City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting 7/20/26 | City of Reading, PA

The City Council Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of Reading, PA, held on July 20, 2026, focused extensively on historic preservation efforts following a detailed evaluation by the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission. The discussion centered on recommendations to update the city's historic preservation ordinance, improve staffing and enforcement, integrate digital permitting, and enhance accessibility by translating materials into Spanish. The council considered grant opportunities, including the 2026 Certified Local Government (CLG) project grant, to fund these initiatives. The meeting also addressed the temporary authority granted to historic preservation staff to approve certificates of appropriateness in the absence of a Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB), with plans to reconstitute the board by late 2028 or early 2029. Additionally, the council reviewed legislation related to parking restrictions and extended a moratorium on parking violation enforcement in certain areas to accommodate traffic engineering and grant processes. A budget amendment was approved to allocate funds from the Capital Improvement Fund for the purchase and improvement of a property at 2040 Center Avenue. The council discussed ongoing challenges with enforcement and transparency in historic preservation and emphasized the need for continued updates and community engagement.