POTTSVILLE — City Council banned e-bikes from sidewalks, restricted the opening of new tobacco and smoke shops to an industrial zone on the edge of the city and took preliminary steps to tap a lucrative state tax fund during Monday’s monthly meeting.
In a unanimous vote, Council prohibited the riding of bicycles, electric bikes, electric scooters, skateboards and rollerblades on sidewalks in the downtown business district.
Conveyances used by disabled individuals are exempt, provided they do not exceed the speed of the normal flow of pedestrians on sidewalks.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a pedalcycle, pedalcycle with electric assist, e-scooter, skateboard or roller skates on any street, sidewalk or public lands in such a manner as to interfere with any pedestrian,” the ordinance reads.
Riders under 12 are required to wear helmets.
The ordinance goes into effect 10 days from its adoption, and violators face a $25 fine.
Smoke shop ban
Immediately before its regular meeting, Council held a public hearing on a proposed amendment to its zoning ordinance regulating the use of tobacco and smoke shops.
Gretchen Sterns, solicitor, said the ordinance is being amended due to the proliferation of businesses selling tobacco and vaping products in the city.
By unanimous vote, Council adopted a measure that says tobacco stores and smoke shops shall be “permitted as a special use only in the M-2 Heavy Manufacturing District.”
In effect, that bans such shops from most of the city, including the downtown business district. The city’s M-2 Heavy Manufacturing zone is located north of Peacock Street in an area inhabited mainly by warehouses.
The provision applies to retail or wholesale businesses where 15% or more of the retail floor area or gross revenues comes from any combination of tobacco, vaping, cannabidiol (CBD) products, synthetic cathinones, or synthetic Kratom (7-OH).
In the ordinance, vaping products are defined as vaporizers, vape pens, vapor products, hookah pens and e-cigarettes. Tobacco products include matches, lighters, hookah pipes, chewing tobacco, cigarette rolling machines, ashtrays and pipe accessories.
CRIZ authority created
Council voted to establish a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone authority.
Pennsylvania’s CRIZ rebates a portion of state and local tax revenues to municipalities in the program. The rebates underwrite local improvements programs.
Only five municipalities in the state receive CRIZ funds. They are Bethlehem, Erie, Lancaster, Reading and Tamaqua, the only borough to receive CRIZ funding.
Pottsville attempted to enroll in the program in 2024 without success.
City Administrator Robert Straebel said the previous application was put together quickly. He placed no blame on the previous administration for its handling of the CRIZ application.
Straebel estimated that, if successful, Pottsville could receive $1 million to $2 million a year in CRIZ funding.
“This is a game changer,” Straebel said.
While the program is not currently accepting applications, the creation of a CRIZ authority is a mandatory prerequisite to receive funding. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development is authorized to award two new CRIZ designees each year, but is not mandated to do so.
LSA application approved
Council voted to apply for a Local Share Account grant to be used to replace air cylinders, or tanks, on breathing apparatus in the city’s six fire companies.
Fire Chief James Misstishin estimated the cost of replacing 261 cylinders at $326,000.
The LSA program distributes casino gambling revenues to support infrastructure and community development projects.
In a 4-1 vote, council approved the Pottsville Area Redevelopment Authority, or PADCO, acting in its capacity as a land bank to acquire properties in advance of an Oct. 29 Schuylkill County Judicial Sale at a cost of $100 per property.
Councilman Scott Price dissented, saying he was not a fan of land banks.