Wilkinsburg group restarts Pittsburgh annexation process
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A petition filed Thursday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court seeks to start annexation proceedings for Wilkinsburg to be incorporated into Pittsburgh.
It could restart an annexation battle that effectively was paused in February, after Pittsburgh City Council voted down a petition request.
The new petition, filed on behalf of the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corp., was signed by 1,243 registered voters who are Wilkinsburg residents.
The Wilkinsburg CDC also was behind the first annexation effort, which was opposed by Wilkinsburg Council but supported by Pittsburgh officials such as City Controller Michael Lamb. It ultimately was rejected by Pittsburgh City Council in a 7-2 vote.
Cliff Levine, the attorney representing the Wilkinsburg CDC, said he is confident the petition will be approved by the county election division and the courts, and will restart the annexation effort.
He said the 1903 Annexation Law requires a petitioner to include at least 635 valid signatures from registered voters from Wilkinsburg. The Wilkinsburg CDC collected signatures from nearly twice as many residents.
If approved by the court, Pittsburgh City Council will have three months to approve or disapprove the effort. If council approves, a judge will schedule a referendum vote among Wilkinsburg residents, Levine said.
“The petition is really just asking for the voters to be given a choice for annexation,” he said.
Levine said an annexation vote could happen as soon as the May primary.
Wilkinsburg Council adamantly opposed the first annexation effort last year. Council President Denise Edwards did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In February, Pittsburgh City Council rejected the initial proposal, but council members didn’t shut the door permanently on annexation, saying they wanted more time to research the issue.
Pittsburgh City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith said that council will respectfully await nortice from the courts before addressing the issue in full.
Proponents have said it would help the city remain above 300,000 residents, keeping it above the threshold to qualify for certain federal grants, as well as help boost services and development in Wilkinsburg.
Wilkinsburg is already served by the Pittsburgh Fire Department and shares other services with the city.
Those opposing annexation have said it would change the borough’s character and end local control of the services Wilkinsburg still offers. Some have said they also are concerned annexation would result in gentrification.
Levine said he hopes the public can be involved during the three-month period in which Pittsburgh City Council has before a vote.
“We want to have public involvement in that window, to hear from experts, and try to do this as efficiently as possible,” he said.