This meeting of the Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committees was held on June 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers. Seven members were present (Wilson, Salinetro, Charland, Warwick, Lavelle, Gross, Mosley) and two were absent (Coghill, Strassburger) according to the minutes, though the transcript suggests Strassburger was present for the Finance and Law portion. The meeting covered a wide range of legislative items including budget amendments, public safety technology, infrastructure projects, and a major "stewardship package" of five bills updating urban agriculture and greenway programs. A new tax on amusement devices was also announced.
Good morning, and welcome to the standing committee meeting for Wednesday, June tenth, two thousand twenty-six. Uh our first order of businesses roll call. Please take the roll. Excuse me, Mr. Charland, Mr. Cockhill, Miss Gross, Mr. LeBelle. Here. Mr. Mosley. Here. Ms. Salonitra. Miss Warwick. And Ms. Warwick. Here. Mr. Wilson. Miss Strasberger. Five members present. Thank you. Our next order of business is submitted agenda. There's a motion to amend. So moved. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. The agenda has been amended. Our next order of business is public comment. I would like to remind all speakers with the rules of council of state that comments are limited in matters of concern, official action or deliberation, which maybe before city council profanity would not be permitted. Please restate your name, provide your neighborhood for the record. Thanks to Council for having me here today. Subsidies for adopt a lot growers, a twice seasonal material grant program that expands and supplements the work of city farms by providing tangible resources like fencing and soil, an annual educational programming that provides a myriad of topics for growers to learn and expand their agricultural knowledge, among many other things. In addition to the direct support we provide, Grove Pittsburgh continues to advocate for policies that improve neighborhood food access and food system resiliency. This advocacy has allowed for continued partnership with the City of Pittsburgh as we've worked alongside partners and city staff last year to make improvements to programs that increase community food security and resilience. The changes included in the stewardship package that city planning is presenting to you all increases community food security and resilience. The changes included in this stewardship package will provide greater clarity on protecting and maintaining our city's greenways while also expanding lease terms for adopt a lot growers, among other changes. Grow Pittsburgh is grateful for this continued and meaningful collaboration, and I am delighted to stand before you all today to provide my strong recommendation that council approve the stewardship package. We hope this will be a first step for this council and mayoral administration to work to better understand the opportunities that exist within urban agriculture for the City of Pittsburgh. Food insecurity remains a challenge for residents and one that is not easily solved by a silver bullet solution. Urban agriculture and community-based food projects are not hobbies. They make up an important part of our food security safety net. As food challenge, food system challenges persist, we must seek and continue to support collaborative and sustainable solutions that meet the unique needs of our neighborhoods and ensure equitable and land access, equitable land and food access for all. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is David Bernigan. Good morning. Can you hear me? Yes, we can.