Other business from Scranton City Council's June 27, 2023 meeting:

Jeff Horvath, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·3 min read

Jun. 27—In other business Tuesday, Scranton City Council:

Introduced an ordinance authorizing the replacement of existing no parking signs in the 1700 block of Ash Street with new signage. The legislation also memorializes the no parking zone in the City Code.

Introduced an ordinance adding school signs, establishing cross walks and creating designated pull off and no parking zones in the vicinity of Lincoln-Jackson Academy, 1739 Dickson Ave.

Advanced separate ordinances establishing multiway stop signs at several intersections in the city, including Capouse Avenue and Poplar Street, South Irving Avenue and Birch Street, South Bromley Avenue and Washburn Street, North Sumner Avenue and Theodore Street, and North Lincoln Avenue and Theodore Street. Some of the ordinances include other signage and safety features as well.

Advanced an ordinance redesignating the city's special encroachment permit program as the sidewalk café and parklet program. It effectively continues a pandemic-era policy where Scranton's code enforcement department assumed responsibility for granting special encroachment permits allowing businesses and restaurants to operate on city sidewalks and other rights of way. The ordinance authorizes a $25 permit fee.

Advanced and suspended normal rules to adopt an ordinance updating and tightening Scranton's fireworks regulations to align with state Act 74 of 2022. The proposal would restrict consumer fireworks use to and around certain holidays — New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day — and maintain existing rules prohibiting their use within 150 feet of an occupied structure or building and on any city property. It effectively bars use of the devices in much of the city most of the time.

Adopted an ordinance establishing no-parking zones at the intersection of Capouse Avenue and Walnut Street.

Adopted a resolution authorizing an escrow and lease-purchase agreement for a Sutphen custom fire engine to replace the city's Engine 4 and a multifunction truck that, among other features, includes a compressor system for filling air tanks. The current Engine 4 truck, a 2016, will be relocated to Engine 10 on East Mountain. Engine 10's current truck, a 1995, will be placed in reserve status. The total cost of the lease-purchase agreement for the new vehicles, including interest, is $1.06 million. The city will make the last payment in 2028 and expects to receive both vehicles later this year.

Adopted a resolution authorizing a deed of easement and right of way for Pennsylvania American Water to build, operate and maintain a 211,000-gallon combined sewage overflow containment tank near the South Washington Avenue pump station.

Adopted a resolution approving a grant application seeking $25,000 through Bloomberg Philanthropies for asphalt art installations at the intersections of Wyoming and Lackawanna avenues and Penn and Lackawanna avenues. It cites a study showing "traffic-calming art projects" such as colorful crosswalks and curb-extending murals can significantly reduce traffic-related incidents.

Adopted a resolution authorizing the city to reimburse itself up to $5 million from a future borrowing for 2023 and 2024 capital project expenditures. The city expects to spend a total of about $3.8 million on paving projects this year and next. The vote to adopt the resolution passed 3-1, with Councilman Tom Schuster voting no. "I don't know specifically how the $5 million is going to be moved so I don't want to give a ... blanket pass on moving $5 million worth of funds," he said after the meeting.

Adopted a resolution approving an application seeking $9 million through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program for publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations and supply equipment. The grant program was created by the federal bipartisan infrastructure law. The addition of charging stations would be good for economic development, as motorists stopping locally to charge electric vehicles would patronize city businesses and support Scranton's economy, Councilwoman Jessica Rothchild said.

JEFF HORVATH