Initiating action to establish a business improvement district encompassing certain taxable (for real estate tax purposes) hotels within the boundaries of the City and County of Philadelphia, to be known as the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District, designating the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation to serve as Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association (the "NIDMA") under the Community and Economic Improvement Act; and authorizing and directing the Committee on Rules and the Clerk of Council to take all actions that are required by the Community and Economic Improvement Act, as amended, prior to adoption of an ordinance that would formally establish the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District.

WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is authorized by the Community and Economic Improvement Act, Act of December 21, 1998, P.L. 1307, No. 174 (53 P.S. §18101

et seq

.), as amended, including by Act of May 24, 2016, No. 32 and the Act of May 24, 2016, No. 28 and as the same may be further amended, restated, or supplemented from time to time (as so amended, the “Act”), to establish, by ordinance, business improvement districts and to designate certain entities to administer programs and services within such districts in order “to promote and enhance more attractive and safer commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use neighborhoods; economic growth; increased employment opportunities; and improved commercial, industrial, business districts and business climates”; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of this resolution is to initiate action to create a business improvement district encompassing certain taxable (for real estate tax purposes) hotels within the boundaries of the City and County of Philadelphia, to be known as the “Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District” and to ensure that all actions required by the Act to establish such a district are taken prior to enactment of an ordinance formally establishing the Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District (the “District”); and

WHEREAS, Before an ordinance establishing a business improvement district is adopted, the Act requires that a public hearing be held on the preliminary plan for the District and, notice of the hearing and the preliminary plan be mailed to all affected property owners and lessees of affected property owners, located in the proposed district; and

WHEREAS, Special assessment fees are proposed to be imposed on certain taxable (for real estate purposes) hotels within the District by the NIDMA to fund (i) additional supplemental programs, services and improvements related to the development and promotion of the hotel and tourism industry in the City and County of Philadelphia and (ii) administration expenses of the District; and

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District Corporation, a nonprofit corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or any successor entity authorized to serve as NIDMA under the Act and approved by City Council of the City, will serve as the NIDMA for the District; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby initiates action to establish a business improvement district encompassing certain taxable (for real estate tax purposes) hotels within the boundaries of the City and County of Philadelphia. Such district is to be known as the “Philadelphia Hospitality Improvement Levy District.” Council hereby approves as the preliminary plan for the District, the preliminary plan attached as Exhibit “A”, and Council adopts as the City’s report concerning the District, the report included as part of the preliminary plan.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Committee on Rules is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions required by the Act prior to enactment of an ordinance formally establishing the District, including the holding of any and all public hearings required by the Act. The Clerk of Council shall arrange for all mailings and publication of all notices required by the Act, as directed by the Chair of the Committee on Rules.

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