Standing committees advance zoning changes, land-bank transfers and public art license; multiple warrants approved

Pittsburgh City Council standing committees advanced a package of resolutions and ordinances on July 15, approving contract and warrant authorizations and recommending changes to the city's zoning map while tabling a handful of items for further review.

The finance and law committee recommended an affirmative vote on Bill 7 30, which extends the term of an agreement with Compass Natural Gas for leasing and maintaining a mobile compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station and adds $126,000 in new costs, bringing additional costs for the contract to a total not to exceed $882,000. The committee also approved small budget adjustments in Bill 7 05 that shift $52,854.68 from swimming pool maintenance to play-area improvements, and authorized warrants for legal services: Bill 7 06 (Comer Miller LLC, up to $20,197.71 for expert legal services) and Bill 7 07 (Medico Legal Inc., up to $6,200 for expert witness services). All four items received motions, seconds and voice approval from the committee.

During the invoices portion of the agenda, Council member Barbara Warwick asked whether Emergency Medical Services costs tied to the recent NFL draft were reimbursed. Kirsten Walmsley, the council budget director, said EMS invoices typically flow through departmental trust funds and that event organizers often invoice the city's EMS; she said reimbursements are possible "as long as it didn't exceed" amounts already provided, and staff agreed to verify details with the Office of Management and Budget and provide a fuller cost breakdown.

The committees approved a set of routine votes including interdepartmental transfers, p-card items and a transfer to the Department of Innovation and Performance (Bill 700) to consolidate remaining police and finance funding for software maintenance totaling $76,601.25 (plus $10.80). The public works committee recommended Bill 7 04, a license and maintenance agreement for limited-term public art with Larmer Consensus Group, a nonprofit organization.

The land use committee recommended approval of Bill 5 13, an ordinance to rezone three parcels in the Homewood West neighborhood from single-unit detached low-density to urban industrial. The committee voted to hold Bill 5 18, which would establish an East Neighborhood Improvement District advisory committee, for one week to allow further consideration of financing and administrative questions, and similarly held Bill 7 14 (a zoning use-regulation amendment) for one week.

The intergovernmental and educational affairs committee recommended that the Pittsburgh Land Bank acquire several city-owned parcels at no cost to the city (Bills 7 01 and 7 02) and agreed to hold Bill 7 03 for one week so the proposed amendment by substitution can be drafted in consultation with the district council member.

The meeting concluded with announcements about next week's regular and standing committees sessions, instructions for speaker registration and an adjournment by voice vote. Where committee votes were recorded on the record, the minutes show motions moved, seconded and approved by voice; specific roll-call tallies were not provided in the standing committee discussion.

Actions and next steps include staff follow-up on the NFL-draft cost breakdown and a one-week hold on several bills so amendments or additional review can be prepared.