Harrisburg City Council legislative session on Tuesday.
Harrisburg City Council ended its session for the year with a lengthy agenda, including the approval of a budget and substantial development projects.
Council took a step in the city’s budgeting process, passing a 2022 budget that will serve as a placeholder until Mayor-Elect Wanda Williams takes office and likely reopens the spending plan.
The $79.2 million general fund budget, which includes no property tax increase, essentially mirrors the 2021 budget.
The administration proposed the placeholder budget in anticipation of Williams reopening it in the new year. The final budget must be adopted by Feb. 15.
Additionally, council gave the go-ahead to two large development projects in Harrisburg.
Developers Chris and Erica Bryce, along with Matt Long of Harrisburg Commercial Interiors, can begin work on their mixed-use building on the 1600-block of N. 3rd and Logan streets. It includes a community center and 12 apartment units. They also plan to construct eight townhouses nearby. The project is one phase of many planned by the developers for the Midtown area.
At a work session last week, council President Williams expressed concern with what she saw as not enough affordable single-family housing in the plan. At the time, Long told council members that affordable housing would be part of subsequent phases.
However, on Tuesday, Williams and other council members said that they met with the developers privately to address their concerns. Council then unanimously approved the project.
A plan for the historic Hudson building on N. 6th Street in Camp Curtin was also brought before council. Developer Adam Maust plans to transform the long-abandoned building into The Atlas, which may include office and retail space for local, specifically Black-owned businesses, he said.
However, city Solicitor Neil Grover stated that the project technically already had received automatic approval. A vote by council on each land development plan is required within 120 days of an application being submitted. According to Grover, a series of delays on the city’s part led to the project not going to council for a vote until after that deadline, rendering it legally approved.
Many council members were not happy with that result, expressing that they felt the city had made a mistake.
“How did we let something with so much public comment slip through the cracks?” council member Ausha Green asked. “It’s completely ridiculous.”
During public comment, some residents expressed concern with the transparency of the project, stating that there should be more collaboration with local neighborhood groups and residents.
Maust said that he has been working with local groups such as La Cultura and Young Professionals of Color-Greater Harrisburg to conduct surveys and outreach to the community.
“I’m really encouraged with what we are putting together that I believe will set a foundation for how projects like this should go,” Maust said.
In addition, the Atlas recently received a $2.5 million grant from the commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), prompting additional questions from council members.
Although the project was deemed approved, council still voted on it, passing the land development plan by a vote of 6-1, with council member Shamaine Daniels voting against it.
Council also approved three new Zoning Hearing Board appointees, and one alternate board member. Matthew Pianka, Claude Phipps, Anna Bianco and James Hobbs (alternate) will serve, creating a quorum for the board.
Finally, council passed the 2022-2025 Basic Labor Agreement between the city and the local labor union for city employees, Local 521, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), District Council 90. It includes 3% raises for workers for each year for the next four years. Members will also receive a $3,000 bonus in 2022, $1,500 in 2023 and $1,000 in each of the following two years.
Of note, Tuesday was council Vice President Ben Allatt’s last meeting on council, as he declined to run for re-election this year.
Next up: Harrisburg City Council will reorganize on Jan. 3, with two new council members—Ralph Rodriguez and Jocelyn Rawls—joining. Also on Jan. 3, Williams will make the move from council president to Harrisburg mayor.
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