Authorizing Council's Streets and Services Committee and Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold hearings regarding the installation of electric vehicle parking spaces in Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, In November 2007, City Council passed Bill No. 070788, “Enacting a new Section 12-1131 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled ‘Electric Vehicle Parking,’ to provide for the designation of electric vehicle on-street parking spaces where only electric vehicles may be parked and amending Section 12-2809 of The Philadelphia Code to provide for penalties for illegally parking in a designated electric vehicle parking space; all under certain terms and conditions.” It was introduced by Councilman Kenney and signed by Mayor Nutter; and

WHEREAS, Bill No. 070788 allows electric vehicle (EV) owners to apply to have a reserved on-street parking space for electric vehicles designated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA). Such spaces have an EV Charging Station (EVC) installed at the curbside and are for the exclusive use of EVs; and

WHEREAS, Despite the fact that Bill No. 070788 was passed in 2007, the PPA did not begin accepting applications for EV parking spaces (EVPS) until 2012. As of May 2015, only 15 EVPS permits existed, with 5 applications pending approval; and

WHEREAS, The PPA’s EVPS application includes a $50 non-refundable application fee. Upon approval, the applicant must apply to the City’s Department of Licenses & Inspections (L&I) for a curbside electric outlet. The PPA will install EVPS signage in the designated location once L&I has approved the EVC and it has been installed by the applicant. This requires an installation fee of $250 per 20 feet of space in Center City and University City and a $150 fee per 20 feet of space in all other areas of the city. The PPA also collects a yearly renewal fee of $150 and $75, respectively; and

WHEREAS, Not including the annual renewal fee, a June 2014 Technical.ly Philly article estimated the total cost of obtaining an EVC and an EVPS to fall between $1400 and $3050. One resident told the Philadelphia Inquirer that “a city dweller can expect to pay upward of $4000 to have a 240-volt curbside charger installed, including the cost of the PPA permits”; and

WHEREAS, Few other cities in the United States offer special accommodations for EVPS. Philadelphia was one of the first, if not the first, major cities to approve curbside EVCs; and

WHEREAS, The EVPS program converts public parking spaces into private parking spaces with a high cost threshold to access. Because of this, the City of Philadelphia should ensure that the EVPS program is enacted as efficiently, effectively, and equitably as possible; and

WHEREAS, EVs are becoming more prevalent in today’s market, and the charging speed of EVCs has dramatically improved. Hearings will be useful to help determine if the City’s EVPS Program is the best current policy, reflecting the most efficient and practical approaches to fueling and parking all vehicles in Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes Council’s Streets and Services Committee and Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold hearings regarding the installation of electric vehicle parking spaces in Philadelphia.

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