh so with that, I think that you know,

38:21Councilman, I applaud Councilman Young

38:23for the remapping for this uh this uh uh

38:26of this for this for St. just prep

38:28because it's in in keeping with what the

38:30neighborhood is in the planning. So, we

38:31think that is good.

38:35>> Uh,

38:37member Young, what I'm trying to get to,

38:39if this is a map at a prep, four blocks

38:42each way, how how many residents still

38:47own those properties and for you to make

38:50sure they are well aware of any tax

38:53abatements.

38:55So that yeah, we want their property

38:57values to go up but not their tax

38:59obligations.

39:00>> Right. If I may, uh, council member,

39:02thank you for that. So this area, um,

39:04again, as uh, Mr. McClure mentioned, is

39:06a mix between RM1 and RSA 5. So there is

39:10there are a number of home owners um, in

39:14this area. uh there was our some special

39:17um developments that happened in this

39:19area where the homes are unique uh where

39:22they're all homeowners there and and

39:24then to the RM1 buildings where there is

39:26a mix of uh apartment owners as well. So

39:29there's a there's a good mix in this

39:30area. Um there's some new construction

39:32development that's happened in this

39:33area. Uh so this area has experienced a

39:36tad bit of uh gentrification. Um um but

39:39it's it's it's a mix of homeowners,

39:41long-term homeowners, uh some new

39:43homeowners and some renters uh in this

39:45area because and also most of the

39:48renters that are in this area have come

39:50from Temple University area because been

39:52pushed down toward that way. Um so it's

39:54a it's a it's a I I would call it a nice

39:56mix of a community um where the where

39:59the prep is.

40:00this project would not have um too much

40:04of a like a a negative impact on the

40:07homeowners who live in this area just

40:09because of uh the footprint of um where

40:12this is and how the prep already uh

40:14operates. Um the the traffic studies

40:18have been done to show where vehicular

40:19traffic will travel um in and around

40:21this particular area. Um, so it will not

40:24have too much of an impact on the actual

40:25homeowners who reside. Typically to the

40:28it would be to the east of where the

40:30prep is. So the northeast where the prep

40:31is.

40:31>> So I would only say you're getting your

40:33money's worth with Mccclure.

40:37>> Matter of fact, if you can increase my

40:39pleasure,

40:39>> you should increase it.

40:40>> And just on the north side of Kabat,

40:43there are no residents there. There's

40:44actually nobody residing there. So even

40:46the boundary to the north of where we

40:48would be doing construction. Could you

40:49provide the chair a map of where the

40:53prep intersects with residential?

40:58>> I think that the closest area where the

41:00St. Joe's Prep intersects with

41:03residential is where the back of the

41:05Jay-Z is. So the Joo, which is the giant

41:09Jesuit Baroque uh facility. I know well

41:12because my boys are graduates of St.

41:13Jose Prep and we go there for mass a

41:15lot. So on on the north side on the

41:18north side of uh sorry on the north side

41:20of of the church is Kabad Street. Across

41:23the street from Kabad Street there are

41:24residences but again right now that

41:27structure is zoned CMX3.

41:30It's going to be remapped to SPIV under

41:32this legislation. It is historic preview

41:34protected. Nothing's changing there. So

41:36it is so it's more just to make sure

41:39that the uses that are allowed by SP civ

41:43are consistent. I mean there are things

41:45in CMX3 that are inappropriate for this

41:47site useful wise and there are things in

41:49SPIV that you want for this site because

41:51it is an institutional use. And one of

41:54the things that was very important is

41:55that there was a text amendment last

41:57year that the council uh and council

42:00approved that allowed for a modification

42:03of SPIV to have for religious activity.

42:05Believe it or not SP originally did not

42:08allow for religious uh assembly and now

42:10it does. It makes it a perfect fit for

42:13the prepare.

42:16>> One more question.

42:18>> Chair recognizes council member Young.

42:20>> Thank you. I do have a question. So

42:23So St. Joe's Prep is definitely lo known

42:26for its sports programs, particularly

42:28football, right? It's akin to some

42:31college football. Um can you talk to us

42:34uh publicly about what will happen on

42:38this new facility? Are you going to have

42:40varsity games here? What varsity

42:42programs will be using this? Um is there

42:44opportunity for community to use this

42:45space and things like that?

42:47>> Certainly. Yes. Thank Thank you,

42:48Councilman. Um we will not have varsity

42:52football games there uh because it would

42:54be uh too much of a stress on the

42:55neighborhood to be quite honest. We have

42:58uh several thousand people come to our

42:59home varsity football games. Uh so um at

43:03at the moment anyway. So if prep

43:04football continues to have the success

43:06it does, uh that would be too much of a

43:08stress in the neighborhood. Other uses

43:10of the field for the prep would be

43:12practicing varsity football, under squad

43:14contests for football, JV and freshman,

43:17uh, lacrosse at all levels because that

43:19is a very manageable number, soccer at

43:21all levels, varsity, JV and freshman

43:23because those are manageable numbers

43:25that mix that match the size of the

43:27facility that we have. Um, rugby again

43:32similar ultimate frisbee and any other

43:35outdoor practice type activities that go

43:37along with it. As far as the community

43:38is concerned, we already have

43:39partnerships with some organizations

43:41that use our inside facility that are

43:43field sports. Uh we would continue

43:45those. So, um SWAG is a North

43:47Philadelphia soccer program for youth.

43:50Uh they use our indoor facilities. We

43:52would have them use our outdoor

43:53facilities as well. Um we work right now

43:55with Blackhawk football. Uh partner with

43:57them at Cecil Moore. Um there's

43:59opportunity for them to come. Uh, and

44:01then we host events like um a flag

44:03football league for uh our RCO um has a

44:07has an organization that has a flag

44:09football league that we currently do on

44:11a roof play space. They would be able to

44:12move out to the turf. Opportunities

44:14along those lines for us. A hu Halloween

44:17trunk or treat that would happen there

44:19uh in in the courtyard. So those

44:21opportunities would would continue and

44:22be enhanced.

44:27>> Okay. Any additional questions?

44:28>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay. All right.

44:31And seeing as there are none, is there

44:33anyone else here who to testify on bill

44:35number 260462?

44:39>> Okay. And seeing none, thank you very

44:40much for your testimony today.

44:42>> Thank you.

44:50>> Being that there are no further

44:51witnesses, we'll now proceed with taking

44:53public comment. Is there anyone here in

44:55chambers that wishes to testify before

44:58the committee today?

45:02Okay. All right. Seeing none,

45:09this concludes the public hearing. We'll

45:10now go into a public meeting uh to

45:13consider the action to be taken on the

45:14bills before the committee today. Madame

45:16clerk, can we have a quorum check?

45:20>> Chair member Bass.

45:22>> Present. Uh, member Jones

45:25>> present.

45:26>> Member Gilmore Richardson

45:27>> present.

45:28>> Member Goautier.

45:29>> Member O'Neal,

45:31>> Vice Chair Member Squila, member Thomas.

45:36>> Okay. Thank you. A note for the record

45:37that a quorum of the committee is

45:39present. Chair now recognizes council

45:41member Gilmore Richardson for a motion

45:43on the amendment to bill number 260462.

45:50>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, I move that

45:52the amendment to bill number 260

45:56>> 462.

45:56>> 462

45:58be reported from this committee with a

46:00favorable recommendation.

46:02>> Second.

46:03>> Thank you. It's been moved and properly

46:04seconded that the amendment to bill

46:07number

46:09>> hold on wait

46:11hold on one second. I got it. Hold on.

46:24Okay, we're going to run that again.

46:27>> The amendment

47:02Okay,

47:04thank you. Okay, so we're going to run

47:05that back.

47:06>> Okay.

47:06>> All right. Uh, the chair now recognizes

47:09Majority Leader Kathy Gilmore Richardson

47:11for a motion on the amendment to bill

47:13number 260462.

47:15>> I offer an amendment to bill number

47:17260462.

47:18A copy of the amendment has been

47:20circulated to all members of the

47:21committee and I move that the amendment

47:23to bill number 260462 be adopted.

47:26>> Second.

47:27>> Thank you. It's been moved and properly

47:28seconded that the amendment to bill

47:30number 260 462 be adopted. All of those

47:34in favor of this motion will signify by

47:35saying I.

47:36>> I. Any nays? Okay. The eyes have it. The

47:40motion carries. And the amendment to

47:41bill number 260462

47:44has been adopted. The chair now

47:46recognizes majority leader Kathy Gilmore

47:48Richardson for a motion on bills number

47:50260-34260-343

47:54260 344 260 345 260249

47:592-60 462 as amended.

48:03>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that

48:05bills number 260 34260

48:08343 260 344. This should be 29.

48:29>> Yeah, I think you start this one.

48:35>> Okay, hold on.

48:41All right, starting from the top.

48:44Um, chair now recognizes council

48:46majority leader Gilmore Richardson for

48:49motion on bills number 26034260343

48:53260344

48:55260345

48:57260429

48:59260462

49:02as amended.

49:05>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that

49:07bill's number 260-342,

49:09260343,

49:11260344,

49:12260345,

49:14260429,

49:16and 260462

49:18as amended be reported from this

49:20committee with a favorable

49:21recommendation and further move that the

49:23rules of council be suspended as to

49:25permit first reading of this bill at the

49:27next session of council.

49:28>> Second.

49:29It has been moved and properly seconded

49:31that bills number 260 34260

49:35343 2-60 344 260 345 260429

49:41and 260 462 as amended be reported from

49:45this committee with a favorable

49:47recommendation and further move that the

49:48rules of council be suspended to permit

49:50first reading on this bill at then on

49:53these bills at the next session of

49:55council. All of those in favor of this

49:57motion will signify by saying I.

49:59>> I.

50:00>> Is there anyone opposed? The eyes have

50:02it and the motion carries. And if there

50:04are no additional remarks from the

50:05committee or our guests, this concludes

50:07the business of the committee on rules

50:08for today. Thank you all very much for

50:10your attendance.

50:12>> Thank you, Madam Chair.

50:13>> Thank you.