Council Update

We shared your feedback directly with Councilmembers during this week's Standing Committees meeting and shared a full report on your preferences with every Councilmember. You can watch the video here. Below is how readers felt about last week's issues:

Improving the building permit application process

• 88% rate fixing delays as “very” or “extremely” important.
• 60% of readers believe that the proposed rules will have a positive impact on the permitting wait times, while 18% do not think the changes would have any effect.

Selling City-owned houses directly to residents

• 40% of folks felt the income limits should be higher or removed.
• 28% of respondents feel the income requirements are appropriate.
• 24% felt they should be even lower.

Be sure to fill out the survey at the end of this article, so we can keep sharing your priorities to your elected officials.

This Week’s Top Agenda Items

• Council issues a statement and introduces legislation to protect gender-affirming care
• Councilmember Kail-Smith expresses frustration with City Planning and lack of community input
• Council makes the most of Department of Public Works Director's presence during Park discussion

Council issues a statement and introduces legislation to protect gender-affirming care

★ ★

• A unanimous Will of Council calls on Governor Shapiro to publicly affirm and ensure transpeople’s right to affordable, gender-affirming healthcare. They also urge him to protect healthcare providers and health networks from federal persecution or intimidation.
• Gender-affirming healthcare is currently fully protected under Pennsylvania law.
• Councilmember Warwick also introduced an ordinance to amend the Unlawful Public Accommodations Practices section of the City Code. The amendment would prohibit withholding or denying medical care because of a person’s gender identity or expression.
• UPMC announced last week that it will be ending gender-affirming care for patients under 19.
• So far in 2025, 195 healthcare-related anti-trans bills have been introduced across the country.
  • Two have been introduced in the Pennsylvania legislature.
• A federal executive order prohibiting gender-affirming care to minors is currently unenforceable because of an active lawsuit.

Councilmember Kail-Smith expresses frustration with City Planning and community input

★ ★

• The Department of City Planning has asked to apply for two state grants for Transit Oriented Development planning. Each grant would be for $250,000. They each require their own bill and vote.
• Sheraden Bus Station:
  • Councilmember Kail-Smith requested that the bill be held until after a public hearing for community input. Council granted the request.
  • She pointed out that most development in Sheraden has been affordable housing. The saturation of Housing Authority properties in the neighborhood exceeds the legal limit.
  • Residents would like developments such as a grocery store, a coffee shop, and a bank.
  • Deputy Director Dash said the Sheraden rezoning process had been paused because of community disapproval. This grant would allow for better community engagement in the planning process.
• South Hills Junction:
  • Councilmember Kail-Smith expressed concern that the Mt. Washington community was not asked for input for this project.
  • Deputy Director Dash said that the project would not involve the part of the Junction that’s owned by Pittsburgh Regional Transit in Mt. Washington.
  • The site related to the grant covers Beltzhoover and Allentown, which are in Councilmember Charland’s district.
  • The bill was affirmatively recommended with Councilmember Kail-Smith abstaining.
    • Grant applications are due June 30. No one asked how a July 1 final vote would allow DCP to meet the deadline.
• Councilmember Kail-Smith expressed frustration about communication between City departments and residents/community organizations without involving the relevant Councilmember.
  • One of bills she introduced earlier this month included the creation of a Department of City Development.. She said that moving the Department of City Planning into the new Department would alleviate this problem.

Council makes the most of Department of Public Works Director's presence during Park discussion

★

• Council discussed a bill that would extend the use of Allegheny Commons Park for Norfolk Southern Railway Company equipment. The original bill is from 2017.
• Councilmember Gross would like to create design standards regarding equipment storage (including surrounding fencing). She’d like Parks to remain enjoyable for the public and not “just the same as any city street.”
• The conversation derailed into Council’s unrelated questions for Director Hornstein. Among others:
  • Councilmembers Kail-Smith and Strassberger: determining the capacity of Parks when hosting special events.
  • Councilmember Gross: alerting communities ahead of large events that might be disruptive, especially in the evening.
  • Councilmembers Warwick and Mosley: repairing damage to the baseball diamond in Mellon Park after a heavily attended Juneteenth celebration.
  • Councilmember Coghill: meeting his request from six months ago for a light on the flag at Accamando Center.