Good morning and welcome to Pittsburgh City Council Cablecast public hearing on Friday, March sixth, two thousand twenty-six, relative to Bill Two thousand twenty-five, nineteen ninety three.

Would a clerk please read the title of the bill.

Per section 922.05.b dot two of the zoning code, an application to amend the boundaries of the zoning map may be proposed by the City Council, the Planning Commission, the owner of the subject property, or the owner's agent.

The largest properties was within the proposed rezoning area are owned by public utility companies such as the railroads and a recycling center.

The proposed RIV IMU subdistrict allows a broader range of uses, including residential, retail, educational, cultural activities, and limited industrial uses.

In contrast, the existing RIV GI subdistrict is more permissive of heavy industrial uses such as car washes, construction related activities, and other intensive operations.

The use table can be referenced in section 911.02 of the zoning code.

The parcels proposed for rezoning are adjacent to a mix of zoning designations, including the R1AVH, GI, UI, R1AH, and the SP 10, which is the Hazelwood Green special district.

Given the proximity of residential districts and existing homes, the RIV IMU designation is more appropriate.

It provides a transitional zoning framework that limits high intensity industrial activity near residential areas while allowing compatible mixed use development in the future.

City staff conducted a review of existing land uses within the rezoning area and confirmed that all existing businesses and uses are permitted under the proposed RIV IMU zoning.

Any nonconforming uses that may exist will be allowed to continue operating in accordance with existing nonconforming use provisions.

Based on these findings of fact, the planning commission of the City of Pittsburgh held a public hearing on November 18, 2025, where the Commission made a positive recommendation on Council Bill 2025, 1993 for a zoning map amendment to change from RIV GI to RIV IMU in the Hazelwood neighborhood with the following condition.

The Council office and majority property owners, such as CSX Transportation and Republic Services meet with residents and community organizations to address and improve existing health and safety conditions in the neighborhood and to collaborate on shared goals following the rezoning.

A copy of the Planning Commission's report and decision was attached to the package forwarded to Council.

Public notice for this public hearing was posted on February 12, 2026, and postcards were mailed to adjacent property owners in line with the 21-day noticing requirement in the zoning code.

That concludes our presentation.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Let the record reflect that we've also been joined by Councilman Wilson as well as Councilwoman Erica Strasberger.

Our next order of business is going to be testimony from those who have registered to speak.

Our first register speaker is Chief Pomai Chakman Yahelehee.

So our next speaker is Brandon O'Donnell.

I represent Allegheny Valley Railroad.

Allegheny Valley Railroad operates the Glenwood Yard, which is located within the boundaries that are proposed to be rezoned in Bill 2025-1993.

On behalf of my client, we recommend that City Council vote no on this proposed legislation.

I'd like to identify a few basic overall points of procedure and context, and you'll hear directly from my client later.

First of all, the geographic area that we're talking about here, it's an economically active area of town.

It's not an area of abandoned wasteland.

There's not empty factories.

Rezoning isn't necessary in order to prompt economic activity.

There's already businesses there, and there's not new area for businesses to come into if a rezoning happens.

There's just not area for retail, residential, etc.

There are existing businesses, including railroads.

On that point, the overwhelming majority of the land is active railroad property used for rail transportation purposes.

As the council is aware, federal law puts the jurisdiction of Congress as the body that regulates rail transportation activities, not states, not localities.

And this causes a specific problem with the downzoning from RIV GI to RIV IMU.

And this focuses on a specific issue that I'll just exemplify here.

The zoning code defines a freight terminal as a facility designed for the moving and storage of goods, including railroad and trucking terminals and railroad repair shops.

This is a use permitted by right in the existing RIV GI district.

But in the RIV IMU district, it's a special exception, which would require approval from the Zoning Board of Adjustment for railroads to operate a railroad freight terminal.

That clearly hits on an issue of preemption.

Preemption was repeatedly presented before the planning commission and it wasn't taken seriously.

We urged the council to take a more practical view of this issue to avoid friction.

Additionally, we submit that the planning commission's action was untimely.

Planning commission had to act by October 13.

It didn't do that.

There was a presumably favorable recommendation on November 18th, but it was too late.

This body had passed a resolution in mid-October authorizing additional time for the planning commission to have act, but we submitted that it was too late.

Finally, there are many prompts associated with this draft bill dealing with community concerns and issues.

You'll hear from my client later on.

We're not insensitive to those issues.

We absolutely want to sit down and talk with folks about those issues and to take them seriously.

We believe this process has allowed us to do it, and we're committed to continuing to do it.

However, we do not believe that a rezoning of the entire swath of land is the appropriate means to resolve these issues with the community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jody Chowder, which will be followed by Bill City.

Good morning.

My name is Jody Chowder.