►
Description
The Committee on Licenses and Inspections of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held Public Hearing on Tuesday, December 1, 2015,to hear testimony on the following items:
Bill No. 150749
An Ordinance amending Title 6 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Health Code,"
by amending Section 6-503, entitled "Licenses and Permits," by adding certain
conditions for food establishments to obtain a license; all under certain terms and
conditions.
Bill No. 150897
An Ordinance amending Chapter 9-3300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled
"Erection, Use and Inspection of Tower Cranes," by adding requirements
regulating the use and inspection of mobile cranes, all under certain terms and
conditions.
B
Number
150
749
an
ordinance
amending
title
six
of
the
Philadelphia
code
entitled
health
code
by
Manning,
section
6503,
entitled
licenses
and
permits
by
adding
certain
terms
and
condition
by
adding
certain
conditions
for
food
establishments
obtain
a
license
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Thank.
A
D
D
Afternoon,
chairwoman,
Sanchez
and
members
of
the
committee
on
licenses
and
inspections,
my
name
is
Rebecca
Swanson
I'm,
the
director
policy
and
legislative
affairs
for
the
department
of
licenses
and
inspections
today,
I'm
here
to
provide
testimony
on
bill
number
150
749,
which,
if
enacted,
will
men
title
six
of
the
Philadelphia
code
entitled
help
code
by
adding
additional
language.
The
application
for
food
license.
D
The
bill
would
require
the
Department
of
licenses
and
inspections
to
create
a
new
food
license,
application
on
which
applicants
zoned
as
eating
and
drinking
establishment,
as
defined
in
section
14,
60
17
f
of
the
zoning
code,
must
indicate
the
specific
use
they
are
permitted.
As
a
prepared
food
shop,
takeout
restaurant
or
sit
down
restaurant.
The
department
agrees
that
this
information
should
be
included
on
a
food
license
and
will
begin
work
to
create
a
new
application.
To
reflect
this,
we
anticipate
can
anticipate
completion
of
this
by
spring
2016.
D
The
department
notes,
however,
that
this
use
indicator
cannot
be
a
simple
check
checkbox.
This
is
because
the
uses
enumerated
in
section
14,
60,
17
f,
were
introduced
with
the
new
zoning
code
in
2012.
The
previous
zoning
code
used
different
categories
that
do
not
align
with
these
new
use
categories,
so
establishments
that
obtain
the
zoning
permit
prior
to
2012
would
have
to
be
tracked
differently
in
our
system.
D
The
new
information,
this
new
information
will
be
of
assistance
to
our
inspectors
when
they
are
called
out
to
inspect
potential
violations
at
these
establishments
currently,
as
part
of
the
inspection
inspectors
check,
whether
the
establishment
has
the
proper
food
license
and
weather
is
doing
business
in
accordance
with
the
permitted
use
on
the
zoning.
Adding
the
use
information
to
the
food
license
will
save
the
inspectors
this
extra
step.
More
importantly,
it
will
allow
inspectors
to
see
more
quickly
whether
there
have
been
any
changes
in
zoning
since
the
use
permit
was
first
issued.
D
Since
food
licenses
must
be
renewed
annually,
any
changes
in
you
use
would
have
to
be
reported
on
the
next
license.
Renewal
having
extra
eyes
on
these
establishments
is
in
this
way
is
crucial
to
identifying
bad
actors.
The
department's
nuisance
property
task
force
considers
these
types
of
establishments
as
priority
targets
and
inspects
these
properties
upon
complaint
from
community
members
and
members
of
City
Council.
D
We
do
these
inspections
in
the
evening
so
as
to
observe
the
establishment,
while
in
operation,
these
inspections
include
checking
the
food
license
and
zoning,
as
well
as
looking
for
proper
names
and
fire
code
issues.
However,
we
know
that
many
of
these
establishments
may
not
provide
accurate
information
about
their
operations
and
in
some
cases,
evidence
of
improprieties
is
concealed
in
our
inspectors
are
not
really
such
establishments
operating
in
a
way
inconsistent
with
learning.
The
department
must
rely
on
other
departments
such
as
the
Department
of
Health,
to
bring
potential
violators
to
our
attention.
D
We
will
continue
to
cooperate
with
the
Department
of
Health
in
this
effort
and
determine
if
increased
collaboration
is
necessary
in
order
to
achieve
the
goals
of
both
departments
and
the
goal
of
the
bill.
Finally,
the
department's
understanding
that
the
bill
was
intended
to
regulate
establishments
that
have
a
state
liquor
license
but
operate
in
a
way
that
is
inconsistent
with
state
requirements,
particularly
those
establishments
to
sell
shots
of
liquor.
D
D
The
Department
understands
and
shares
of
frustration
caused
by
the
loophole
in
the
state
liquor
laws
that
it
allows
these
establishments
to
exist
and
to
that
and
we
partner
with
the
State
Liquor
Control
Board,
to
bring
suspect
suspected
offenders
to
their
attention,
but
our
inspectors
catch
an
establishment
selling
liquor
in
a
way
that
is
incompatible,
state
liquor,
law.
Legally,
we
are
limited
to
calling
in
state
authorities.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
I'm
bill
number
150,
749
I
am
happy
to
answer
any
questions
at
this
time.
A
A
D
D
I
know
they
come
out
and
do
their
own
investigation,
but
then,
as
far
as
any
sort
of
action
taken
on
the
license
itself
remains
with
the
state,
and
my
understanding
is
that
in
many
of
these
locations
because
of
the
loophole
in
the
license
for
the
liquor
license,
I
don't
think
anything
really
happens.
Can.
D
D
C
A
C
A
C
A
In
favor
aye,
any
opposition
seeing
none
bill,
150
749
as
amended,
will
be
moved
out
of
the
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
council,
the
rules
accounts,
will
be
suspended
to
allow
first
reading
in
our
next
council
session.
There
are
no
other
businesses
seeing
none.
The
committee
on
licenses
and
inspections
meeting
is
adjourned.