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Approving the redevelopment proposal of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of a portion of the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area, West Parkside Urban Renewal Area being the area generally bounded by Parkside avenue on the north; Belmont avenue and Girard avenue on the east; Lancaster avenue on the south; and Fifty-second street and the Pennsylvania Central RR Line on the west; approving the urban renewal plan and determining that such plan and redevelopment proposal conform to the general locality plan and make adequate provisions for individuals, business concerns and families who are displaced; determining the necessity for changes in and for zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns, location and relocation of public utilities; determining that the urban renewal plan and redevelopment proposal meet all non-discrimination requirements pursuant to the provisions of Federal, State and Local Laws and the regulations and policies promulgated with respect thereto; declaring that condemnation is imminent with respect to the Project, except as otherwise expressly provided for in the proposal; and declaring the redevelopment undertakings in the Project to be an important part of the City’s program to remove and prevent the spread of urban blight.
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WHEREAS, In accordance with the provisions of the Urban Redevelopment Law, being the Act of May 24, 1945, P.L. 991, as amended and supplemented, the City Planning Commission of the City of Philadelphia (hereinafter “Commission”) has on April , 1997, certified West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area as a blighted area; and
WHEREAS, The Commission has completed a detailed redevelopment area plan for the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area dated April, 1997; and
WHEREAS, The Redevelopment Authority has prepared a redevelopment proposal, dated April, 2001 for the redevelopment of a portion of the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area, West Parkside Urban Renewal Area (hereinafter “Project”), in conformity with the aforesaid Redevelopment Area Plan, which redevelopment proposal has been certified by the Commission to the Council; and
WHEREAS, The Commission has submitted to the Council its report and recommendations respecting the redevelopment of the Project and the redevelopment proposal, and has certified that said redevelopment conforms to the general plan for the City as a whole; and
WHEREAS, The redevelopment proposal for the Project prescribes certain land uses and requires, among other things, changes in zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns, the location and relocation of public utilities and other public facilities, and other public action; and
WHEREAS, No person shall, on the ground of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry or handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in the undertakings and carrying out of the Project; and
WHEREAS, Council desires to take appropriate action with respect to the redevelopment proposal and the redevelopment of the Project. After duly advertised public hearings have been held for this purpose as required by law, the Committee on Rules of the Council has recommended the approval by the Council of the said redevelopment proposal and that no objections have been filed by any department, bureau or agency of the City to the redevelopment proposal; and
WHEREAS, The redevelopment proposal will effectuate the redevelopment of the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area, West Parkside Urban Renewal Area, thereby promoting the economic and general welfare of the City; now, therefore
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. The redevelopment proposal dated April, 2001, including the detailed redevelopment area plan, the maps, and all other documents and supporting data which form part of the proposal submitted by the Redevelopment Authority for the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area, West Parkside Urban Renewal Area (hereinafter called “Project”), having been duly reviewed and considered, is approved. The Redevelopment Authority is authorized to take such action as may be necessary to carry it out. Council authorizes the Redevelopment Authority to proceed with minor changes in substantial conformity with the said redevelopment proposal, as long as said minor changes are in conformity with the then current area redevelopment plan for the Project. The Project is bounded as follows:
Beginning at a point of intersection of the easterly side of Belmont avenue (one hundred feet wide) and the northerly side of Girard avenue (one hundred feet wide); Thence extending northward along the easterly side of said Belmont avenue, crossing the bed of Thompson street (forty feet wide), to the southerly side of Parkside avenue (one hundred feet wide); Thence extending westward along the southerly side of said Parkside avenue, crossing the beds of Forty-ninth street (fifty feet wide), Fifty-first street (sixty feet wide), Paxon street (thirty feet wide) and Creighton street (forty feet wide), to an angle point of said Parkside avenue; Thence extending further westward along the southerly side of Parkside avenue, crossing the bed of Fifty-second street (one hundred feet wide), to another angle point of Parkside avenue; Thence extending further westward along the southerly side of Parkside avenue, crossing the beds of Columbia avenue (seventy feet wide) and Lindenwood street (forty feet wide) to a point of intersection of the southerly side of Parkside avenue with the westerly side of said Lindenwood street, an angle point; Thence extending further westward along the southerly side of Parkside avenue, crossing the bed of Aberdeen street (forty feet wide), to a point on the easterly side of Fifty-third street (sixty feet wide); Thence extending further westward along the southerly side of Parkside avenue, crossing the bed of said Fifty-third street, to the easterly right-of-way line of the Penn Central Railroad Co.; Thence extending southward along the said easterly right-of-way line of the Penn Central Railroad Co., along a curve curving to the left, to a point of intersection with the easterly side of aforementioned Fifty-second street; Thence extending southward along the easterly side of said Fifty-second street, crossing the bed of Merion avenue (fifty feet wide), to a point of intersection with the northerly side of Lancaster avenue (eighty feet wide); Thence extending eastward along the northerly side of Lancaster avenue, crossing the beds of Fifty-first street (forty feet wide), Fiftieth street (forty feet wide) and Forty-ninth street (sixty feet wide), to a point of intersection with the northerly side of Girard avenue (one hundred feet wide); Thence extending northeastward along the northerly side of Girard avenue, recrossing the bed of aforementioned Merion avenue, to the first mentioned point and place of beginning.
SECTION 2. Council finds and declares that the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project is approved and is in conformity with the redevelopment area plan and that:
(a) The Urban Renewal Plan conforms to the general plan for the development of the locality as a whole;
(b) Financial aid may be necessary to enable the land located within the area to be redeveloped in accordance with the redevelopment proposal;
(c) The Urban Renewal Plan affords maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs of the locality as a whole, for the redevelopment of the area by private enterprise under the circumstances;
(d) Changes in zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns, location and relocation of sewer and water mains and other public facilities and utilities shown in the proposal are reasonable and necessary under the circumstances;
(e) The Urban Renewal Plan and Redevelopment Proposal meet all of the conditions and requirements as provided by Federal, State and Local laws and the regulations, promulgated thereunder, including but not limited to the nondiscrimination and fair practice provisions of Chapter 9-1100 of The Philadelphia Code, for the purpose of prohibiting discrimination.
SECTION 3. Council finds and declares that the redevelopment proposal is in conformity with the West Parkside-Lancaster Redevelopment Area Plan.
SECTION 4. Council further finds and declares that the relocation plan for the Project adequately provides relocation into decent, safe, and sanitary housing, with a minimum of hardship for all individuals and families which are to be displaced. Council further finds and declares that the relocation plan adequately provides, according to law, for assistance to aid in relocation and to minimize the displacement of business concerns which are to be displaced.
SECTION 5. The Redevelopment Authority is authorized to prepare or cause to be prepared for introduction into the Council such ordinances or resolutions as may be necessary for changes in zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns and location and relocation of public utilities in order to implement and facilitate the redevelopment proposal hereby approved. Accordingly, the Council hereby declares that it will cooperate in helping to carry out such redevelopment proposal and requests the various officials, departments, boards and agencies of the City having administrative responsibilities in the premises likewise to cooperate to such end and to exercise their respective functions and powers in manner consistent herewith.
SECTION 6. Council is cognizant that condemnation, except as otherwise expressly provided for in the hereby approved redevelopment proposal, is imminent with respect to the Project or the properties included therein. Council is further aware that general and special notice of the imminence of said condemnation will be publicly announced by the Redevelopment Authority through all appropriate news media and as required by law.
SECTION 7. Council finds that the redevelopment undertakings in the Project are declared to be an important part of the City’s program to remove and prevent the spread of blight for which public money may be spent, to eliminate pockets of deterioration which are detrimental to the health, welfare and safety of the public and to meet necessary and desirable site requirements, thus adding to the economic and tax base of the City.
SECTION 8. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately.
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