Standing committees advance capital and land‑bank measures; immigration ordinances held for review
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Summary
On April 8, Pittsburgh council standing committees approved multiple capital and land‑bank resolutions — including a tree restoration project, construction‑inspection contracts and land‑bank property transfers — while two immigration‑related ordinances were held for four weeks for further legal review.
Council standing committees on Wednesday advanced a package of capital and land‑bank measures and pushed back on two immigration‑related ordinances to allow more review. Committees gave affirmative recommendations to multiple resolutions, and held bills 288 and 289 for four weeks.
The Finance and Law committee approved a resolution transferring $134,831.25 from the neighborhood initiatives fund to slope‑failure remediation, issuing an affirmative recommendation on what the clerk described as an amendment to the 2024 capital budget. The committee also approved an increase to a Block and Associates professional‑services agreement by $60,000 to a $120,000 cap over two years related to ongoing construction legal services.
Public Works approved a restoration agreement with Tree Pittsburgh for the Highland Park corridor known as Rising Maine 3, at a city cost not to exceed $275,257.04 over five years. The committee also moved a $1,448,949.42 contract with TRC Engineers Inc. for construction inspection and administration (reimbursable at 80 percent) and approved a supplemental agreement with MS Consultants Inc. for the California Avenue Bridges project increasing the not‑to‑exceed amount to $2,205,692.96.
Council placed two immigration‑related ordinance proposals — intended to prohibit immigration enforcement in city‑owned or operated spaces and to protect community spaces — on a four‑week hold after members requested additional legal clarification and consultation with affected tenants. The chair announced the hold to allow the law department and administration more time to advise members.
The Pittsburgh Land Bank received multiple approvals to acquire city‑owned properties at no cost to the city; council also approved a bundled pilot residential‑rehab approach for five salvageable structures, with a 90‑day owner‑occupant priority and a five‑year occupancy restriction after rehab. Acting Land Bank director Sally Stadelman said the agency will hold an information session on April 16 to explain the pilot and the application process.
Several items were delayed pending additional documentation: a $481,320 warrant request to Filino Construction for emergency snow removal was held for one week so staff could produce more detailed invoices listing locations, hours and crew information. Committee members said the controller’s office will still review invoices during the payment process.
Committees closed by announcing upcoming hearings on line‑item budget votes and other scheduling; minutes were approved and the meeting adjourned.
