City Hall Roll Call: March 7th, 2024
Evolution of EVs in Philly
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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.
Philly news that caught my 👀 this week:
🏟️ “Comcast Spectacor unveils $2.5 billion master plan for South Philly sports complex.”
🏳️🌈 “Philly LGBT official to hold news conference after arrest during traffic stop confrontation”
🌏 “Fix the mix’: Climate activists want PECO to buy more renewable energy”
🩺 “Northeast Philly is a health care desert. But its communities are fighting over a new health center.”
😭 “Jason Kelce's full retirement announcement speech, after 13 seasons with the Eagles.”
🌭 “Phillies are replacing Dollar Dog Nights after 27 seasons with a buy-one, get-one promotion”
Session Recap:
Today’s Council session was the last before Mayor Cherelle Parker (D) is scheduled to deliver her inaugural budget address to City Council and members of her administration at next Thursday’s Stated Meeting. The Mayor’s budget address serves a dual function. It not only marks the official start of “budget season” but also serves as a “State of the City” speech, providing the Mayor an opportunity to share her vision and priorities for the year ahead.
While anticipation builds for the unveiling of the FY2025-2026 budget, which will be the subject of much of Council’s time and focus this spring, the body took care of its regular business at today’s meeting.
From an introduction standpoint, most were honorific or routine district matters related to parking regulations or land transfers. Policy-wise, freshman Councilmember Nina Ahmad (D-AL) introduced a resolution authorizing the joint committeees on the Environment and Global Opportunities and the Creative / Innovative Economy to hold hearings regarding “the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the City of Philadelphia.” This resolution is the latest in a decades long attempt to create a citywide strategy around the growing demand for EV infrastructure.
The resolution provides, “Philadelphia is poised to lead the nation’s transition to cleaner and greener transportation as part of a broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the negative effects of climate change, while also creating new categories of skilled, family-sustaining jobs.” However, the resolution observes, “This cannot be achieved without a unified and comprehensive plan for location, maintenance and service of EV chargers, and provisions governing their setup and operation.”
Philly’s Beef with On-Street EV Charging
EV charging has been an oddly contentious issue in City Council, which first enacted legislation on the subject in 2007 when then Councilmember Jim Kenney (D-AL) introduced and passed legislation to allow homeowners to reserve a parking space in front of their property for the exclusive use of electric vehicles. The homeowners were responsible for the costs of installation and maintenance of the station. The City saw this as an opportunity to create a public good, by harnessing private resources. Unfortunately, many members of the public thought this was anything but good. While other EVs, not just the homeowners, were entitled to park in the EV space, many non-EV drivers saw the legislation as the City allowing individuals to essentially buy a private on-street parking spot.
In 2017, after almost seventy on-street chargers had been installed under the program, Council passed a moratorium on new EV parking in response to neighbor complaints. The bill’s sponsor, then Councilmember David Oh (R-AL), stated that he introduced the moratorium because “This policy has become a vehicle for people more interested in owning a private parking spot in front of their home than owning an electric vehicle.” While the moratorium was originally scheduled to expire after one year, Council made it permanent in 2018. Council once again revisited the topic in 2022, holding a hearing “on the Administration’s plan for public electric vehicle charging.”
As EV technology improves, prices decrease and more federal subsidies become available for infrastructure and purchases, EV sales are expected to continue to experience aggressive growth, with millions of additional new EVs on the road by 2028. In otherwords, when it comes to EVs and the city’s charging infrastructure, “ready or not, here they come.”
Philadelphia Task Force on Food Insecurity
City Council also voted today to create the Philadelphia Task Force on Food Insecurity. Sponsored by Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd), the Task Force seeks to alleviate the food insecurity of the over 200,000 Philadelphians who experience it each day. Food insecurity is defined by the US Department of Agriculture as “lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life.”
Under the resolution, Council President Johnson will appoint twenty-five1 members to serve. The members shall “come from a variety of areas of expertise within the food industry, including but not limited to: agriculture and food production; grocery, farmers’ markets, and other retail outlets; nutrition; food access advocacy; and marketing and business development.”
Now that the resolution has been adopted by Council, the Task Force shall have forty-five days to convene its first meeting and begin its work to “develop a strategic plan for alleviating hunger, addressing food insecurity, and increasing access to healthy food in the City of Philadelphia.” Within a year of its first meeting, the Task Force shall prepare and distribute to City leaders and the public a report of its findings and strategic plan to address food insecurity.
A number of organizations publicly commented today in support of the resolution, including representatives from Philabundance, the Food Trust, Sharing Excess, the Black Farmer’s Co-Op and the Share Food Program, calling the measure critical and long overdue.
Council stands adjourned until Thursday, March 14th at 10 AM, when Mayor Parker will deliver her budget address.
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.
🏗️ Construction / Zoning
Bill amending Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code to clarify the responsibility of the Department of Aviation and eliminating provisions regarding the joint airport zoning board and passenger charges. (Johnson)
Bill amending zoning in the 8th Councilmanic District. (Bass)
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution authorizing Public Property to transfer deeds of land located in the 7th Councilmanic District to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. (Lozada)
🚦Streets
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District. (Young)
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District. (Young)
Bill amending Philadelphia Code Section 12-900, providing parking prohibitions for vehicles using sunscreening devices. (Driscoll)
📛 Board / Commission Appointments
Resolution appointing Madison McCarron to City Ave Special Services District. (Jones)
⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution urging the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to reverse its decision to place Cheney University on the accreditation probation status list. (Johnson)
Resolution authorizing the Committees on Environment and Global Opportunity and the Creative Innovative Economy to hold joint hearings regarding the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the city of Philadelphia. (Ahmad)
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.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd)
R: Urging the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to reverse its decision to place Cheney University on the accreditation probation status list.
B: Amending Title 14 of the Philadelphia Code to clarify the responsibility of the Department of Aviation and eliminating provisions regarding the joint airport zoning board and passenger charges.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
R: Appointing Madison McCarron to City Ave Special Services District.
Councilmember Jeffery Young (D-5th)
B: Establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District.
B: Establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District.
Councilmember Mike Driscoll (D-6th)
B: Amending Philadelphia Code Section 12-900, providing parking prohibitions for vehicles using sunscreening devices.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (D-7th)
R: Authorizing Public Property to transfer deeds of land located in the 7th Councilmanic District to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority.
Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)
B: Amending zoning in the 8th Councilmanic District.
Councilmember Nina Ahmad (D-AL)
R: Authorizing the Committees on Environment and Global Opportunity and the Creative Innovative Economy to hold joint hearings regarding the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the city of Philadelphia.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
⚖️ 240125(Johnson): Authorizing the creation of the Philadelphia Task Force on Food Insecurity to study and develop proposals, strategies, and recommendations to alleviate hunger and increase access to high quality food in the City of Philadelphia. (Amended on floor prior to passage)
🗺️ 240130 (Gauthier): Authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 5307 Market Street and 723 N. Shedwick Street in the Third Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of the Philadelphia Code.
🏗️ 240143 (Johnson): Authorizing and ratifying the designation of Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr., as Council’s representative in connection with an appeal of the decision of the Zoning Board of Adjustment with respect to 1451 North Broad Street and all litigation related thereto.
🏆 240144 (Squilla): Also naming Federal Street, between 6th and 7th Streets, as “Bob Pantano Way”.
🏆 240145 (Squilla): Also naming Chestnut Street between 12th and 13th Streets in the “Gayborhood” as “Michael Hinson Way” to honor the life and legacy of Philadelphia’s first appointed liaison with the city LGBTQ+ communities by Mayor John F. Street.
🏆 240### (Gilmore-Richardson) Recognizing March 3rd thru March 9th during Women's History Month as Women in Construction Week in the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 240### (Johnson): Honoring Super Bowl Champion Jason Kelce on occasion of his retirement from the National Football League and recognizing Jason’s historic career with the Philadelphia Eagles and his generous philanthropic contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 240### (Gauthier): Honoring and recognizing Katalin Karikó, PHD and Drew Weissman, MD, PHD, for winning the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
🏆 240### (Thomas): Honoring and Congratulating Champion of the Week, Lucas Koo, a Masterman Highschool student who competed in the short-track speedskating competition at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
🏆 240### (Jones): Honoring and Recognizing Tanya Hill-Holiday for her admirable career achievements during Women’s History Month.
🏆 240### (Jones): Honoring the life and legacy of Dr. George E. Allen the longtime leader of the arts and music program at Overbrook Highschool.
🏆 240### (Jones): Celebrating Meredith Foote’s trailblazing leadership as Executive Director of the TGR Learning Lab at the Cobbs Creek Golf Course on the occasion of Women’s History Month.
🏆 240### (Driscoll): Celebrating Tuskegee Airmen Commemerance Day in the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 240### (Bass): Recognizing March of 2024 as Philadelphia’s month of literacy and reading.
240### (Ahmad): Authorizing the Committees on Environment and Global Opportunity and the Creative Innovative Economy to hold joint hearings regarding the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the city of Philadelphia.
Bills:
⛹️♀️ 240007 (Thomas): Amending The Philadelphia Code to add a new Chapter 21-3400, entitled “Youth Name, Image, and Likeness Protection,” to establish provisions related to education and counseling for certain Philadelphia youth and their families who are considering licensing publicity rights.
🏗️ 240064 (Driscoll): To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Salmon Street, Ontario Street, Richmond Street, and Westmoreland Street.
🏗️ 240065 (Driscoll): To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Holme Avenue, Academy Road, and Willits Road.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Friday, March 8th
Committee on Public Health and Human Services, 10:00 AM - the Committee will examine proposed solutions to racial disparities in the maternal mortality rate in the City of Philadelphia,
Monday, March 11th
Committee of the Whole, 1:00 PM - the Committee will take testimony regarding reappointing James Aros, Jr., to the position of Chief Assessment Officer of the Office of Property Assessment.
Committee of the Whole, 1:00 PM - the Committee will take testimony regarding various appointments, including Adam N. Geer as the Chief Public Safety Director, Renee Garcia, Esq., as the City Solicitor and various appointments to the various BIDs.
Tuesday, March 12th
Committee on Public Health and Human Services, 1:00 PM - the Committee will take testimony regarding a bill to “to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning the City’s use of opioid antidote,” (Bill No. 240015) and a bill “to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning camping activities carried out in violation of the Code and the City’s efforts to address such activities.” (Bill No. 240017)
Monday, March 25th
Committee on Rules, 10:00 AM - the Committee will hear a bill to change the zoning of land located within the Fourth District Overlay District. (Bill No. 240012)
The original version of the post noted that the task force would have eleven appointed members. The resolution was amended on the floor immediately prior to the vote to increase the number of members to twenty-five. The amended version of the resolution was not available at the time of publication.