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From YouTube: Committee on Public Property and Public Works 2-8-2021
Description
The Committee on Public Property and Public Works of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Monday, February 8, 2021, at 10:00 AM, in a remote manner using Microsoft® Teams to hear testimony on the following item:
200656 An Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City, to acquire fee simple title, or a lesser interest in real estate, by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation, or otherwise, in parcels of land along the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek for public recreational purposes, under certain terms and conditions.
C
Thank
you
and
good
morning
everybody
and
welcome
to
the
committee
on
public
property
and
public
works.
I
understand
that
the
state
law
currently
requires
that
the
following
announcement
be
made
at
the
beginning
of
every
remote
public
hearing
as
follows.
Due
to
the
current
public
health
emergency
city,
council
committees
are
currently
meeting
remotely.
C
We
are
using
microsoft
teams
to
make
these
remote
hearings
possible
instructions
for
how
the
public
may
view
and
other
public
testimony
at
public
hearings
of
city
council
committees
are
included
in
the
public
hearing,
notices
that
are
published
in
the
daily
news,
the
inquire
and
the
legal
television
prior
to
the
hearings
and
can
also
be
found
on
villa
council
dot
com.
I
know
that
the
hour
has
come,
mr
presell,
would
you
please
call
the
roll
and
take
attendance
for
members?
C
C
C
C
Thank
you
before
we
begin
to
hear
testimony
from
the
witness
that
we
have
for
today.
Everyone
has
been
invited
to
the
meeting
to
testify.
Should
you
be,
I
want
everybody
to
be
aware
that
this
is
a
public
hearing
and
it
is
being
recorded
because
the
hearing
is
public
participants
and
viewers
have
no
reasonable
expectation
of
privacy.
By
continuing
to
be
in
this
meeting,
you
are
consenting
to
being
recorded
additionally
prior
to
recognizing
members
for
questions
or
comments
they
have
for
the
witnesses.
C
I
will
note
for
the
record
at
this
time
that
we
will
use
the
chat
feature
available
in
the
microsoft
teams
to
allow
members
to
signify
that
they
signify
that
they
would
like
to
be
recognized
in
order
to
comply
with
the
sunshine
act.
The
chat
feature
must
only
be
used
for
this
purpose
before
we
call
our
first
witness
to
bill
number
two:
zero:
zero,
six.
Five.
Six
would
any
of
my
colleagues
like
to
make
any
opening
remarks.
I'm
going
to
recognize
council
member
jones,
who
is
the
sponsor
of
this
legislation.
G
Thank
you,
mr
chairman,
I'd
like
to
thank
the
city
of
philadelphia
for
pursuing
the
acquisition
of
this
particular
property
to
give
context.
This
is
probably
the
last
piece
of
land
that
will
be
required
to
complete
the
trail
that
many
philadelphians
and
non-philadelphians
enjoy.
That
extends
from
valley
forge
all
the
way
down
to
the
hinds
a
preserve.
G
It
is
a
part
of
philadelphia
now
that
allows
bikers
runners
walkers
to
enjoy
the
trail
along
the
schoolkill
river
in
a
way
that
allows
them
not
to,
in
my
district
in
the
4th
district,
come
out
onto
the
ridge
avenue
in
order
to
reconnect
to
the
trail
at
another
part.
So
this
acquisition
is
the
final
linchpin
in
the
continuation
of
that
trail.
G
C
Thank
you,
council
member.
I
too
understand
how
important
pieces
of
legislation
like
you're,
proposing
here
today
in
front
of
the
committee,
how
important
it
is
for
the
community
and
being
a
connector.
We
have
our
greenery
and
open
air
space
and
trails
that
that
connect
neighborhoods
and
connect
the
east
coast
greenery
that
is
taking
place
right
now.
I
know
council,
member
mark
squilla
and
myself
have
a
little
competition.
C
We
border
the
delaware
river
and
split
the
city
in
half
and
we
always
have
a
little
friendly
competition
and
who's
going
to
get
our
trails
open
and
complete
first,
so
I
think
it's
a
vital
access
to
show
who
we
are
as
a
city
and
welcome
everybody.
Any
other
members
have
any
comments
you
know
before
we
go
to
our
first
person
to
testify.
H
Good
morning,
chair
member
keenan
and
members
of
the
committee
on
public
property
and
public
works,
my
name
is
robert
armstrong
and
I'm
the
trails
and
transportation
manager
for
the
office
of
transportation,
infrastructure
and
sustainability
otis.
I
appear
before
you
today,
on
behalf
of
the
administration,
to
support
bill
number
200656,
which
was
introduced
by
councilmember
jones.
H
This
bill
allows
the
city
of
philadelphia
to
acquire
right-of-way
land
for
the
purposes
of
connecting
and
extending
city
park,
lands
a
project
that
includes
construction
of
the
whissick
and
gateway
segment
of
the
schuylkill
river
trail
and
accompanying
park
amenities
upon
completion
of
construction.
The
right-of-way
will
be
operated
and
maintained
by
philadelphia
parks
and
recreation.
H
The
proposed
right-of-way
is
also
part
of
the
largest
circuit
trail
system
in
the
philadelphia
region,
as
well
as
a
key
link
in
the
multi-county
schuylkill
river
trail
otis,
and
the
department
of
parks
and
recreation
support
this
measure
and
accordingly,
I
respectfully
request
that
city
council
approve
bill
number
two:
zero,
zero,
six,
five
six,
I'm
also
requesting
a
suspension
of
the
rules
so
as
to
allow
for
first
reading
at
the
next
section
of
council.
Thank
you
and
I
would
be
glad
to
answer
any
questions
you
might
have.
C
B
H
H
Well,
the
there's
three
parcels
and
we
believe
that
some
of
the
parcels,
the
owners
of
the
parcels
are
septa,
one
is
septa
and
the
other
is
pen.
Realty
we've
been
working
with
them
for
quite
some
time.
I
don't.
I
do
not
believe
that
those
parcels
will
cost
upwards
of
the
amount
that
you're
you're
stating
there.
There
is
another
parcel
we
do
have
to
have
that
appraised.
H
We
are
going
to
use
the
penndot
process
to
appraise
that
so
that
when
we
acquire
we're
following
all
federal
highways
and
penndot
regulations,
because
of
the
seeking
the
federal
funding
for
this
project
after
this
is
the
initial
stage
of
this
project,
it
has
been
in
planning
for
several
decades
as
councilmember
jones
mentioned.
However,
we're
not
ready
to
discuss
the
the
parameters
of
the
purchase
because
we
needed
to
get
the
the
bill
passed
first
to
allow
us
to
acquire
the
land
we
are
seeking
funding
for
design
as
well
and
in
the
future.
H
H
B
C
G
F
C
F
H
Well,
we
put
in
thank
you
for
that
council
member
we
put
in
for
a
grant
application
to
the
regional
trails
committee
of
delaware
valley,
regional
planning,
commission.
We
hope
to
hear
for
that.
That's
for
design,
and
that
was
for
three
hundred
thousand
we're
estimating
that
this
is
between
a
three
and
four
million
dollar
project.
H
The
timing
on
that,
if
we
get
the
funding
for
design,
we
would
start
design
right
away
while
we're
acquiring
this,
I
mean
I'm
once
you
know.
If
this
bill
passes
successfully
and
the
mayor
signs
it,
that
would
allow
the
department
to
start
to
begin
to
the
work
to
acquire
it
and
we'll
work
with
the
law
department.
So
there's
that
piece.
If
I
get
the
design
piece
that
can
start
this
year,
I
would
think
the
design
would
take
roughly
up
to
two
years
because
of
the
complications
with
the
bridge.
H
H
F
C
Mr
armstrong
just
to
expand
on
some
of
the
question
real
quick,
because
I,
as
you
know,
we
work
together
diligently
and
and
for
you
know
such
a
long
time
and
it's
going
to
continue.
You
know
the
patch
and
you
know,
fill
the
gaps,
all
right
that
still
need
to
be
approved
when
connecting
all
our
trails
and
in
our
systems
in
the
city
we
are,
you
are
assembling
three
parcels.
C
H
The
length
of
the
parcel
the
length
of
the
full
trail
from
the
west
hickon
creek
to
the
penn
koi
bridge
would
be
about
you
know
about
.3
miles.
It's
it's
called
a
gap
for
a
reason.
It's
not
we're
not
really
calling
it
a
trail
project,
because
it
is
a
trail
project,
but
it's
also
a
gap
in
the
trail
network.
So
it's
not
it's
more
complicated
than
just
a
straight
linear
trail
project
in
some
ways
because
of
the
bridge.
H
C
Great,
I
just
wanted
you
to
explain
how
complicated
some
of
these
you
know.
Pieces
can
be
when
you're
filling
the
gaps
and
when
you're
seeking
approvals
kind
of
kind
of
you
know
it
kind
of
goes
with
the
you
know
the
time
and
the
length
of
of
completion
once
once
we
get
approval
of
something
like
you
know
the
legislation
that's
before
us
today,
because
you
need
that
you
need
the
parcel.
You
need
to
fill
the
gap
before
we
can.
You
know
continue
to
on
with
our
our
systems.
B
Mr
chair,
it's
alan
dominic
and
I
have
another
comment.
I
want
to
make
council
member
tom
you're
up.
Thank
you,
mr.
I
just
wanted
to
say
I'm
in
favor
of
doing
this
and
I
agree
with
councilman
jones
and
council
member
glottier
that
these
types
of
amenities
are
very
important
for
cities
like
philadelphia,
especially
to
recover
from
the
pandemic.
B
That's
what's
going
to
make
us
different
the
more
we
can
do
like
this,
the
better.
My
only
concern
I'm
going
to
vote
for
this.
My
only
concern
is
I've
seen
some
of
the
things
we've
done
as
a
city
in
the
past,
with
purchases
of
different
real
estate
that
have
gotten
out
of
control
from
a
cost
standpoint.
I
just
want
to
make
sure
that
we
are
on
target
here
and
we're
on
track
and
we
do
it
the
right
way.
B
C
Thank
you,
councilmember
and
you've
been
consistent
with
appraisals
and
information
requested
at
every
every
public
works
and
public
property
hearing
and
finance
hearing.
So
you
know
we
thank
you
for
that.
We
thank
you
for
the
two
appraisal,
legislation
that
is
required
from
the
city
as
a
result
of
those
questions,
so
this
is
what
makes
philadelphia
great
and
our
you
know
body
just
as
great,
so
we
appreciate
that.
C
C
C
This
concludes
the
public
property,
the
hearing
of
the
committee
of
public
property,
and
we
will
now
go
into
our
public
meeting
to
consider
the
action
to
be
taken
on
a
bill.
That's
before
this
committee
here
today
I
will
convene
the
meeting.
Mr
brazel.
Will
you
please
call
the
roll
and
take
attendance
so
that
members
in
attendance
will
please
indicate
that
you
are
present
when
your
name
is
called
also,
please
again,
as
always
say
brief
words
and
in
response,
so
that
your
image
will
display
on
the
screen
when
speak.
E
C
E
E
C
It
has
been
moved
and
properly
second
that
bill
number
two:
zero
zero
six
five
six
be
reported
from
this
committee
with
a
favorable
recommendation
and
further
move
that
the
council
of
the
rules
be
suspended
to
permit
the
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
our
next
session
of
council.
All
those
in
favor
signify
by
saying
aye
oppose
the
motion
carries
I
want
to.
Thank
you
all.
I
want
to
thank
everybody
who
participated
in
this
meeting
today.
This
concludes
the
business
in
front
of
the
public,
the
committee
of
public
property
public
works.