These bikes are part of the Washington D.C. bike share program. (Photo from Newsytype.com)

Bike sharing in Philadelphia took another step closer to becoming a reality yesterday when the city’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) released some details during a public meeting at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

The proposal divides the city into two zones. The first would include Center City, University City and the streets near Temple University and would include 1,000 to 1,500 bikes. A second zone, which would include neighborhoods from near the navy Yard north to Lehigh Avenue, would see about 500-1,000 bikes, the Philly Post reports.

The bikes would be housed at stations and can be picked up at one station and dropped off at another. The program will likely require a membership (in Washington D.C.’s program this ranges from a day to a year) and a usage fee (around a couple of bucks an hour). You will probably have to supply your own helmet.

Bike share programs already exist in Boston, Denver and Washington D.C. New York and Chicago are considering plans. Those programs, like the one planned for Philly, are managed by private contractors. The company Alta Bicycle Share operates the program in Washington – Capital Bikeshare – and Boston – Hubway.

City officials believe the improvement in Philadelphia’s biking infrastructure – including more dedicated lanes – has helped prepare the city for a bike share program. The downside is that we’ll have to keep waiting. The program won’t be up and running until 2014.

If you are still confused about the new Actual Value Initiative (AVI) legislation that comes into effect next year and want to know how it will impact your property taxes, come to the Victory Christian Center Church located at 5220 Whitby Avenue this Thursday (May 2) to a meeting hosted by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. The meeting is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

At Thursday’s meeting, homeowners can receive updates on proposed relief measures and learn how to apply for programs that can help reduce property taxes.

Recently, an ordinance was introduced in City Council that would extend the deadline for property owners to apply for the Homestead Exemption, which could help save hundreds of dollars in savings per household after the AVI is implemented in Tax Year 2014 – from July 31, 2013, to Sept. 30, 2013. This exemption is one of the reliefs that owner-occupants are eligible for. According to the Council’s analysis, properties that qualify for the Homestead Exemption are in areas with high concentrations of low-income, elderly, and non-English speaking residents.