OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Pittsburgh City Council Regular Meeting - August 3, 2026

City Council — Monday, August 3, 2026
BodyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, August 3, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 59:20
Transcript — Verbatim
2:43

Good morning, and welcome to the regular meeting of City Council on Monday, August third, two thousand twenty-six, where Clerk please take the role.

2:50

Mr.

2:50

Charlotte.

2:55

Mr.

2:55

Coghill, Ms.

2:57

Gross, Mr.

2:58

Mosley.

2:59

Here.

2:59

Mrs.

3:00

Salonetro.

3:01

Mrs.

3:02

Strasberger.

3:03

Here.

3:03

Mrs.

3:04

Warwick.

3:05

Mr.

3:06

Wilson.

3:07

Mr.

3:07

Laville.

3:09

Mr.

3:10

Lavelle President.

3:11

Here.

3:12

Six members present.

3:13

Thank you.

3:13

For those who are able, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

3:15

Remain the same for a moment.

3:30

Liberty justice for all.

3:41

Second.

3:43

All those in favor say aye.

3:45

The agenda has been admitted.

3:46

Our next order is public comment.

3:48

I would like to remind everyone that the rules of Council of State that comes of liberty and massive sound official action or deliberation, which may be for City Council Panny will not be permitted.

3:56

After you recall, please re state your name, provide your neighborhood for the record.

5:00

There are people from all different backgrounds advocating for a plethora of different things.

5:04

I'm still learning about the goings-on in Pittsburgh, such as figuring out the public transportation and figuring out where the best restaurants are to eat at.

5:12

I'm looking forward to exploring and getting more familiar with the city.

5:17

I've noticed there's been a lot of construction around the university campus recently.

5:22

While I understand that it is necessary for the growth and improvement of the city, it can also have a significant impact on students, residents, workers, and visitors.

5:33

Seeing these projects firsthand has made me think more about how city decisions shape everyday life.

5:39

Even decisions involving funding, property, or public infrastructure can have a noticeable impact on a neighborhood and how it looks, feels, and functions.

5:50

I've been here about a month now and can safely say that I've become much more aware of how city decisions decisions shape everyday life.

5:59

As someone still getting to know Pittsburgh, I really value seeing the local government take time to address these issues openly.

6:07

It shows that the city is actively making decisions about what matters most, and it gives residents a chance to be a part of that process.

6:15

I may still be learning, but I appreciate the opportunity to listen, understand, and be involved as a member of this community.

6:22

Thank you so much for your time and all the work you do.

6:25

Thank you very much.

6:26

Our next registered speaker is Amy Zayes.

6:35

Good morning.

6:36

Thank you, Council President and other council members present.

6:40

My name's Amy Zace.

6:41

I live in the Beachview neighborhood.

6:43

I'm here today to speak in favor of ordinance 2026, 0771, which removes an interesting exception in parking rules that allows for protection of a vehicle.

6:57

This is really important to me as somebody who chooses to live car-free and uh walks often.

7:05

I'm also part of a volunteer group called Pittsburgh Walks, and we're looking to survey and identify conditions of sidewalks throughout the city.

7:16

Frankly, when I heard that this was existing, I was really confused.

7:22

And so I appreciate Councilmember Wilson for sponsoring this, and also for many of you for being so supportive of Vision Zero.

7:30

We clearly have a lot of work to do, and there are many obstacles existing on our sidewalk.

7:37

But this is a really really positive first step to see.

7:41

And from my personal experience, I live along what's been identified as a safe route to school, and there's a lot of sidewalk parking, and it makes me really sad to see young children have to walk in the street just to get to school.

7:56

I love to shop in my district in Brookline, and that's a road that's been identified in our high injury network, meaning that there's a significant concentration of both pedestrian and vehicle accidents along that stretch.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget█████████████████████21%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Parking Management██████████████14%
Public Safety██████████10%
Public Works██████████10%
Public Engagement████████8%
Historic Preservation██████6%
Parks and Recreation████4%
Community Engagement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Pittsburgh City Council Regular Meeting - August 3, 2026

The Pittsburgh City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting included roll call, pledge of allegiance, agenda approval, public comments, presentation of papers, and final action on a series of committee reports. All bills and resolutions presented for final action were passed unanimously (9-0). Notable among the actions was the passage of an ordinance removing a parking code exception that allowed vehicles to park on sidewalks for protection, a topic that drew significant public comment.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Amy Zayes (Beechview neighborhood) spoke in favor of Ordinance 2026-0771, which removes the exception for parking on sidewalks for vehicle protection. She noted that the existing rule creates obstacles for pedestrians, especially children walking to school, and argued it is a positive step toward Vision Zero.
  • Kate Walker (Friendship/Bloomfield) spoke against the change, stating that parking on the sidewalk is the only option on her narrow street. She cited concerns about increased risk of vehicle damage from city trucks and asked council to explore nuances before voting.
  • Bethany Cameron (Overbrook, on behalf of Inform Pittsburgh) presented survey results from 55 readers. On sidewalk parking, 38% said limited pedestrian pathways were the bigger problem, 33% said neither was a problem, and 24% said both were problems. On supporting youth, 40% chose safe outdoor spaces and sports. On parks, over half chose cleaner facilities.
  • Alyssa Grishman (Uptown, founder of Access Mob Pittsburgh) spoke in support of the amendment, describing her experience as a wheelchair user. She reported calling 911 nine times in five months to report cars blocking sidewalks. She argued that closing the loophole is a common-sense step toward Vision Zero and ADA compliance.
  • Peter Hollow (unidentified neighborhood) spoke about the illegal Oakland DIY Skate Park, which he claimed was built against community will and in violation of city codes. He urged council to shut it down and provided a website for more information.
  • Dr. Ronald Miller (claimed to represent multiple neighborhoods) questioned the legitimacy of the council and advocated for alternative neighborhood-based governance.
  • Seth Bush (Senior Advocacy Manager, Bike Pittsburgh) spoke in support of the parking amendment, noting that while some streets may require sidewalk parking, enforcement should focus on dangerous areas immediately.

Discussion Items

  • Parking Code Amendment (Ordinance 2026-0771): Sponsored by Councilman Bobby Wilson, the ordinance removes language in Section 541.02 of the City Code that provided an exception to parking prohibitions for the protection of a vehicle. The change was intended to address sidewalk parking and improve pedestrian safety. After reading the bill, council voted unanimously (9-0) to pass it.
  • Free Bus Pass Program: Councilwoman Barbara Warwick announced that city employees working downtown can sign up for a free bus pass. She thanked PRT, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, fellow council members, and Mayor O'Connor for implementing the program, noting it is a major benefit for downtown workers.
  • Harambee Festival: Councilman Khari Mosley congratulated the family of Bugum Balowry for continuing the tradition of the Harambee Festival in Homewood.

Key Outcomes

  • All bills from the following committees were passed unanimously (9-0):
    • Committee on Finance and Law (Bills 2026-0654, 0756, 0757, 0758, 0759, 0770, 0776, 0782, 0783, 0784, 0785, 0786, 0787, 0788, 0789, 0790, 0791)
    • Committee on Public Safety and Wellness (Bill 2026-0744, receiving a $1,000,000 grant from the Ross and Carol Nese Foundation for a Head of Talent Acquisition, Public Safety)
    • Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure (Bills 2026-0752, 0753, 0754, 0755, 0781, including funding for the Charles Anderson Bridge, Newton Street, West Carson Street Bridge, Three Rivers Heritage Trail esplanade, and a Mini Pitch at Ormsby Recreation Center)
    • Committee on Land Use and Economic Development (Bills 2026-0760, 0761, 0762, 0763, 0771, including the parking code amendment)
    • Committee on Recreation, Youth, and Senior Services (Bill 2026-0773, transferring $200,000 from the Stop the Violence Trust Fund to CitiParks for McKinley Recreation Center programming)
    • Committee on Innovation, Performance, Asset Management, and Technology (Bill 2026-0745, warrant for Musco Sports Lighting for digital lighting control)
    • Committee on Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs (Bills 2026-0746, 0747, 0748, 0749, 0750, 0751, including federal lobbying services, HOME-ARP cooperation, membership dues, sewage plan, and property sale at 604 Liberty Avenue)
  • Council recess begins August 4, 2026, and ends August 28, 2026. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, and welcome to the regular meeting of City Council on Monday, August third, two thousand twenty-six, where Clerk please take the role. Mr. Charlotte. Mr. Coghill, Ms. Gross, Mr. Mosley. Here. Mrs. Salonetro. Mrs. Strasberger. Here. Mrs. Warwick. Mr. Wilson. Mr. Laville. Mr. Lavelle President. Here. Six members present. Thank you. For those who are able, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Remain the same for a moment. Liberty justice for all. Second. All those in favor say aye. The agenda has been admitted. Our next order is public comment. I would like to remind everyone that the rules of Council of State that comes of liberty and massive sound official action or deliberation, which may be for City Council Panny will not be permitted. After you recall, please re state your name, provide your neighborhood for the record. There are people from all different backgrounds advocating for a plethora of different things. I'm still learning about the goings-on in Pittsburgh, such as figuring out the public transportation and figuring out where the best restaurants are to eat at. I'm looking forward to exploring and getting more familiar with the city. I've noticed there's been a lot of construction around the university campus recently. While I understand that it is necessary for the growth and improvement of the city, it can also have a significant impact on students, residents, workers, and visitors. Seeing these projects firsthand has made me think more about how city decisions shape everyday life. Even decisions involving funding, property, or public infrastructure can have a noticeable impact on a neighborhood and how it looks, feels, and functions. I've been here about a month now and can safely say that I've become much more aware of how city decisions decisions shape everyday life. As someone still getting to know Pittsburgh, I really value seeing the local government take time to address these issues openly. It shows that the city is actively making decisions about what matters most, and it gives residents a chance to be a part of that process. I may still be learning, but I appreciate the opportunity to listen, understand, and be involved as a member of this community. Thank you so much for your time and all the work you do. Thank you very much. Our next registered speaker is Amy Zayes. Good morning. Thank you, Council President and other council members present. My name's Amy Zace.

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