Environment/Health

04/16 2015

Dog Wardens To Canvass Allegheny County Homes – Week Of April 20

GENERIC PUPPY DOG PET PETS PUPPIES DOGS Dog wardens will canvass homes in Allegheny County through the week of April 20 to ensure all dog owners have current licenses and rabies vaccinations for their dogs.
Under Pennsylvania law, all dogs three months or older must be licensed by Jan. 1 of each year.
The fee is $6.50 for each spayed or neutered dog and $8.50 for other dogs. Older adults and persons with disabilities may purchase a license for $4.50 for spayed or neutered dogs and $6.50 for others.

Violators can be cited with a maximum fine of $300 per violation plus court costs.
Click here to see original news article

04/16 2015

PennDOT Programs To Make Emergency Information Accessible

PennDOT reminds its customers that they can take advantage of two voluntary, potentially life-saving programs designed to aid Pennsylvanians in emergency situations – the Yellow Dot and Emergency Contact Information programs.

Participants in the Yellow Dot program enter their emergency contact, medical contact and medical information on forms inside a Yellow Dot folder and then place the folder in their vehicle’s glove compartment. Participants then place a Yellow Dot sticker on their vehicle’s rear window. This sticker alerts emergency responders to check a vehicle’s glove compartment for the folder, helping emergency responders provide specific care to participants after a crash.

The Emergency Contact Information program offers Pennsylvania driver’s license and PennDOT-issued ID holders the opportunity to log into a secure database and list two emergency contacts. Customers can update the information as needed, but only law enforcement officials can view their information in the system. In the event of an emergency, law enforcement can use the participant’s ID to find their emergency contact information.While the Yellow Dot program is utilized only in vehicle crashes, the Emergency Contact Information program is usable in other emergencies as well as crashes.

To learn more about the Yellow Dot program or to sign up for a program folder visit www.YellowDot.pa.gov.

To sign up for the Emergency Contact Information program, visit www.dmv.state.pa.us and click on the program icon.
04/08 2015

Public Mtg On Plans For Proposed Student Rental Housing at 3407 Forbes, Tue 4/14 6pm

pdf icon 3407-Forbes-Ave-Campus-Advantage-Development-Meeting.pdf
pdf icon First-draft-building-design-3407-Forbes-Ave.pdf
pdf icon Project-details-3407-Forbes-Ave.pdf

Inline image 13407 Forbes Avenue – Proposed Campus Advantage Development (next to Arby's)
Campus Advantage, a national student rental housing management company, is proposing to build a 13-story, 137-unit student housing building. Attached are some rough designs and details the developer shared with us.
They are on the ZBA agenda for April 23, 2015 at 9:20 pm. Currently they're planning to request a special exemption and a variance related to increasing floor area ratio* (FAR), a variance to increase the percentage of the lot covered by the building from the allowed 90% to 96%, as well as increasing the building height from the permitted 102 feet (with LEED bonus) to 140 feet.
Next week, OPDC will host a public meeting for community input on the project:
Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 6:00 pm – Oakland Career Center, 294 Semple Street
*Floor Area Ratio (FAR): The total square feet of a building divided by the total square feet of the lot the building is located
04/02 2015

Frazier Farms Community Garden Bed Build and Prep Sat 4/11 1:30-3:30pm

Frazier Farms Community Garden Bed Build and Prep
Join students and South Oakland residents build 5 new garden beds for the Frazier Farms community garden! These beds will increase the number of residents and students who are able to use a bed to grow food, increasing the community’s access to local and fresh produce!
Activities
Garden prep for existing raised garden beds. Site prep and build 5 new beds.
Frazier Fieldhouse – 3716 Frazier St
Use the SONG Contact Us page to let us know if you’ll be there or if you have any questions.
http://southoaklandpgh.org/contact/
04/01 2015

Street Cleaning 2015 – April 1 – November 30

Street Cleaning starts April 1 and ends November 30, dependent upon weather conditions.  South Oakland days are typically the third Wednesday or Thursday.  Check the signs in your area.
If there are a lot of parked cars being ticketed, it can greatly delay and ultimately prevent street cleaning.  Please make sure to move your car and alert any neighbors as well.
Report any problems to 3-1-1 on online at http://pittsburghpa.gov/311/form

03/26 2015

Hotline For Highmark/UPMC Transition Problems

There’s free assistance available to help you with questions or complaints related to the UPMC-Highmark split.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has launched a toll-free helpline – 1-844-743-2015 – with staff to help consumers understand their rights and cut through confusion they have about their plans. In addition, the staff may contact UPMC or Highmark on behalf of consumers who have a conflict with either company.
If you use the hotline, please be prepared to provide:
  • Basic information about yourself;
  • As much detail as possible about the conflict with UPMC or Highmark;
  • Any correspondence you may have received from either company; and 
  • Insurance coverage information because of the variety of plans that exist.   
Call process times will vary. The helpline will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you call the helpline outside of normal business hours, on the weekend or when specialists are assisting other consumers, you may leave a message. Calls will be returned in the order in which they were received.
Before a complaint is processed, consumers will receive a confirmation email or letter with a summary of their complaint, as well as release forms.
For more information about the UPMC/Highmark transition plan, you may visit www.stayinformed.pa.gov.
03/20 2015

Mayor Peduto Makes Nominations to City Boards, Commissions and Authorities

Mayor William Peduto sent 36 nominations for seats on City boards, commissions and authorities to Pittsburgh City Council today.
The nominations will be officially introduced at the regular meeting of council Tuesday. Some, but not all, will be subject to council interviews and votes.
Click here to read the full press release and the full list of nominations.
03/19 2015

East End Food Coop Events

East End Food Co-op
For more Coop info goto:
http://www.eastendfood.coop/co-op
Winter-Gardening
Wednesday, March 25th, 6:30 PM
Cold Weather Vegetables and Herbs
Bob Madden, Garden Dreams Urban Farm and Nursery
Carnegie Library of Homewood
Spring is officially here! It’s time to get out and garden. Bob Madden of Garden Dreams will arm you with all of the information you’ll need to start your garden with confidence—no prior experience required! It may be chilly out, but these colder spring months are a great time to grow hardy vegetable and herb varieties. This workshop will introduce methods of season extension to help you time your planting efforts to yield the largest and healthiest possible yield.
This event is FREE; just call 412-242-3598
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Wednesday, April 8th, 6:30 PM
Getting to Know Garden Herbs
Bob Madden, Garden Dreams Urban Farm & Nursery
Carnegie Library of Homewood
Add some excitement to your gardening—and cooking—repertoire this season with fresh herbs! Join Bob Madden of Garden Dreams Urban Farm & Nursery for the second installment of his three-part springtime gardening workshop and get to know garden herbs. We will learn how to plant, maintain, and harvest several popular herb varieties and will discuss some basic troubleshooting techniques. Most herbs grow happily in pots and window boxes, so don’t let the lack of a garden bed keep you from joining in the fun!
This event is FREE; just call 412-242-3598 to reserve your spot!
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Saturday, April 11th, 2 PM
Hunger & Poverty Simulation
Katy Millins and Julie Rusin, Pitt FeelGood
Carnegie Library of Homewood
What does hunger look like? How do global poverty and food insecurity perpetuate one another? What can we do to end hunger and poverty in our lifetime? The University of Pittsburgh’s chapter of the national FeelGood organization is committed to finding answers to these questions and wants you to join in the conversation. Julie Rusin and Katy Millins will facilitate an interactive simulation to help illuminate the systemic causes of global hunger and poverty and start a dialogue about the need for sustainable development.
This event is FREE; just call 412-242-3598 to reserve your spot!
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Wednesday, April 15th, 6:30 PM
Illegal Dumping: Pittsburgh’s Dirty Little Secret
Myrna Newman, Allegheny CleanWays
Carnegie Library of Homewood
Pittsburgh has been named the Most Livable City six times since 2000. We also pride ourselves on being one of the greenest cities. There is another side of Pittsburgh that we don’t talk much about—the pockets of blight scattered throughout the hillsides and along our lovely rivers. Myrna Newman will discuss a particular type of blight: illegal dumping. Join us to learn about the environmental, social, economic, and health costs associated with illegal dumping and how you can help Allegheny CleanWays reverse the damage.
This event is FREE; just call 412-242-3598 to reserve your spot!
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Wednesday, April 22nd 6:30 PM
Intro to Organic Gardening
Bob Madden, Garden Dreams Urban Farm & Nursery
Carnegie Library of Homewood
Calling all beginner and budding gardeners: would you like to have a bounty of fresh and healthy produce at your doorstep this summer? This workshop will cover all the basic skills and methods you need to know to start digging in. Experienced urban farmer and garden educator Bob Madden will discuss layout, soil management, planting, watering, weeding, and of course, growing and harvesting some of your favorite veggies. Bob will answer your questions about gardening, and help you prepare to get growing.
This event is FREE; just call 412-242-3598 to reserve your spot!
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Wednesday, April 29th, 7:00 PM
Cookbook Club
East End Food Co-op
Café Seating Area
Do you spend hours perusing the cookbook section of your library, scrolling endlessly through food-centric Pinterest boards, and collecting recipes from friends and family? You are not alone! Connect with other local food lovers as we dive into some of our favorite cookbooks. Our Co-op welcomes gourmands and novice cooks alike to join us for the inaugural meeting of our Cookbook Club. We will brainstorm how the club should work and share homemade snacks, potluck style. Bring your ideas and a dish (along with a list of its ingredients) to share!
This event is FREE, but reservations are required. Call 412-242-3598 to reserve your spot!
03/11 2015

Spring 2015 Love Your Block Grant Recipients Announced

Mayor William Peduto announced the 15 organizations that will receive funding for the eighth round of the Love Your Block (LYB) grant program, a servePGH initiative. Through the block revitalization program, in partnership with The Home Depot, Peoples Gas and PNC, the City awards $1,000 to purchase supplies and tools to implement a block improvement project that mobilizes community volunteers to transform blighted lots into community assets. Additionally, a special $2,000 prize will be given to the organization that carries out the most successful block transformation, according to identified criteria. Spring project implementation will take place from April 25 to June 30, 2015.
If you have an idea for a Love Your Block Grant project for our community, let us know.
Click here to read the full article describing more about the program a funded projects
SPRING 2015 GRANT RECIPIENTS
  • Bloomfield Development Corporation
  • St Paul AME Church
  • Mt Washington Community Development Corporation
  • White Lily Baptist Church
  • Hill House Association
  • Polish Hill Civic Association
  • Hazelwood Initiative
  • South Side Community Council of Pittsburgh
  • Beechview Business District Revitalization Project
  • Penn State Extension Center
  • Monticello Street Hospitality House
  • Soldiers & Sailors Museum
  • Larimer Green Team
  • Spring Hill Civic League
  • Perry Hilltop Citizens Council
03/11 2015

Phipps Conseratory Receives Global Award For Center For Sustainable Landscapes

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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens announced that it has received the 2014 Global Best Project Award in the Green Project category from Engineering News Record (ENR) for the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL). This competition was established to honor and identify project teams behind outstanding design and construction efforts across the globe, and the CSL is one of only 20 such projects worldwide, and one of only two in the U.S., to win an award.

Click here to read the full press release
Click here to see the webpage for CSL
03/03 2015

Hearing On Proposed Zoning Code Change Re Agriculture Use – Tue 3/24 2pm

pdf icon Urban-Ag-Changes.pdf

PUBLIC HEARING
Proposed Zoning Code Text Amendment
Land Use Control File No. C-782
Agriculture and Urban Agriculture
The Planning Commission has initiated a Zoning Code Text amendment related to Urban Agriculture. The amendment is proposing to:
  • expand the allowable zoning districts and use classifications for all types of
  • amend and supplement the use standards for all types of Agriculture and
  • add definitions to supplement Agriculture and Urban Agriculture
A copy of the proposed text amendment may be reviewed at the Zoning Office on the 3rd floor of 200 Ross St., Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. or online at  www.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/notices
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed text amendments
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 @ 2:00 p.m.
John P. Robin Civic Building, 1st Floor
200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh PA
Testimony presented by individuals will be limited to three minutes each. In addition, any
person who intends to testify on behalf of an organization such as a chamber of commerce, community club, etc., shall provide a “Letter of Authorization” from the appropriate duly appointed officers before testifying. Prepared comments, statistics or
reports in printed form may be presented to the Commission to support testimony or in lieu of testimony. (Interpreters for the hearing impaired will be provided with 4 days notice by contacting Richard Meritzer at 412-255-2102.) You may call 412-255-2241 if
03/03 2015

Home Share Summit – Cathedral Of Learning – Wed 3/18 3-4:30pm

pdf icon Home-Share-Program.pdfInline image 1
Save the Date for the Home Share Summit
Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Social Work Conference Center
Cathedral of Learning, Room 2017
Organized by Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education
University of Pittsburgh MSW Students

To attend, please RSVP to: Breann Farrier at bnf11@pitt.edu by Tuesday, March 10th

Home Share Program
Speaker: Janet Hunko, LMSW
Director at UMHS Housing Bureau for Seniors*, Ann Arbor, MI
The Home-Sharing movement is an innovative community response to help older adults age at home, retaining the highest level of independence possible while simultaneously promoting intergenerational living and mutual support. Such programs promote shared housing among older adults and between older adults and younger members of the community, often university students. This Home Share Summit explores the potential benefits of Home-Sharing through a presentation about a successful program in Michigan followed by a brief Q & A and a discussion of the possibilities and opportunities in the Pittsburgh area. Please join us if you are interested in learning more about this model and meeting others who are also interested in the possibility of bringing it to the Pittsburgh area.

*The Housing Bureau for Seniors is a community supported program of University of Michigan Health System

02/18 2015

Research Survey On Why People Do And Don’t Garden In South Oakland

​In order to better understand the food gardening habits and barriers to gardening in South Oakland, research is being conducted as part of a community-based project through the University of Pittsburgh Honors College to understand gardening habits in South Oakland to determine why people do, and don’t garden. If barriers are identified, this project aims to connect residents to gardening resources. We are asking residents to fill out a 5 minute anonymous survey (link below and available on SouthOaklandPgh.org). Thank you for your time and consideration!

In the very near future, in-person surveys (approx 15 min) will be taken of both avid gardeners, at Frazier Farms, home gardens or otherwise, and those who don’t, and why for more in depth analysis.  The surveys should be done by March 10th, but may extend a few weeks if not enough surveys are completed.  The data analysis and report will be done by the end of April. If the results clearly identify a problem that could be addressed, the student will try to coordinate an event or program sometime in May to try and help people in the community who need help to start gardening!

If you know anyone that is interested in participating please use the link below, or have them contact SONG,​either call or text  or print out the attached flyers to hand out.

Thanks!
Click here to take the survey​

Central Page with Research Project Links

​

 

pdf icon GardenFlyer2015.pdf

02/13 2015

Arborist/Tree Care Course – 2/20

4-Day Arborist Course

February 20, 2015

Sat., Feb. 20 – The Penn State Extension is hosting a 4-Day Arborist Short Course in the basics of arboriculture (tree care), including tree biology, tree risk assessment, tree planting, and other topics.  This course is designed to increase working tree knowledge, professional arborist skills, and prepare you for the ISA Certified Arborist Exam, which should improve your marketability. Info and registration: Click here