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Council presses planning department to revise RCO rules, delays ordinance for review
Summary
Council discussed an ordinance (deferred paper) to reform Registered Community Organization (RCO) requirements and development activity meetings; council agreed to a short hold so planning can finalize amendments and brief RCOs.
PITTSBURGH — Committee members discussed an ordinance to revise Title 1, Article 9 of the Pittsburgh Code that governs Registered Community Organizations and development activity meetings. Council President Lavelle said the planning department has prepared amendments that would shift the responsibility for organizing development activity meetings to city planning and increase thresholds for when those meetings are required.
Lavelle said the changes aim to reduce duplicate or small meetings summoned for minor projects, require planning to manage meetings where RCOs overlap, and enable RCOs to issue formal statements to the planning commission recommending approval, objection or neutral positions. The planning department asked for four weeks to brief RCOs and finalize language; the committee agreed to a two‑week hold.
Councilmembers raised concerns about RCO representativeness, and some said they would like a requirement for public elections of RCO boards so that residents who feel unrepresented have a path to participate. The committee did not advance the ordinance; the planning department will return with refined amendments and outreach documentation.
