[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6610011,"mediaKeyId","2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938","parentId",2905103,"title","Council hears first reading of ordinance to allow brokered sales of city property amid public concerns","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",2452000,"endMs",2746000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938&start=2452&end=2746","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938/thumbnail_2452000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610011/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Council-hears-first-reading-of-ordinance-to-allow-brokered-sales-of-city-property-amid-public-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610011-e1c1de9e1b9ef52cba71c92807891e4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165704&Signature=FNT4wVSdfvY0RGhQPhUIhW5~nwNFrGSEAVXLwIndF4gLxURvcF6XMkGOAnd0N31k7eyYCgV2ol7mj6TPdgtdgyeKDbVXgKKBEp7eHvnmp84s2LWXOZB9J1Qcb1-ZX3GwMFCry2kxIAwpOvQ4d-JvhTTdYZJ0ilqlK5FOW-luWLrIdmIHlRBbsHqwOrSKR9eG32hTUbiiXA7tUXHzT3PyeDMsSGluwClkgsGaxME0Mb1F7eG8~fYwmZsdRemV12GCUWdYJn8oGQHsS6KVB0WUnxSmQB5xSrXp5h8uUphO3qTtiZJyC1dQiEs~Gz64jgpstBhBPc6xaAiJM-LxwRxsBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lancaster, PA","date","2025-04-09T01:22:38.847Z","article","Lancaster City Council on April 8 held a first reading of Administration Bill No. 3, which would amend Chapter 32 of the city code to allow the sale of municipal real property by licensed real estate brokers under specified conditions while preserving council oversight.

Why it matters: The ordinance would add a new method for disposing of rare city-owned parcels. Public commenters and some council members raised concerns that brokered sales could reduce public involvement and asked for safeguards to protect affordability and community uses, citing Station 6 as a site of ongoing local interest.

Council presentation and scope: Councilor Craig introduced the ordinance as an \"enabling\" change that adds an administrative option for disposition while preserving council’s authority to approve each sale by resolution. Mayor Suraci reiterated that any sale would still come to council and could be accompanied by deed restrictions or other terms safeguarding desired outcomes such as long-term affordability. \"On a case by case basis, we would still be able to make those decisions for each possible property,\" the mayor said.

Public concerns: Multiple residents asked for stronger procedural safeguards before the city expands disposal methods. Darlene Byrd asked whether council had contacted nonprofit housing developers about Station 6 and urged delaying any change until the administration code and administrative processes are finalized. \"We're getting ready to have change of the guards... Something that would affect the whole city,\" Byrd said, noting concerns about losing public land to private buyers.

Other public speakers included Richard Boas, who recommended the city consult the Lancaster County Association of Realtors; Brian Nelson and Erin Dautrick, who emphasized the city’s housing affordability shortage and urged prioritizing public-purpose uses over transactional speed; and Councilor Cleese, who asked how sale proceeds would be spent. Mayor Suraci and Councilor Craig said the disposition method does not change the fact that council will approve the use of proceeds on a case-by-case basis.

Status and next steps: The ordinance was presented for a first reading only; no final council vote was taken. Council members and speakers noted that any specific property sale would still be presented to council as a separate resolution that could include conditions, deed restrictions and public-engagement steps. Councilor Craig indicated that nonprofit housing developers were approached about Station 6 and that the administration seeks a housing use when feasible.

Ending: If council advances the ordinance after a second reading, the change would provide an additional disposal method. Several public commenters said the city should adopt explicit engagement and affordability requirements if it expands the methods by which public land can be sold.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - April 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lancaster City Council on April 8 held a first reading of Administration Bill No. 3 to permit sale of city real property through licensed realtors under specified conditions while preserving council approval for individual sales.","taxTitle","Lancaster City, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania","taxId",3754,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610016,"Lancaster residents press council over police treatment of teens; mayor pledges data restoration",5421,646000,6067000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938&start=646&end=6067","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938/thumbnail_646000.jpg","/articles/6610016/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Lancaster-residents-press-council-over-police-treatment-of-teens-mayor-pledges-data-restoration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610016-a5345d2daf52a4803588b8a31d92a358/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165704&Signature=lCGPqRq0rLFJIaz1ds6KOW2pXU0-RzgzyrIv833vMW7W1I5wDz0pnZnkGTNt0W9mc8ZqSk5o-ufR2j1z~7FioyEDh8UMTVycDgFLdfH~0LZXi5zPNYx4YejWPJ-Vw3zRm1rubRIHGhpoOdL9LAA9LQ~pYFBZ7eKpoL6yt3tv-5hPhjNBVAfCtTAQSQfPNC~q4I3JyA2I0OJJNuMFVvfoE6FRDexV3mJoromSRXkmXAP8F23vqNXuRtCJ1rGjG0oi9yiOPHwHv~X47DaQdmfz76JwET7hQzA4i5UuUFuQolLqtD32P2YX8FNWZfhib03-c6f0AXOKdy38NcZK0BALCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lancaster City Council on April 8 confronted weeks of public concern about an incident in which officers detained teenagers riding bicycles downtown, with multiple residents and community groups asking for clearer use-of-force data, outside oversight and policy changes.

The meeting’s second public-comment period drew repeated calls for transparency and independent review. \"When you withhold data, you withhold the truth,\" Taylor Enterline, reading a statement for the Black Voter Outreach Network of Pennsylvania, told council as she documented what she described as a removal of race and age breakdowns from the police department’s use-of-force dashboard. \"That decision breaks the fragile trust between city hall and the communities who are asking to be seen, heard, and protected.\" (Taylor Enterline, public commenter)

Why it matters: Commenters said the March encounter — widely circulated locally — raised questions about whether police tactics are appropriate for juveniles and whether residents can rely on official data and review processes to hold officers accountable. Several speakers urged the city to consider a civilian review board with investigatory powers, and some said the police desk’s public reporting has become less transparent in recent weeks.

Speakers from across Lancaster described different concerns. Jessica Lopez said tactics used against children can cause lasting trauma and handed council a model policy used in Baltimore addressing use-of-force on youth. \"Harm is harm. It doesn't have to be a car that hits them — it was a cop that hit them,\" Lopez said. (Jessica Lopez, public commenter)

Duncan Hopkins called the March encounter \"a clear as day example of police brutality,\" and said the community deserved stronger answers about discipline and departmental accountability. Brian Nelson pointed to models in other Pennsylvania cities and urged the council to consider a referendum or formal charter mechanism to give citizens greater oversight. Tony D'Astra presented a draft ordinance to create a community police review board in advisory form and said the proposal is open for refinement.

Not all speakers urged curtailing police authority. Arthur Morris, who said he witnessed reckless behavior by youth on bikes, thanked police for intervening and recommended that young people apologize and perform community service to repair harm.

Mayor Suraci responded directly to transparency concerns. She said the administration made changes to the department’s online use-of-force reporting as part of an accreditation-related change in how incidents are counted and that race/ethnicity and age breakdowns \"will be added by the end of the week.\" She said the reporting method changed after April 1 to include certain calls for service and arrests previously treated differently for accreditation purposes and acknowledged the change should have been annotated on the website.

Council reaction and next steps: Council President Begay thanked speakers and said she trusted the department’s internal review processes while urging continued responsiveness and improvement. Several council members asked the mayor and the police chief to provide clearer, written explanations of the reporting changes and to set a timeline for any policy or oversight recommendations that come from the review process. Tony D'Astra and others asked council to take up a citizen review board ordinance for discussion.

What wasn’t decided: No formal policy change, disciplinary ruling, or vote on a civilian review board occurred at the meeting. Several public-requested items — including restoring historical quarterly reports on the department dashboard and clarifying how use-of-force incidents are classified — were described by the mayor as actions the administration will address in coming days.

Ending: Council members and the mayor repeatedly framed the next steps as a combination of administrative clarifications (restoring historical and disaggregated dashboard data) and further public conversation about oversight and youth-specific use-of-force policy. Several community speakers asked the council to move quickly and to publish any explanations or proposed ordinance language for public review.

","At its April 8 meeting, Lancaster City Council heard sustained public comment about a March police encounter with teens riding bikes. Speakers urged transparency, a civilian review mechanism and alternatives to force; Mayor Suraci said use-of-force reporting will be expanded and clarified by the end of the week.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610007,"Votes at a glance: Lancaster City Council actions, April 8, 2025",630,4239000,4869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938&start=4239&end=4869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2905103-649f2d88ff83e2ae250b1c5cffd00938/thumbnail_4239000.jpg","/articles/6610007/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-Lancaster-City-Council-actions-April-8-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610007-7374efc72474bb574a60dfec9f0bb087/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165704&Signature=I4U8F4r9uFcLzXqwwVgaJUocilNFSexSzEf5KlbrZ5eOhH8A0Rwk6aqChEuo9jXC0fZHb1IpBJ4Ts0HeNOMOyrzOxreaEOKBQSWAcFYsyXrcYH6JkDYJzbhujFRLDOn~3iShgR6-QGsmwGTuaNlTSZLqClRP84XqZVEOOdao3~huUE~wKj4UpMysVuE0Q3cWVFztEbcHxlrhCuoldDgzgxZKOFVIVSGxGxFx4F8XOQby7hzmw3BB6Cg-ooxEmHfXfrxYW4Yau9ZLPp-F0K1sxZ4Cmh~pKYYE0AQldVRb3-KwBHJvPkHVma0SbnJQMRMXtU3l1~GEj4WmCaGRQsi3yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its April 8 meeting, Lancaster City Council approved a series of resolutions and took one ordinance (Administration Bill No. 3) up for first reading. Below are the formal items recorded on the agenda and the outcome of each action.

Summary of outcomes (selected):
- Approval of minutes (03/25/2025): Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 23-2025: Designating April 2025 as sexual-assault awareness month: Approved (voice vote)
- Administration Bill No. 3 (first reading): Amend Chapter 32 to allow sale of city real property by licensed realtors under specified conditions — first reading taken; no final vote.
- Resolution 18-2025: Disposal of obsolete records consistent with state municipal retention schedules: Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 24-2025: Approving flying the Puerto Rican flag for Puerto Rican Heritage Month: Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 25-2025: Amended capital project list (GO bond series 2018 adjustments): Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 26-2025: Amended capital project list (GO bond series 2022 adjustments): Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 27-2025: Authorize application to PennVEST for lead service-line replacement (up to ~$1.7M): Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 28-2025: Authorize application to PennVEST for large-diameter transmission mains (up to ~$49.293M): Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 29-2025: Official intent to reimburse short-term financing for the Susquehanna large-diameter mains project: Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 30-2025: Apply to DCNR for $1,385,035 for South End Park renovations: Approved (voice vote)
- Resolution 31-2025: Apply to DCNR for $74,960 to prepare a Reservoir Park master plan: Approved (voice vote)

Details and selected votes: For items that recorded roll-call affirmations during the meeting, council members verbally responded \"Aye\" in sequence; no recorded \"No\" votes were entered for the listed resolutions at the time of the meeting. The council chamber’s roll call identifies seven voting council members who participated in the roll-call affirmations.

Why it matters: The approvals move forward city applications for state financing and grants that will shape the city’s water infrastructure, park upgrades, and capital project funding. The PennVEST applications and associated short-term financing declarations are part of a broader multi-project approach the city described to address urgent water and transmission-main needs.

What to watch next: Council will receive further implementation and project-level details, including which capital projects will receive transferred bond funds and next steps on PennVEST applications and any interim financing. The administration indicated project lists are included as exhibits to the council agenda.

Ending: Citizens seeking project exhibits, budgets or the detailed project lists were told those are attached to the online council agenda; residents who asked at the meeting were offered follow-up via email from staff.","Council approved multiple resolutions on capital projects, grant applications, records disposal and flag recognitions; it conducted a first reading of an ordinance to allow realtor-assisted sales of city property. This roundup lists each agenda action and outcome from the April 8 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Council hears first reading of ordinance to allow brokered sales of city property amid public concerns

Lancaster residents press council over police treatment of teens; mayor pledges data restoration

Votes at a glance: Lancaster City Council actions, April 8, 2025