SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS DEBORAH L. GROSS AND COREY O'CONNOR
Title
Resolution calling on the Zoning and Development Review Division of the Department of City Planning of the City of Pittsburgh to create a set of incentives and LERTA tax abatements for development within environmental overlap zones to achieve the standards set forth by the Wet Weather Plan.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh has the authority to create overlay zoning districts, including environmental overlay zones, as per Article III of the Pittsburgh Zoning Code;
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh is serviced by the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, which became party to a consent decree, as per standards outlined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Allegheny County Health Department, in 2008; and
WHEREAS, said consent decree requires the development of a Wet Weather Plan that identifies wastewater infrastructure needs through the year 2046, including areas most in need of green infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, ยง 265.01, section (w), subsections (1) through (26) of the City of Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances enumerate all "targeted growth zones," and sections (b) and (c) define the conditions for areas to qualify as "deteriorated areas" or "deteriorated neighborhoods," respective; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh currently provides tax abatement incentives for areas that meet the criteria of "targeted growth zones," "deteriorated areas" or "deteriorated neighborhoods" designations;
WHEREAS, while still providing tax abatements for developments within those aforementioned areas, the City of Pittsburgh should provide similar tax abatement incentives for development utilizing green infrastructure in areas where the Wet Weather Plan deems necessary that fall within the preexisting boundaries of "targeted growth zones," "deteriorated areas" or "deteriorated neighborhoods."
Be it therefore resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
That, upon the creation of overlap zones within the City of Pittsburgh, the Zoning and Development Review Division of the Department of City Planning of the City of Pittsburgh shall produce new criteria for LERTA tax abatements within these environmental overlap zones that:
(a). Provide incentives for the utilization of green infrastructure that can achieve the standards established by the Wet Weather Plan, including, but not limited to, the effective and responsible management of wastewater, stormwater and sewer runoff; and
(b). Tier the incentive structure, so as to provide a larger tax abatement for development within these overlap zones that makes more use of green infrastructure.