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Resolution authorizing the Mayor and the Director of City Planning of the City of Pittsburgh to execute relevant agreements with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to receive Municipal Assistance Program (MAP) grant funds in an amount not to exceed Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero cents ($75,000.00) in order to fund professional services/consultants to complete a TRID planning study for the Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor in the City of Pittsburgh.
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WHEREAS, the City wishes to investigate the creation of the Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor Investment District as part of a broader community revitalization strategy; and
WHEREAS, such planning will include, but not be limited to, consideration of a Transit Revitalization Improvement District (“TRID”); and
WHEREAS, the Transit Revitalization Investment District Act, Act of December 8, 2004, P.L. 1801, No. 238, codified at 73 P.S. §§ 850.101 et seq. (collectively, the "Act") authorizes public transportation agencies to work cooperatively with counties, local governments, transportation authorities, the private sector, and other providers of public transportation to create TRIDs; and
WHEREAS, creating a TRID provides local taxing bodies with authority to cooperate in establishing transit-oriented development and value capture areas, as defined in the Act, within their respective jurisdictions to increase the tax base and improve the general economy of their communities; and
WHEREAS, the City and the Urban Redevelopment Authority plan to work cooperatively regarding the Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor Investment District, including the investigation of the creation of a TRID within such designated area; and
WHEREAS, upon completion of the Investment District work and required TRID planning components, legislation will be presented to City Council for adoption of proposed plans, zoning, policies and procedures in support of the creation of the TRID and the implementation framework for the broader Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor Investment District; and
WHEREAS, the DCED desires to grant MAP funds to the City and the City desires to use MAP funds to conduct a TRID planning study to determine if one or more Transit Revitalization Investment Districts - TRIDs - could be created at points in a proposed bus rapid transit - BRT - route in the corridor of Fifth and Forbes Avenues from Downtown through Uptown, Oakland, and other East End neighborhoods. The corridor passes through the Uptown neighborhood which has a prevalence of vacant and underutilized properties. The BRT, aided by TRID-financed public improvements, is anticipated to catalyze redevelopment and new investment in Uptown.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Mayor and the Director of City Planning, on behalf of the City of Pittsburgh, are hereby authorized to enter into to execute relevant agreements with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to receive a Municipal Assistance Program (MAP) grant the amount of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) in order to fund professional services/consultants to complete a TRID planning study for the Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor in the City of Pittsburgh. The Agreement or Agreements will be subject to the approval of the City Solicitor as to form and substance. Grant funds will be deposited into the Grants Trust Fund: JDE account # 1129400178.45505.00
Section 2. The Mayor and the Director of the City Planning Department of the City of Pittsburgh are further authorized to enter into an Agreement, or Contract, or utilize existing Agreements or Contracts for the DCED Municipal Assistance Grant to complete a TRID planning study for the Uptown and Fifth/Forbes Corridor under the terms of the agreement between the City and the Pennsylvania Department of Economic Development (DCED). Said agreement or agreements, contract or contracts, or expenditures shall not exceed Seventy-Five Thousand ($75,000) Dollars chargeable to and payable from the Grants Trust Fund JDE account# 1129400178.53901.00 item 1156