This Week’s Top Agenda Items
- Bill to allow pollinator, rain gardens, and natural landscapes introduced
- Council authorizes $40,000 contract with law firm for “immigration matters”
- Challenged historic designation for former gay bar to receive public hearing
Bill to Allow Pollinator Gardens and Natural Landscapes Introduced
- Bill would exempt intentional plantings of native Pennsylvania vegetation from code violations to enhance biodiversity and protect the City’s environment.
- The exemption covers:
- Native Gardens: A planned garden using plants that naturally grow in Pennsylvania and are suited to its climate and soil.
- Pollinator Gardens: A garden designed to attract and support pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds by offering food, water, and shelter.
- Rain Gardens: A shallow, landscaped area with native plants that captures and filters rainwater runoff.
- Current City Code prohibits these landscapes and all plant and weed growth over 10 inches on residential properties.
- Residents must register their gardens with the City before planting.
- Violations incur a $15-per-day fine.
- Bill will be discussed at next week’s Standing Committee meeting.
$40,000 Contract with Law Firm for “Immigration Matters” Authorized
- Council authorized a $40,000 contract with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, a global immigration law firm.
- The authorization was discussed in an executive session closed to the public and was not presented in Standing Committee before approval.
- InformUp contacted both the Councilperson Lavelle's office and the law firm for additional information but received no response by publication time.
Challenged Historic Designation for Former Gay Bar to Receive Public Hearing
- Donny’s Place operated from 1972 to 2022 and served as an outreach center during the AIDS crisis.
- If approved, the Polish Hill site would become Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQ+ historic landmark.
- The estate of the late owner, Donald Thinnes, opposes the nomination; Thinnes entered a 2019 sales agreement to develop the property into townhouses.
- The Planning Commission voted against the nomination, citing lack of owner support, fire damage, and testimony that the bar was not unique.
- The historic designation is sought by two Polish Hill residents and Preservation Pittsburgh.
- The date for the public hearing has yet to be scheduled.
