Title
Initiating action to continue a business improvement district encompassing certain existing and future hotel properties within the boundaries of the City of Philadelphia (the “City”), known as the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District (the “District”), and to continue the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association (the “NIDMA”) of the District; approving a preliminary plan and report for the District; and authorizing and directing the Committee on Rules and the Clerk of Council to take all actions that are required by the Community and Economic Improvement Act (the “Act”), prior to adoption of an ordinance that would formally continue the District.
Body
WHEREAS, Bill No. 170468 (signed September 26, 2017) established a business improvement district encompassing the City of Philadelphia, known as the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District (the “District”); designated the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation, a nonprofit corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (“PHiL DC”), as the neighborhood improvement district management association (the “NIDMA”) for the District; and approved a final plan for programs and services within the District and designated PHiL DC to impose special assessment fees and administer programs and services within the District in order “to promote and enhance more attractive and safer commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use neighborhoods; economic growth; increased employment opportunities; and improved commercial, industrial, business districts and business climates”; and
WHEREAS, Bill No. 190717 (signed December 30, 2019) continued the term of the District until December 31, 2039; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of this Ordinance is to increase the special assessment fees imposed on hotels within the District by the NIDMA to fund i) supplemental programs, services and improvements related to the development and promotion of the hotel and tourism industry in the City and (ii) administrative expenses of the District; and to ensure that all actions required by the Act to continue such a district have been taken before the enactment of this Ordinance, and the Plan adopted pursuant to Bill No. 190717 is superseded and replaced by this Plan upon adoption of this ordinance and the start of the next fiscal year of the BID; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation or any successor entity authorized to serve as NIDMA under the Act and approved by City Council of the City, will continue to serve as the NIDMA for the District; and
WHEREAS, Before an ordinance continuing a business improvement district is adopted, the Act requires that a public hearing be held on the preliminary plan for the District, and notice of the hearing and the preliminary plan be mailed to all affected property owners and lessees of affected property owners located in the proposed district; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby initiates action to continue the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District encompassing certain existing and future hotel properties within the boundaries of the City and to continue Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation, a nonprofit corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the NIDMA of the District; approving a preliminary plan and report for the District, and authorizing and directing the Committee on Rules and the Clerk of the Council to take all actions that are required by the Act, prior to enactment of an ordinance that would formally continue the District.
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Committee on Rules is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions required by the Act prior to enactment of an ordinance formally continuing the District, including the holding of any and all public hearings required by the Act. The Clerk of Council shall arrange for all mailings and publication of all notices required by the Act, as directed by the Chair of the Committee on Rules.
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