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City Council

June 5, 2024 ·6:30 PM Final

Council Chambers

Agenda PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 47 items

  1. 1 Invocation: ▶ jump to 0:09
  2. 2 Pledge to the Flag ▶ jump to 0:32
  3. 3 Roll Call ▶ jump to 0:49
  4. 4 Courtesy of the Floor Courtesy and Privilege of the Floor Rules ▶ jump to 1:03
  5. 5 Contract Approvals ▶ jump to 39:02
  6. 5 R93 Authorizes and Approves the Engagement of FLEO Investigations LLC, Scott Curtis Owner & CEO, to conduct an investigation pursuant to Ordinance 15948 15-6960 approved Pass ▶ jump to 9:06
  7. 6 R88 Authorization for Contract with Simone Collins, Inc, a small business, in the estimated sum of $199,999 to provide consulting, design, planning, and development of cost estimates to assist the in completing a comprehensive plan for city parks and recreation. The goal is to solicit public input to develop a list of priority projects and programs that meet the needs of the residents. There were five (5) bids, one (1) rejected due to including cost in their technical; one (1) year contract that can be extended for up to and additional three (3) months beyond the contract expiration period. 15-6949 approved Pass ▶ jump to 40:25
  8. 6 R93 Authorizes and Approves the Engagement of FLEO Investigations LLC, Scott Curtis Owner & CEO, to conduct an investigation pursuant to Ordinance 15948 15-6960 approved Pass ▶ jump to 37:14
  9. 7 R89 Authorization of Cooperative Contract(s) in an amount greater than $40,000.00 to provide the City with various goods/services. Lobar Associates, Inc. - Recycling Drop Off Center – Pole Building Micro Works Computer Center , Cisco Nexus and Catalyst Switches for Fairview 15-6950 approved Pass ▶ jump to 41:10
  10. 8 Minutes of Previous Meeting ▶ jump to 41:30
  11. 9 May 1, 2024 City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 15-6919 approved Pass ▶ jump to 41:38
  12. 10 May 15, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes 15-6945 approved Pass ▶ jump to 41:53
  13. 11 Communications ▶ jump to 42:08
  14. 12 Old Business ▶ jump to 42:28
  15. 13 REPORTS Budget and Finance: Chair Napoli, Hendricks, Gerlach The Committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is not yet scheduled. Community and Economic Development: Chair Hendricks, Mota, Napoli The committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is not yet scheduled for June 12th at 6 PM - the committee will look at R98, a Denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness at 825 W Gordon Street; R99 a Denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness - 222 N West Street and discuss budget and program priorities for the 2025 budget. Human Resources, Administration and Appointments: Chair Affa, Napoli, Santos The Committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is not yet scheduled. Parks and Recreation: Chair Santos, Affa, Gerlach The Committee met this evening; the next meeting is scheduled for June 26th at 5:30 PM. Public Safety: Chair Zucal, Hendricks, Mota The committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is not yet scheduled until June 26th at 5:40 PM. Public Works: Chair Gerlach, Affa, Zucal The Committee met this evening; the next meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 26th at 6:00 PM. Rules, Chambers, Intergovernmental Relations, and Strategy: Chair Mota, Napoli, Gerlach The committee has not met since the last council meeting, the next meeting is scheduled for June 12th at 5:30 PM to discuss R100, which supports an Unsheltered Declaration of Rights. Controller's Report (3 minutes) Mr. Jeffrey Glazier stated that they have three interns onboard for the summer. They are neck deep in their projects. One is working on cash process at the Golf Course. Another one is looking at the Permits Department and how they interfaces with the software and the third one is working with EMS on ambulance billing. They are making great progress and he would like to thank all those departments for cooperating on these projects and of course as you would recall, they will report out in August to Council. It is always a meeting to look forward to. Ms. Cynthia Mota stated definitely. They will be looking forward to that. Mayor's Report (3 minutes) Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that she would like to address openly and publicly some of the myths that they are receiving regarding the Zoning re-write. They are thrilled that they are receiving a lot of public comments. Comments from the citizens. Comments from developers. Comments from landlords and encourages everyone to visit Zone Allentown on the city's website and please bring in more comments. Some of the rumors that are starting to gain some credibility that they would like to address upfront includes the fact that they are not and repeated they are not permitting ancillary dwelling units in every property in the city. Ancillary dwelling units are small dwelling units that can be applied to select properties within the city in the new Zoning Ordinance. Think of building an in-law apartment in the rear of a property. If you truly look through the Zoning Ordinance and you read specifically where those ADUs are permitted. It is a very small segment of the population that homes would qualify. They have to be in owner occupied homes. Not additional units added to rental properties. The owner must live in the primary property. The lot size must be big enough and one of the biggest rumors they have is that these are going to be permitted in our alleys and in areas where emergency response is not possible. She stated that is not true. When they look at the city's ordinance which is still very much in development. They are looking to make sure that any of the zoning changes that happens as part of that ordinance do not in any way shape or form jeopardize public safety. They wouldn't permit structures where people couldn't get to them to do a rescue or have an emergency response. The other thing is that they have a sentiment that feels when she says they are trying to preserve the neighborhoods that may not be true. They are actually trying to look at the issue of lane houses that are very small row homes are very small homes on lots that are not traditionally zoned large enough. She stated that they are trying to protect that type of structure in this zoning law. They are also trying to eliminate density in some areas where the density will be overwhelming to the infrastructure. She just encouraged folks to really read and really dig into the facts within that zoning rewrite to understand the difference in the definitions of the structures and to no that they are keeping public safety and are also keeping density in mind when you look at that structure. You can plug in your own property into that qualifier within that Zone Allentown to determine how it would be zoned moving forward under the new Zoning Code. She just wanted to put that out there that it is not kind of how they see some of the comments going. They are well aware and they welcome more comments and willing to sit down individually. The public meetings will be released very soon and they will be meeting in each of the quadrants of the city and welcome more and more comments ahead of time or at those public sessions. The other thing to report on is that the website link and the criteria and release regarding their Community Reinvestment Fund will be happening this week and agencies are welcome to check the website, see the application, and apply. Ms. Cynthia Mota thanked Ms. Kistler. ▶ jump to 43:04
  16. 14 ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On): ▶ jump to 49:52
  17. 15 Bill 40 Fine Increases 15-6848 amended Pass ▶ jump to 50:16
  18. 16 Bill 48 Amending Part II General Legislation, Chapter 270 Fees, Article V Community and Economic Development Fees by updating the building fees and updating the language of the City Code. 15-6909 approved Pass ▶ jump to 70:29
  19. 17 Bill 49 Amending the 2024 Community and Economic Development, Health budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of One Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars ($110,000.00) from the Pennsylvania Department of Health grant for the expansion and use of ESRI and GIS software. 15-6910 approved Pass ▶ jump to 71:10
  20. 18 Bill 50 Amending the 2024 Community Development Department budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) from a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health Unintentional Injury Prevention Program (UIPP) grant for fall prevention safety equipment and training. 15-6911 approved Pass ▶ jump to 71:46
  21. 18 Bill 40 Fine Increases 15-6848 amended ▶ jump to 55:40
  22. 19 Bill 51 Amending the 2024 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a transfer of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) from Jordan Creek Greenway Trail Capital Project to the MLK Trail Capital Project. These funds will be used for updating the feasibility study opinion of costs for Lehigh Parkway to Cedar Creek Trail for a grant application. 15-6915 approved Pass ▶ jump to 72:17
  23. 19 Bill 40 Fine Increases 15-6848 approved as amended Pass ▶ jump to 68:03
  24. 20 Bill 52 Amending the 2024 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a transfer of Two Hundred Thousand ($200,000.00) Dollars from the unappropriated balance to the Capital Needs Assessment capital account. These funds were awarded as a Strategic Management Planning Program (STMP) grant to conduct a Capital Needs Assessment, a Building Condition Assessment, and a Traffic Signal Condition Assessment. 15-6913 approved Pass ▶ jump to 72:53
  25. 21 Motion to place Bill 34 on Agenda: approved Pass ▶ jump to 73:09
  26. 22 Bill 34 Amending the 2024 General Fund and Information Systems budget to accommodate the reorganization of two positions: Amend the General Fund budget by deleting the position of Systems Analyst 2 (14A) with the salary budgeted in the amount of Seventy-Six Thousand Four Hundred Sixty-Six ($76,466) Dollars; and creating the position of Office Manager (09A) with the salary budgeted at Sixty-One Thousand Four Hundred Ten ($61,410.00) Dollars. 15-6796 approved Pass ▶ jump to 74:36
  27. 23 CONSENT AGENDA approved Pass ▶ jump to 75:38
  28. 24 R90 Maria Ocasio, Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), Term Expiration: 1/4/2027 15-6923
  29. 25 R91 Peter Dent, Environmental Advisory Council, Term Expiration: 1/5/2026 (Filling Vacant Position Created by the resignation of Dietrich Kretschy) 15-6924
  30. 26 R92 Certificate of Appropriateness for work in the Historic Districts: • 519 Liberty St. • 245 N 11th St. • 301 N 10th St. • 917 W. Chew St. • 421 N Church St. • 1413 Linden St. 15-6931
  31. 27 RESOLUTIONS FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On):
  32. 28 R93 Authorizes and Approves the Engagement of FLEO Investigations LLC, Scott Curtis Owner & CEO, to conduct an investigation pursuant to Ordinance 15948 15-6960 ▶ jump to 10:52
  33. 29 R94 Police Officer Appointments 15-6954 approved Pass ▶ jump to 78:21
  34. 30 R95 Appointment of Zoning Supervisor - Michael J. Handzo 15-6959 approved Pass ▶ jump to 79:31
  35. 31 R96 Approves three transfers: (1) $541,780.00 in Traffic required to put the remaining funds for the Mack Boulevard Lighting Project into the Construction Contracts 76 account to bid the project to do the construction and installation of the new light poles; (2) $24,250.00 in Traffic to put funding in the 72 Equipment Account for the Martin Luther King Jr. Lighting Project to Purchase the Lights and Poles; (3) $15,000.00 in Building Standards & Safety for funds that were originally budgeted in the 46 account for Rental Fleet Vehicle Parking (the Funds were moved to pay for the Nuisance Abatement Legal Fees). 15-6940 approved Pass ▶ jump to 80:21
  36. 32 R97 Reschedules June 19 Council Meeting to June 26; and Cancels July 3 Council Meeting 15-6961 approved Pass ▶ jump to 80:50
  37. 33 ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION (To be referred to Committee with public comment prior to referral) ▶ jump to 81:04
  38. 34 Bill 53 Providing for the vacation of North Elizabeth Street from the centerline of Monroe Street to the centerline of vacated Wayne Street in the Seventeenth Ward of the City of Allentown. 15-6944 ▶ jump to 81:07
  39. 35 Bill 54 Amending the 2024 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a transfer of Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred Eleven Dollars and Seventy-Four Cents ($14,511.74) from the Street Lighting Upgrade capital account to the Martin Luther King Jr Dr Lighting capital account. This will transfer the unused funds from the completed Street Lighting Upgrade project to the Martin Luther King Jr Dr Lighting capital account. 15-6953 ▶ jump to 81:33
  40. 36 Bill 55 Amending the 2024 Golf Fund, General Fund, and Trexler Fund budget to fund the Chief Maintenance Supervisor in the Dept. of Parks and Recreation to improve work efficiency and support operations at a level to accommodate additional responsibilities related to infrastructure projects and comply with maintenance standards expected from the Trexler Trust. 15-6952 withdrawn Pass ▶ jump to 82:23
  41. 37 RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION (Can be voted on or Referred to Committee): ▶ jump to 84:01
  42. 38 R98 Denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness – 825 W Gordon Street 15-6932 ▶ jump to 84:05
  43. 39 R99 Denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness – 222 N West Street 15-6933 ▶ jump to 84:44
  44. 40 R100 Supports an Unsheltered Declaration of Rights. 15-6947 ▶ jump to 85:05
  45. 41 NEW BUSINESS: NONE ▶ jump to 88:21
  46. 42 GOOD AND WELFARE: NONE ▶ jump to 88:28
  47. 43 ADJOURNED: 7:58 PM ▶ jump to 88:33