Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Votes Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Votes at a glance: Philadelphia City Council actions on Sept. 18, 2025
Summary
Council adopted multiple resolutions and amendments on Sept. 18 including land-bank dispositions for community gardens, naming resolutions, a condemnation of SNAP cuts, an appeal of a ZBA decision, and a resolution to explore an Office of Freedmen Affairs; several bills were introduced and one bill (250373) was amended for final passage later.
Philadelphia City Council’s Sept. 18 session produced a cluster of adopted resolutions, a committee authorization, and a committee amendment to a pending bill. The measures were approved primarily by voice vote. Key outcomes from the session:
- Land‑bank dispositions (adopted): Resolutions 250730, 250734, 250735 and 250736 authorize the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of multiple vacant parcels to enable permanent preservation of community gardens and neighborhood reuse. The clerk read property lists for each resolution and each was adopted by voice vote.
- ZBA appeal (adopted): Resolution 250741 authorizes Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. to appeal the Zoning Board of Adjustment decision for 5052–5056 City Avenue. Adoption authorizes counsel-level appeal work but does not itself overturn the ZBA decision.
- SNAP condemnation (adopted): Resolution 250743 condemning federal SNAP cuts passed after public testimony urging outreach and use of exemptions. Councilmember Ruth Landau moved adoption.
- Naming resolutions (adopted): Council adopted multiple honorary naming resolutions, including: repeal and replacement concerning Jefferson Street / Donald 'Ducky' Burt Way (250749 repealed earlier naming; 250750 replaced and adopted), North Ninth Street and 900 block of West Clearfield as tributes (250752), 3300 block of Tilton Street as Chevway (250755), and the 800 block of Ron Street as Hugh Joseph McIntyre Way (250756). These were adopted by voice vote.
- Honors and community recognitions (adopted): Resolutions honoring Jane Golden were adopted, as was a privileged resolution recognizing Steve Jamieson of Blue Soul Shoes, a resolution recognizing the Education Law Center on its 50th anniversary, and a series of proclamations (Diaper Need Awareness Week; National Coding Week; Solar/‘Sun Day’; National Workforce Development Day; National Construction Appreciation Week).
- Committee action (adopted): A privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings to examine the potential establishment of an Office of Freedmen Affairs was adopted.
- Bill amendment (action taken): An amendment to bill 250373 (Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards) was offered from the floor and adopted; the bill was placed on the final-passage calendar for a subsequent session.
- Introductions and referrals: Council introduced several bills for committee referral (including measures on automated speed enforcement on state routes, encroachments/sidewalk café at 3423 Kensington Avenue, a ban on city solid-waste contractors incinerating discarded matter, and modifications to retail bag requirements) and some ordinances were referred to appropriate committees.
Most measures were adopted by voice vote; the public transcript records ‘‘the ayes have it’’ for the motions. The session did not include roll-call tallies in the published minutes for those items.
