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Council committee gives affirmative recommendation to Bakery Square SP‑9 district after community benefits agreement
Summary
After multi‑year negotiations between Walnut Capital and neighborhood groups, council's Land Use committee recommended approval of the SP‑9 Bakery Square zoning changes and special‑planned district, including an expanded community benefits agreement with added affordability and off‑site homeownership commitments.
Pittsburgh City Council's Land Use and Economic Development Committee on July 16 recommended approval of a specially planned SP‑9 district and accompanying zoning changes for the Bakery Square expansion after community leaders said they negotiated a binding community benefits agreement with developer Walnut Capital.
Councilman Darek Mosley, who led the file, described the years‑long negotiation between the Larimer Consensus Group, the Village Collaborative and the developer. The agreement, Mosley said, includes about 15% on‑site affordability (a mix of deeply affordable and workforce units) and up to 100 for‑sale affordable homes off site in Greater Larimer — a package he said results in roughly 180 affordable units overall.
“Folks that don't agree politically, folks that don't agree policy wise … are able to come together, and support this project,” Mosley said during committee discussion. Larimer neighborhood leaders told the committee the CBA contains enforceable commitments, on‑site and off‑site affordable housing, job and workforce commitments, and community investments.
Council members from multiple districts praised the multi‑year process. “There should be a place in this city to negotiate and write community benefits into large‑scale projects; this is an example of it working,” Councilwoman Warwick said. Councilwoman Gross and others noted the SP designation allows flexible, project‑level zoning and stressed the need for standardized citywide policies for affordability on large projects.
The motion to approve the SP‑9 ordinance (Bill 16‑98) and the associated zoning map changes (Bill 17‑23) carried in committee; both received affirmative recommendations to advance to full council.
