Hello everyone, I’m thrilled to share that my legislation to regulate vape shops in the City of Pittsburgh, Bill 2025-2250, was passed by Council and signed into law by Mayor O’Connor last month! This bill creates a new zoning category, Retail: Tobacco, Inhalant, and Cannabinoids, which includes items such as electronic nicotine delivery systems i.e., vapes, CBD items, Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC, and others. This legislation does not impact licensed medical marijuana dispensaries.
This retail use cannot be located within 1,000 feet of any elementary school or secondary school, it cannot be open between the hours of 11 p.m. and 9 a.m., and it cannot provide self-service sales. A map that shows the 1,000-foot buffer and the zoning districts where vape shops are permitted and not permitted can be found here: arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/1e6a861cf90844f-1bee250d51bf02655.
This legislation prohibits new vape shops from opening in Downtown and all residentially zoned districts. As we continue to invest in Downtown’s recovery, it’s important that we are intentional about the types of uses we encourage in the heart of our city.
I want to thank my fellow co-sponsors, Council President R. Daniel Lavelle (District 6), Councilperson Bob Charland (District 3), Councilperson Erika Strassburger (District 8), the Zoning Department, and the many stakeholders who have supported this bill since it was introduced last year. I believe this bill will have a positive impact on our neighborhoods.
It’s my pleasure to also share that the City of Pittsburgh and Reading Ready Pittsburgh recently announced the expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library with the goal of signing up 65% of eligible children in the City of Pittsburgh. This expansion effort is made possible with a $1.8 million investment over the next five years from the Benter Foundation. Three years ago, after an unfortunate pause in the program, my office worked with Reading Ready Pittsburgh, the Dollywood Foundation, and the Benter Foundation to relaunch the program, which provides free books to kids from 0-5 years old, and to hire someone to administer the program within Council.
The program will now be administered by the Office of Community Affairs under Mayor O’Connor’s administration. I’m thrilled to see this program expand, as all children in the City deserve free, quality, diverse books, mailed directly to their homes. I know my children benefited greatly from this and I encourage you to spread the word to everyone you know. Sign up is easy and can be done here: readingreadypittsburgh.org/dpil.
As of this article, my office has conducted six neighborhood walkthroughs in Spring Hill, Observatory Hill, Spring Garden, Fineview, Central Northside, and Troy Hill which have been well-received and highly successful. The goal of these onsite visits is to identify immediate issues that we can resolve quickly, while also discussing larger, long-term issues that will take more time. We’ve identified over 270 immediate issues including weeds and overgrowth, broken railings, abandoned vehicles, clogged catch basins, unkempt utility lines, illegal dumping, and many more, of which 30% have already been addressed. I’m grateful to all the representatives from the city departments who show up each month, listen to community members, and take immediate action, when possible, to address these issues. I look forward to resolving more of these items and for our upcoming visits to the remaining District 1 neighborhoods.
Finally, Love Your Block, a City of Pittsburgh program that brings neighbors together to improve our communities by combating blight, creating assets, and building resilience, block by block, is now accepting applications until July 15. Community organizations across Pittsburgh are invited to apply for $500 and $1,000 grants, and a limited number could qualify for a $1,500 grant. These grants will function as a reimbursement. Examples of successful projects include community garden maintenance / improvements, artistic board-ups, tree and flower planting, and beautification projects involving a parcel of land owned by the City or the community group applying for the grant.
More details on the program and to apply can be found here: pittsburghpa.gov/Resident-Services/Community-Programming/Love-Your-Block.
If you have any questions or concerns, call us at (412) 255-2135, email us at district1@pittsburghpa. gov, find us on Facebook and X, and sign up for our newsletter (pittsburghpa.gov/City-Government/ City-Council/Districts/Bobby-Wilson-District-1). My staff and I look forward to hearing from you!
