PRINTER'S NO. 244
No. 218 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY REED, ARGALL, BELFANTI, BOYD, BUNT, CAPPELLI,
CORNELL, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, FABRIZIO, FICHTER, FREEMAN,
GEIST, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY,
HUTCHINSON, KIRKLAND, LEDERER, LEH, MANN, McCALL, McGILL,
O'NEILL, PETRARCA, PETRONE, PICKETT, REICHLEY, RUBLEY,
SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, STABACK, STERN, R. STEVENSON,
STURLA, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, WALKO, WASHINGTON AND
YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 8, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, FEBRUARY 8, 2005
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 22, 2000 (P.L.318, No.32), entitled "An
2 act encouraging State agencies to locate facilities in a
3 downtown area; and providing for report to General Assembly,"
4 further providing for definitions.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Section 3 of the act of June 22, 2000 (P.L.318,
8 No.32), known as the Downtown Location Law, is amended to read:
9 Section 3. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Department." The Department of General Services of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Downtown area." [Either of the following:
16 (1) The central business district of a city, other than
1 a city of the first class, borough, incorporated town or
2 township or any commercial area within a neighborhood of a
3 city, borough, incorporated town or township, in every case
4 that serves as a commercial center within that community of
5 this Commonwealth.
6 (2) In cities of the first class, the entire geographic
7 area of the city.]
8 A geographically identifiable and contiguous business district
9 within a town, city, village within a township, home rule
10 municipality or borough, with a recognized sense of place and a
11 distinct and identifiable pedestrian orientation based upon a
12 rectilinear street grid pattern of development, with one or more
13 central streets and intersecting cross streets. The business
14 district shall have historically served as the center of
15 economic, social and civic activity within the community since
16 at least 1939, or, in the case of a municipality with multiple
17 business districts, each business district shall have served as
18 the center of economic, social and civic activity within a
19 neighborhood.
20 "Pedestrian orientation." Development designed with an
21 emphasis on a street sidewalk and on pedestrian access to a site
22 and building rather than on automobile access and parking areas
23 where:
24 (1) The building is generally placed close to the street
25 and the main entrance is oriented to the street sidewalk.
26 (2) There are generally windows or display cases along
27 building facades that face the street.
28 (3) The building covers a large portion of the
29 individual lot area.
30 (4) Although parking areas may be provided, they are
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1 generally limited in size and are not emphasized by the
2 design of the site.
3 "Rectilinear street grid pattern." A street and block system
4 characterized by relatively regularly spaced, rectangular or
5 trapezoidal blocks and four-way intersections.
6 "Secretary." The Secretary of General Services of the
7 Commonwealth.
8 "Sense of place." The characteristics of a location that
9 make it readily recognizable as being unique and different from
10 its surroundings, including, but not limited to, publicly owned
11 squares, village commons, open space, gazebos, plazas,
12 courtyards and historic main streets.
13 "State agency." An executive agency or independent agency as
14 those terms are defined in 62 Pa.C.S. § 103 (relating to
15 definitions).
16 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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