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Dissolving the West Philadelphia Retail Tax Increment Financing District and creating the Park West Tax Increment Financing District, being the area generally bounded by Columbia Avenue on the north, North 50th Street on the east, Merion Avenue on the south, and North 52nd Street on the west., all in accordance with the Tax Increment Financing Act, being the Act of July 11, 1990, P.L. 465, No. 113, as amended, and authorizing the Director of Finance and other offices of the City to execute documents and do all things necessary to carry out the intent of this Ordinance.
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WHEREAS, By ordinance approved February 3, 1999 (Bill No. 980799-A), City Council created the West Philadelphia Retail Tax Increment Financing District as of January 1, 2000 for a twenty year term, and approved the project plan submitted by the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) for the redevelopment of the District, all pursuant to the provisions of the Tax Increment Financing Act, being the Act of July 11, 1990, P.L. 465, No. 113, as amended (Act); and
WHEREAS, no bonds or notes have been offered or issued in connection with the District and PAID recommends that the West Philadelphia Retail Tax Increment Financing District be dissolved and that a new District, called the Park West Tax Increment Financing District, be created as of July 1, 2006; and
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, and the Tax Increment Financing Act, being the Act of July 11, 1990, P.L. 465, No. 113, as amended, the City Planning Commission of the City of Philadelphia ("Commission") has certified the Parkside Lancaster Redevelopment Area as a redevelopment area, and the Commission has completed a detailed redevelopment area plan for the Parkside Lancaster Redevelopment Area; and
WHEREAS, In conformity with this redevelopment area plan, the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development ("PAID") has prepared a detailed project plan for the redevelopment of the portion of the Parkside Lancaster Redevelopment Area designated as the Park West Tax Increment Financing District ("District"), which project plan has been prepared by PAID and submitted by PAID for approval by the City Council pursuant to the Tax Increment Financing Act; and
WHEREAS, The Commission has submitted to the City Council its report and recommendations respecting the redevelopment of the District, the determination of blight, and has certified that the said project plan conforms to the comprehensive plan for the City as a whole; and
WHEREAS, The project plan 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 actions; and
WHEREAS, No person shall, on the ground of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in the undertakings and carrying out of the project plan; and
WHEREAS, City Council desires to take appropriate action with respect to the project plan pursuant to the Tax Increment Financing Act; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Tax Increment Financing Act, creation of a tax increment financing district authorizes the use of certain positive tax increments to finance improvements, including costs incidental thereto, within the District; now, therefore
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
Section 1. The West Philadelphia Retail Tax Increment Financing District, as created by an ordinance approved February 3, 1999 (Bill No. 980799-A), is hereby dissolved. There are no outstanding tax increment bonds or notes for the district.
Section 2. City Council hereby creates the Park West Tax Increment Financing District ("District"), as provided herein, pursuant to the Tax Increment Financing Act. The District consists of:
ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground situate in the Fifty-second Ward of the City of Philadelphia and described as follows (subject to an official survey):
BEGINNING at the point of intersection of the easterly right-of-way line of Fifty-second street (one hundred feet wide) and the southerly right-of-way line of Columbia avenue (seventy feet wide) and extending thence along the aforementioned line of Columbia avenue south sixty-five degrees fifty-four minutes thirty-four seconds east, a distance of eight hundred eighty-five and three hundred fifteen one-thousandths feet to a point; thence leaving said line of Columbia avenue and extending south twenty-four degrees five minutes twenty-six seconds west, a distance of one hundred twenty-seven and four hundred seven one-thousandths feet; thence south sixty-five degrees fifty-four minutes thirty-four seconds east, a distance of four hundred eighty-four and six hundred eighty-five one-thousandths feet to a point in the westerly right-of-way line of Fiftieth street (sixty feet wide); thence, extending along the westerly line of Fiftieth street, south twenty-four degrees five minutes twenty-six seconds west, a distance of eight hundred fifty-two and four hundred nineteen one-thousandths feet to a point within a railroad right-of-way; thence extending through the railroad right-of-way north sixty-five degrees fifty-four minutes thirty-four seconds west, a distance of nine hundred forty-seven and nine hundred eighteen one-thousandths feet; thence, still through the same on the arc of circle curving to the right having a radius of one thousand seven hundred eighty-four and two hundred sixty-nine one-thousandths feet, an arc distance of two hundred thirty-nine and six hundred fifteen one-thousandths feet, and a central angle of seven degrees forty-one minutes forty seconds and being subtended by a chord bearing north sixty-two degrees eight minutes thirty-four seconds west, a chord distance of two hundred thirty-nine and four hundred thirty-five one-thousandths feet; thence north fifty-eight degrees seventeen minutes forty-four seconds west, a distance of eighty-eight and seven hundred eighty-one one-thousandths feet to a point of curvature; thence on the arc of a circle curving to the left having a radius of one thousand seventy-four and seven hundred seventy-nine one-thousandths feet, an arc distance of ninety-five and five hundred seventy-one one-thousandths feet, and a central angle of five degrees five minutes forty-one seconds and being subtended by a chord bearing north sixty degrees fifty minutes thirty-five seconds west, a chord distance of ninety-five and five hundred forty one-thousandths feet to a point on the aforementioned easterly right-of-way line of Fifty-second street; thence extending along said line of Fifty-second street, north twenty-four degrees five minutes twenty-six seconds east, a distance of nine hundred forty-three and eight hundred ninety-six one-thousandths feet to the first mentioned point and place of Beginning.
CONTAINING twenty-nine and two hundred fifty-six one-thousandths acres of land more or less.
Section 3. The project plan, included herein as Exhibit "A" and on file with the Chief Clerk, including the detailed redevelopment area plan, the maps, studies, as well as all other documents and supporting data which form part of the project plan submitted by the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development ("PAID") for the District, having been reviewed and considered, is approved.
Section 4. City Council finds and declares that the project plan for the District, having been duly reviewed and considered, is approved, and that:
(a) The project plan conforms to the City Comprehensive plan for the development of the locality as a whole;
(b) The District is a contiguous geographic area within a certified redevelopment area created pursuant to the Urban Redevelopment Law;
(c) The improvement of the area is likely to enhance significantly the value of substantially all of the other real property in the District;
(d) The aggregate value of equalized taxable property of the District, plus all existing tax increment districts, does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total value of equalized taxable property within the City of Philadelphia;
(e) The area comprising the District as a whole has not been subject to adequate growth and development through investment by private enterprise and would not reasonably be anticipated to be adequately developed or further developed without the adoption of the project plan;
(f) City Council finds that the project plan contains a feasible method for the compensation of individuals, families and small businesses and for their relocation, if any, to decent, safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations within their means, without undue hardship to such individuals, families and businesses;
(g) The project plan affords maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs of the community as a whole, for the redevelopment of the District by private enterprise;
(h) The District is a blighted area containing characteristics of blight as described in the Urban Redevelopment Law and the Tax Increment Financing Act and the project to be undertaken is necessary to prevent, arrest and eliminate such conditions of blight;
(i) 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 project plan are reasonable and necessary under the circumstances; and
(j) The project plan meets all of the conditions and requirements imposed by law and the pertinent regulations with respect thereto, for the purpose of prohibiting discrimination with regard to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Section 5. City Council finds and declares that the project plan is in conformity with the Parkside Lancaster Redevelopment Area Plan.
Section 6. City Council hereby creates the District as of July 1, 2006, which District shall exist for a period of twenty (20) years from and after such date.
Section 7. The Director of Finance and other officers of the City are hereby authorized to execute all documents and do all things necessary to carry out the intent of this Ordinance.
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