PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1151 PRINTER'S NO. 3015
No. 969 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, HERMAN, SATHER, LEH, ITKIN, SCHRODER,
STABACK, BELARDI, BATTISTO, CAWLEY, C. WILLIAMS, REBER,
STERN, ROONEY, STURLA, TRAVAGLIO, CARONE, MASLAND, RAYMOND,
GEIST, VAN HORNE, CURRY, E. Z. TAYLOR, L. I. COHEN,
HENNESSEY, YOUNGBLOOD, FARGO, BENNINGHOFF, RAMOS, BOSCOLA,
STETLER, McGEEHAN, STEELMAN, MANDERINO, McNAUGHTON, PETRONE,
ROSS, FICHTER, WALKO, BROWNE, HUTCHINSON AND BELFANTI,
MARCH 25, 1997
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 9, 1998
AN ACT
1 Encouraging State agencies to locate facilities in a downtown
2 area.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Downtown
7 Location Law.
8 Section 2. Legislative findings and declaration of purpose.
9 (a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds that:
10 (1) This Commonwealth has lost over 4,000,000 acres of
11 farmland to development in the last 40 years.
12 (2) The phenomenon of urban flight has led to a decline
13 of central business districts throughout this Commonwealth.
14 (3) The decline of the central business district has a
1 clear linkage to many problems facing our communities: crime,
2 unemployment, shrinking tax bases and decaying
3 infrastructure.
4 (4) It is in the best interest of this Commonwealth to
5 facilitate the revitalization of central business districts
6 within our communities.
7 (5) Federal agencies already have established a policy
8 to use downtown locations.
9 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this act is to encourage
10 agencies of the Commonwealth to be leaders in the movement to
11 end urban flight and sprawl and serve as examples of the
12 feasibility of returning to downtown areas.
13 Section 3. Definitions.
14 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
15 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
16 context clearly indicates otherwise:
17 "Department." The Department of General Services of the
18 Commonwealth.
19 "Downtown." The central business district of a city,
20 borough, INCORPORATED TOWN or township, OR ANY COMMERCIAL OR <--
21 MIXED USE AREA which has traditionally served as the retail,
22 service and communal focal point within a community ANY <--
23 NEIGHBORHOOD OF ANY CITY, BOROUGH, INCORPORATED TOWN OR TOWNSHIP
24 of this Commonwealth.
25 "Secretary." The Secretary of General Services of the
26 Commonwealth.
27 "State agencies." Includes all departments, agencies and
28 offices under the administrative control of the executive, <--
29 legislative and judicial branches BRANCH of government of the <--
30 Commonwealth. The term shall include, but not be limited to, <--
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1 State liquor stores, employment offices and health clinics.
2 Section 4. Powers and duties.
3 The department shall devise and promulgate guidelines to
4 encourage State agencies to locate their ALL NEW facilities in a <--
5 downtown area. These guidelines shall take into consideration <--
6 the following: IN ADDITION, EACH YEAR 10% OF ALL EXISTING <--
7 RENEWAL LEASES SHALL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM AND REVIEWED BY THE
8 DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE IF THE FACILITY FOR WHICH THE LEASE IS
9 BEING RENEWED CAN BE LOCATED IN A DOWNTOWN AREA. THE DEPARTMENT
10 SHALL:
11 (1) Giving GIVE primary consideration to the restoration <--
12 and/or reuse of existing structures within the downtown area.
13 When using existing structures reasonable efforts shall be
14 made to:
15 (i) Restore or rebuild the structure's facade which
16 maintains the architectural integrity of the building and
17 streetscape according to the U.S. Secretary of the
18 Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation (36 CFR 68).
19 (ii) Ensure that the structure meets the Americans
20 With Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336, 104
21 Stat. 327) requirements in an aesthetically pleasing
22 manner.
23 (2) Denying DENY requests from State agencies to locate <--
24 outside a downtown area unless it is documented that no
25 reasonable alternative exists.
26 (3) Coordinating COORDINATE the location of State <--
27 facilities with existing public/private sector organizations
28 committed to community development, downtown revitalization
29 and historic preservation.
30 Section 5. Effective date.
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1 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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