PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Several major pieces of legislation were introduced at Thursday’s Philadelphia City Council session, including the bill that would create the Citizen Police Oversight Commission that voters approved in the November election.
Other bills would regulate Airbnb rentals, make several substantial changes to the zoning code, adjust who needs to file financial disclosure statements and impose restrictions on contracts to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
Council also passed a resolution to reassess the zoning code it adopted in 2011, after a five-year process, citing a “range of ongoing concerns” with the code.
Councilmember Curtis Jones is the main sponsor of the 52-page bill laying out in detail the composition and powers of the new police oversight commission.
He said he welcomes input during the upcoming hearing process but said his goal is to accomplish three things.
“One, restore confidence of the public that they can get a fair hearing about police misconduct,” he said during the session. “Two, establish a trust and better working relationship with police-civilian interaction. And three, reduce the high cost and burden due to lawsuits when we get it wrong.”
He proposes that the mayor and council appoint a five-member panel to take applications, conduct background checks and ultimately nominate nine commissioners, subject to council approval.
The commissioners would choose an executive director, who would make other staffing decisions. The commissioners would have the power to investigate not only complaints brought to them but also any use of force, weapons discharge, police-caused death or injury, even without a complaint.
They could review past complaints and lawsuits and would have access to the same witnesses and documents as police officials investigating the same incidents.
They would have subpoena power and could recommend discipline, including criminal charges, along with changes to policy and training. The police commissioner would have to respond, though not accept, the recommendations.
The commission is one of several measures that grew out of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests.
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Councilmember Mark Squilla, meanwhile, proposed tighter regulations on Airbnbs in the city. His bill would create a “limited lodging operator license” and a “limited lodging booking agent license” for such properties.
The primary resident of a dwelling could get an operator license, subject to zoning and lead safety requirements, for $150. An agent acting on the resident’s behalf would have to pay $7,000 for the booking license, with a $5,000 annual renewal fee.
Councilmember Maria Quinones-Sanchez also introduced a bill that would make extensive changes to the zoning code, with the goal of reducing variance requests and speeding up the permit process. They include:
- simplifying the calculation for how many units are allowed on a lot
- assigning one standard for reviewing development on lots with multiple zoning designations
- reducing parking requirements for a number of properties including libraries, research and development facilities and several kinds of retails sales
- adding new zoning categories for civic use and small residential lots
- imposing civic design reviews on certain industrial developments
- eliminating antiquated regulation on businesses that have become more mainstream including arcades, pool halls and tattoo parlors.
The proposal is not related to the resolution council passed, empaneling a commission to reassess the entire zoning code adopted just nine years ago.
The resolution states that the code has already been amended so much, and the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) grants variances with such regularity, that a new code may be necessary already.
Several witnesses testified in support of the resolution.
“The standards you put in place are now far out the window,” said John Scott, a committeeman in Fishtown. “ZBA hearings where the well-connected get everything they ask for, despite council’s wishes, and everyone else gets the mute button, I’m sure that wasn’t the goal.”
Andrew Miller, also of Fishtown, said variances have led to the destruction of historic properties and shoddy construction.
“We’ve seen unsafe practices as a result of an unhealthy and counterproductive deference to developers and real estate speculators,” he said.
The resolution passed unanimously.