Pittsburgh leaders who had spent more than a year creating standards for everything from how a casino should look to where it could be located are furious about a bill enacted by the State House that removes zoning authority from cities.
"I'm hopping mad," City Councilwoman Tonya Payne said. "I just don't think it's fair that the state should feel the need to tell us how we should do zoning here in the City of Pittsburgh." The Council member was one of eight City Council members to sign a letter yesterday urging the state Senate to reverse the action and "restore the people's voice" in the zoning of the proposed casino. "It's unconscionable that the state House would take away all local zoning, planning and land use power from the local municipality, an action that strips the people of their voice," the letter stated.
Some help could be on the way from the State Senate, where Democratic Leader Robert Mellow said that when the Senate takes up the slots amendment on Monday, he will try to remove the local zoning pre-emptions. He didn't see any reason why the two cities should be singled out for treatment that is different from other towns in the state.
Steve Miskin, an aide to House Republican leader Sam Smith, defended the pre-emption of local zoning. Miskin said the two cities are different because they are the only cities guarantee stand-alone, or non-racetrack casinos.
"We are trying to expedite the gaming proceeds for property tax relief," Mishkin said. If the stand-alone casinos "get mired down in local zoning complexities", revenue won't be quickly generated by casinos for reducing people's property taxes, he said.
State Senator Jim Ferlo, Democrat from the Highland Park section of Pittburgh, who fought to protect the city's zoning power over casinos said the House bill "would run roughshod" over that ability. "I will be fighting tooth and nail to get the bill back amended," he said.
Anne Swager, co-chair of the Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force, said that even if the Legislature succeeds in exempting casinos from local zoning, the group will not be silenced. "We will still rattle every chain and bang on every window we can to be part of the process," she said.
Thanks to Sheryl Stolzenberg
FULL STORY: Loss of zoning authority over casinos enrages officials
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
