City Hall Roll Call: February 2nd, 2023

Cobbs Creek Golf Course Overlay Bill Passes

Feb 3, 2023

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Reminder, next week is the launch of Trail Mix: the Scoop on 2023 - a special election year bonus edition of the Broad and Market newsletter. First order of business, a recap of who is running for Mayor, their potential paths to victory and the pitfalls that lay ahead. We’ll also be digging into their recently filed campaign finance reports to learn more about from where they are drawing their financial support and who has the resources to tough it out in a crowded and competitive field. Stay tuned!

Welcome to City Hall Roll Call, a summary of City Council’s weekly Stated Meeting. Reminder, the information provided below is not an official or complete record. City Council’s official legislative database can be accessed through Legistar.

For a full play-by-play of the Council session, including speeches and public comment, be sure to follow me on Twitter. Also, don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday mornings at 10:25 a.m. to WURD Radio and Reality Check’s “City Council Calendar with Lauren Vidas.” Show host Charles Ellison and I preview the issues and break down the legislation that Council will tackle at its Thursday meeting.

Session Recap:

After multiple floor amendments and weeks of public comment at recent Council meetings, the bill to create the “Cobbs Creek Golf Course Overlay District” passed City Council at today’s session. This zoning overlay bill would exempt the historic city-owned golf course from the code’s steep slope requirements, designed to prevent erosion by restricting the disturbance of trees, vegetation and sloped land.

The Cobbs Creek Golf Course, constructed in 1916, played an important role in the city’s sports and cultural history. As described by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,

Welcoming players of all races since its inception, Cobbs Creek became a critical site in the history of African Americans and the game of golf. The United Golfers Association—the nation’s black golf tour—held its major championship multiple times at the site, while notable black golfers like Howard Wheeler and Charlie Sifford (the latter sometimes called the “Jackie Robinson” of golf) identified it as their home course. In 2016, the course was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame.

Course conditions rapidly declined in recent years, with flooding from the creek eroding many of the greens and fairways and with a 2016 club house fire. The course was closed in 2020 and considered a “stranded asset"

by the city.

The Cobbs Creek Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, emerged with a plan to privately raise the $65mm to restore the course and build an educational center to provide opportunities for residents and children living the surrounding communities. The foundation argues that the overlay is necessary to repair existing wetlands, restore the course and help alleviate the flooding which plagued the site.

However, after the felling of hundreds of trees on the site early last year, a strong and vocal opposition to the plan emerged. Opponents of the Foundation and the legislation questioned both the environmental impact as well as the city’s priorities in light of the ongoing gun violence crisis. One opponent provided his testimony with a ukulele to the tune of “Big Yellow Taxi,” singing “they cut down our trees and put up a golfing course.” Representatives from Philly Thrive also testified against the overlay.

The bill’s sponsor, Council Majority Leader Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th) noted that while there was vocal opposition at today’s session, that there was also significant support in the community for restoring the course and the opportunities the educational center would bring. Other individuals, including local educators, spoke in favor of the bill, citing the ongoing programming and financial support their students received from the Cobbs Creek Foundation and welcomed the chance to further work with the organization.

The bill passed Council 16-0 and will head to the Mayor’s desk for signature.

Council stands adjourned until Thursday, February 9th, 2023.

Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Subject Matter)

Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.

🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition

Resolution authorizing the Land Bank to dispose of property located in the 7th Councilmanic District. (Lozada)

🚦Streets

Resolution establishing parking regulations in the 7th Councilmanic District. (Lozada)
Bill authorizing the construction, installation, ownership, use and maintenance of a sidewalk café at 425-449 Spring Garden Street. (Clarke)

🔏 Contract / Agreement Authorization

Resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the Independence Hall Urban Renewal area. (Squilla)

⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)

Resolution authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings regarding Covid-19’s impact on Black-owned businesses. (Gilmore-Richardson)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings on Career and Technical Education programming opportunities offered to Philadelphia students. (Gilmore-Richardson)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to examine the levels of learning loss as a result of Covid-19. (Jones)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine the top performing magnate schools. (Jones)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to evaluate tracking for post graduation pathways. (Jones)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine progress of school safe corridor program. (Jones)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the Philadelphia Water Department’s request to increase water, sewer and stormwater rates and charges and its impact on the citizens of Philadelphia. (Johnson)
Resolution urging the U.S Congress to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. (Johnson)

Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Member)

Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.

Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st)

R - Approving the redevelopment contract for the Independence Hall Urban Renewal area.

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd)

R - Authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the Philadelphia Water Department’s request to increase water, sewer and stormwater rates and charges and its impact on the citizens of Philadelphia.
R - Urging the U.S Congress to pass H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021

Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)

R- Authorizing the Committee on Education to examine the levels of learning loss as a result of Covid-19.
R- Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine the top performing magnate schools.
R- Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to evaluate tracking for post graduation pathways.
R- Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine progress of school safe corridor program

Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)

B - Authorizing the construction, installation, ownership, use and maintenance of a sidewalk café at 425-449 Spring Garden Street.

Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (D-7th)

R - Establishing parking regulations in the 7th Councilmanic District.
R - Authorizing the Land Bank to dispose of property located in the 7th Councilmanic District.

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson (D-AL)

R- Authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings regarding Covid-19’s impact on Black-owned businesses.
R- Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings on Career and Technical Education programming opportunities offered to Philadelphia students.

Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session

Resolutions:

🗣️ 230039 (Clarke): Urging the United States Congress to pass the “Gun Records Restoration and Preservation Act”, introduced last session by U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.-13), which would repeal the Tiahrt Amendments, whose provisions have hampered efforts to address gun trafficking by, among other things, identifying and holding accountable irresponsible gun dealers and owners.
🗣️ 230044 (Vaughn): Condemning the Union League of Philadelphia for bestowing its highest honor, the Gold Medal, upon Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
🗣️ 230045 (Harrity): Urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to introduce legislation allowing Cities and Counties of the First Class to set their own minimum wage laws.
🗺️ 230046 (Squilla): Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 3001 Martha Street located in the 1st Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.

Bills:

🏗️ 220918-AA (Jones): Amending Chapter 14-500 of the Philadelphia Zoning Code, entitled “Overlay Zoning Districts,” by creating a new subsection, entitled “Cobbs Creek Golf Course Overlay District,” all under certain terms and conditions.
⚖️ 230### (Gilmore-Richardson): Authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings regarding Covid-19’s impact on Black-owned businesses.
⚖️ 230### (Gilmore-Richardson): Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings on Career and Technical Education programming opportunities offered to Philadelphia students.
🏆 230### (Gilmore-Richardson): Recognizing February as “Career in Technical Trades” month.
🏆 230### (Gilmore-Richardson): Recognizing February as “Environmental Justice” month.
🏆 230### (Thomas): Congratulating Champion of the Week Anthony Cable for founding and managing his own clothing brand.
🏆 230### (Thomas): Congratulating and honoring educator Marvin Dutton for ten years of business for his company, “Marvin’s Education Services.”
⚖️ 230### (Jones): Authorizing the Committee on Education to examine the levels of learning loss as a result of Covid-19.
⚖️ 230### (Jones): Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine the top performing magnate schools.
⚖️ 230### (Jones): Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to evaluate tracking for post graduation pathways.
⚖️ 230### (Jones): Authorizing the Committee on Education to hold hearings to examine progress of school safe corridor program
⚖️ 230### (Johnson): Authorizing the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the Philadelphia Water Department’s request to increase water, sewer and stormwater rates and charges and its impact on the citizens of Philadelphia.
🏆 230### (Brooks): Honoring and recognizing the dedicated service of Betsy “Ms. Betty” Beaufort, whose determined advocacy on behalf of her South Philadelphia community has strengthened her neighborhood, as well as the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 230### (Driscoll): Honoring and celebrating the 2023 Philadelphia Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
🏆 230### (Driscoll): Honoring and celebrating the Career of Joseph T. Ashdale.
🏆 230### (Squilla): Recognizing and celebrating Clarena Tolson on her retirement after a career in public service.
🏆 230### (Oh): Recognizing and honoring Rodney Little for his exemplary and outstanding service as a dedicated public servant, police officer, union leader and military veteran.

📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings

(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)

Monday, February 6th

Committee on Law and Government, 10:00 AM - Council will hold hearings on an number of bills and resolutions, including: a change to the requirements for contributions and minimum balance of the Budget Stabilization Reserve (220733), revising prohibited activities for appointees to the Citizens Police Oversight Commission,” and a bill requiring the Commerce Department to report to Council to certain “aggregate information regarding employment rates and training opportunities, and to report on assessments of the economic impact of the City’s workforce development programs.”

Monday, February 13th

Committee on Streets, 10:00 AM - Council will hear testimony on eighteen bills related to parking, paving, the revision of lines and grades and street striking of various locations throughout the City of Philadelphia.

A stranded asset is one that has suffered from unanticipated devaluation or something that has unexpectedly gone from being considered an asset to a liability.