Pittsburgh City Council approved a measure that moves forward a Shadyside development and deferred other bills as the body met remotely Tuesday and Wednesday in response to COVID-19.
Members unanimously approved a new zoning designation that allows residential development to occur at the Shakespeare Giant Eagle site in Shadyside, where 250 residential units, a parking garage and a downsized version of the grocery store are planned.
The body worked through background noise and inadvertent talking over each other as eight of the members joined by conference call Tuesday. Only the meeting chair — Council President Theresa Kail-Smith on Tuesday, and Finance and Law Committee Chair Daniel Lavelle on Wednesday — joined City Clerk Brenda Pree, her assistant and a police officer in the closed Council Chambers.
Members of the public have been instructed to send public comment to cityclerksoffice@pittsburghpa.gov or by U.S. mail.
Council delayed action on a resolution to adopt “10 commitments to racial equity” for three weeks and a reptile regulation bill for four weeks. The bills are respectively sponsored by Councilmen Lavelle and Ricky Burgess, and Councilman Bruce Kraus. The reptile bill has potential implications for the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, which has asked council for an exemption from the proposal.
Members also sent a Peduto administration proposal to eliminate an off-street parking requirement on new single-family rowhouse development to the Planning Commission.
No city directors or other staff were called for questioning during Wednesday’s standing committee.
Council’s regular meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on March 24 under the same conditions, with the standing committee meeting immediately to follow.
As always, City Council agendas and livestreamed meetings can be accessed at pittsburgh.legistar.com/calendar. Meetings continue to be cablecast on the City Channel, which can be found on Comcast channels 13 and 14 / Verizon channels 44 and 45.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY COUNCIL
Allegheny County Council’s upcoming regular 5 p.m. meeting on March 24 will continue as scheduled, however Council President Patrick Catena announced Wednesday that he is “strongly encouraging Members to call-in and is discouraging the public from attending in person but rather watch the live-stream and to submit public comment online.”
The capacity of the meeting room will be limited to 10, in accordance with federal guidelines on social distances, according to a county press release.
Comment can be submitted via email at CntyCouncil@AlleghenyCounty.US or via the online sign-up form at https://apps.alleghenycounty.us/website/CouncilReqComm.asp.
The meeting livestream can be accessed at http://allegheny.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=4.
Ashley Murray: amurray@post-gazette.com or @Ashley__Murray
First Published: March 18, 2020, 8:34 p.m.
