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 in the City of Philadelphia, known as the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District; designated the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation, a nonprofit corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as the NIDMA for the District; and approved a final plan for improvements within the District; and
WHEREAS, On December 31, 2022, the District will automatically terminate unless it is continued by ordinance; and
WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia (“Council”) is authorized by the Community and Economic Improvement Act, Act of December 21, 1998, P.L. 1307, No. 174 (53 P.S. §18101 et seq.), as amended, including by Act of May 24, 2016, No. 32 and the Act of May 24, 2016, No. 28 and as the same may be further amended, restated, or supplemented from time to time (as so amended, the “Act”), to continue, by ordinance, business improvement districts beyond the date of termination by reenacting the municipal enabling ordinance creating the original business improvement district following a review of the business improvement district and the NIDMA programs and services provided within the District; and
WHEREAS, Council wishes to initiate action to continue the District, until December 31, 2039; 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; and
WHEREAS, Special assessment fees will continue to be 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
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, The purpose of this resolution is to initiate action to continue a business improvement district encompassing certain hotels and properties that will contain hotels in the future, within the boundaries of the District; approve the preliminary plan for the District attached as Exhibit A; adopt as the City’s report concerning the District, the report included as part of that preliminary plan, and ensure that all actions required by the Act to such continue the District are taken prior to enactment of an ordinance formally doing so; 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.
End