Mayor, city councilor join February 31st Ward monthly meeting | The Homepage

By MaryAnn Majcher

District 5 Councilor Barb Warwick (seated at left), Ryan Herbinko (seated) and Mayor Ed Gainey (standing) in the cafeteria of Pittsburgh Mifflin School in February 2024.

The 31st Ward monthly meeting was held at Mifflin School on Tuesday, Feb. 11. The meeting was well attended by the residents of Lincoln Place, Gates Manor and New Homestead. Mayor Ed Gainey and District 5 City Councilor Barb Warwick were there to greet constituents and offer clarity on issues discussed.

Ryan Herbinko opened the meeting with a few updates. Since the closing of the VFW, the Lincoln Place Memorial Day Parade is in jeopardy. The 31st Ward Community Action Group is looking for volunteers to help organize this event. If anyone is interested, let the committee know you are available. Also, the annual spring cleanup on Mifflin Road will be April 26. For more information, check out the 31st Ward Community Action Group Facebook page.

Ms. Warwick, along with her staff members Dan Brown and Laura Byko, then conducted the meeting.

Public Safety

To the delight of the meeting’s attendees, the announcement was made that construction of the much-anticipated Firehouse 20/Medic 12 in Lincoln Place will break ground in 2025. A start date has not yet been confirmed.

Ms. Warwick announced a significant drop in gun violence: 33% drop in homicides and 44% drop in non-fatal shootings.

Acting Police Chief Christopher Ragland was there to introduce himself to the residents of the 31st Ward. He has been with the force 31 years and still lives in Pittsburgh. Some of his priorities are to continue reducing gun violence, retaining recruits and building community partnerships. Chief Ragland introduced Officer Alexander Herstine, a police officer who will have presence in Lincoln Place so that the residents have a contact at the Bureau of Police.

Last year, there were 66 new police officers in the city and 50 new officers are expected to graduate in 2025.

Freedom House EMS Academy has been established in Pittsburgh. City residents can attend the academy free of charge to become emergency medical personnel.

The office of Community Health and Safety, which provides social worker services, has been expanded. There is now mandatory telephone reporting for 911 non-urgent issues. In Lincoln Place, resident Chad Hirosky, a fire officer, identified frequent 911 callers and was able to determine the help that these callers needed. This has greatly reduced the number of 911 calls. The Office of Community Health and Safety also provides social worker services to unhoused Pittsburghers and people with mental illness.

Traffic Safety: Vision Zero

Vision Zero means a goal of zero deaths from traffic incidents. Ms. Warwick discussed creating a standard Vision Zero Neighborhood Toolkit. The toolkit will engage the residents to help keep the neighborhood safe and calm traffic by other means than signs and speed bumps.

The Mifflin Road and Interboro Avenue redesign project has put up the matching funds needed to receive a Green Light Go grant. Ms. Warwick is confident that the grant will be awarded to begin this project in 2025. There will be design process meetings and community engagement.

Parks and recreation

The McBride shelter has been promised to be renovated in 2025. Everyone attending the meeting was elated. Also, all but three pools will be open this summer. So, Lincoln Place, get ready to cool off!

Affordable housing

Ms. Warwick said great strides have been made with affordable housing. From vacant and abandoned properties moved to URA, Land Bank and private owners, to units available for seniors and persons with disabilities and low-income families, to OwnPgh, the program helping new homeowners. The rental registry is now live. This registry protects the rights of renters.

Other projects and services

Deer management and spay and neuter programs are underway city wide. The updated OneStopPgh permitting portal and service desk is now available.

Legislation

Last year, Ms. Warwick introduced and saw passed an ordinance for employment protection for medical marijuana patients. Other bills are now in the works, from housing zoning amendments to automated red-light enforcement. The city is working diligently to protect the rights of its residents and is dedicated to their safety, Ms. Warwick said.

31st Ward zoning

Several residents seemed to misunderstand the zoning laws for the 31st Ward. The zoning map indicates most of the 31st Ward is zoned for single-family units with little space for large 20-unit buildings. For more information, check out pittsburghpa.gov/Business-Development/GIS/Interactive-Maps and pittsburghpa.gov/Business-Development/City-Planning/City-Planning-Meetings.

Comprehensive Plan

Dr. Jamil Bey, director of City Planning, was there to introduce us to the first-ever citywide Comprehensive Plan. He described the plan as a guide for future developments across the city. This plan will consider the impact of all physical, economic and environmental conditions affecting the 90 neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. The plan is set for a 20-year span. It encourages civic participation so that residents of the 31st Ward can provide their input on what they want to see in their neighborhood. Pittsburgh is a diverse city, and the plan is not one-size-fits-all. For more information, visit engage.pittsburghpa.gov/citywide-comprehensive-plan or pgh2050.com.

The 31st Ward monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Place Presbyterian Church on Muldowney Avenue.

On a personal note, these meetings are highly informative. I encourage the residents of Lincoln Place, Gates Manor and New Homestead to attend and connect with their neighbors on issues of concern. This is a way for us to continue to grow and sustain a vibrant neighborhood. The 31st Ward Facebook page has a lot of information about neighborhood events. This is another way to stay connected to the neighborhood. Get involved, engage and volunteer.

MaryAnn Majcher is a retired business analyst, avid reader, culinary enthusiast and six-word story contributor who lives in Lincoln Place and enjoys being a home horticulturist.