I'm talking, but I'm muted.
All righty.
is there anyone else testifying chair we have someone by the name of melina gordon with her
hand up miss gordon you can unmute yourself and speak now good afternoon ms gordon please
identify yourself with the record spell your first and last name my name is melina m-e-l-e-n-a
my last name is gordon g-o-r-d-o-n you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing
but the truth. I do. Please proceed. Okay. The last time I came onto this prestigious
hearing, I basically heard both sides of people speaking to, for, and against the opening of a
restaurant. Like many, I think Miss Sandra, I don't, I can't pronounce her last name,
was unable to speak, and I, who am also technically challenged, was able to.
who i'm also um technically challenged was able to however i am not here to say speak against
sandra who just spoke eloquently i am just here to speak on behalf of someone who lives on the
street. Ma'am, where do you live? I live at 1519 West Champlast. I live next. You can speak on your
behalf. Right. I live next to the laundromat and I live next to the daycare. So there were many
things that sandra said which i saw to refute for one she spoke about loud parties i've never seen
or even heard anything at that location um sandra also spoke about the church who does a good thing
in the community um providing food as far as i've been here since 2003 i've only seen food
for people lined up since the pandemic.
The pastor and his dad have done very many good things.
My point in speaking for the restaurant
is that these people have been given the opportunity
to go ahead to do it based on the last hearing that we had.
Sandra is speaking about things that are suppositions that she's thinking that might happen.
In speaking about the timing for the restaurant to be opened, if this illustrious board of, I'm sure, people who have been doing this for a long time, see it has something where they have to close early,
I'm sure the owners would compromise to do that.
There is at the other end of the block, which is between 16th and Ogons, a store.
There is also another store, I think it's at Nidro and 16th.
And to me, I've not had anything that would say that having a restaurant there would bring on crime, as Sandra is thinking.
She's also...
Pardon me?
We spoke the last time about trash and the compactor and where it would be.
I'm sure like many that no one would think of putting a dumpster on the side of the road.
She's saying it is on a hill.
My house is on a hill and dumpsters are not taken up by hand.
There is a special truck that drives that uses an arm to take the dumpster from buildings, from the sides.
So I don't see that as a problem.
them. She also spoke about the neighborhood. I'm not sure who she spoke with, but the 13
or 15 houses on the block. I didn't hear one person speak about being this being a nuisance.
So for me, I'm just saying, why not give the owners the opportunity to go ahead as what's
done the last time by saying yes to them and if something comes up sandra and um uh the board
then you re i mean re re-evaluate but we are chopping at the knees speaking about suppositions
before something even happens and that to me is just my grouse that why are we just using one
person's voice as she said she's speaking on behalf of the community but why not give these
people a chance and that is what i have to say and i thank you so much for listening
for your testimony is there anyone else to testify
chair we have charles richardson mr richardson
good afternoon again mr dare
please identify yourself charles richardson from the office of councilwoman cindy bass
room 312 city hall and you are still on the roof yes sir um the councilwoman still remains opposed
to granting the variance as last time with uh you know all of the reasons that we had mentioned at
As last time with, you know, all of the reasons that we had mentioned at that point, you know, but if there is a reconsideration at this point, or if you decide to, again, pass it, we would ask that you would support the variances, those that can be enforced that Ms. Brodus has put forward.
that point
All right.
You know, we have questions about where the exhaust is vented, what the trash plan is, whether they should be, whether they're having commercial trash pickup and, you know, whether the trash is going to be stored in the first place, because there is no place to really store it in front of the building that won't impact the rest of the community.
so again for you know issues of density and and and the possibility of a nuisance uh the
councilwoman is opposing the variance understood thank you and uh i just would think the board
would like to see the plan again because i'm not sure if a we incorporated a roof mounted exhaust
last time when we approved this or not sharon do you have any background information on um no but i
I would suggest that the property owner or permit holder be permitted to respond, Mr. Walker, and he could probably answer your questions.
Yeah. Yeah. I didn't realize he was there. Thank you.
Hi. Hi. Are you hearing me?
Yes. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon. This is Andrea Walker, the wife of Andrew Walker.
Thank you. You swear for him to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
ma'am i have a couple of questions before you begin uh when you were in front of this board last
we just did we discuss uh your exhaust system yes sir and where will the exhaust system be
vacating from the exhaust system is on top of the roof sir roof mounted exhaust system correct
yes sir uh trash do you have a rear yard or any place where the trash would be stored we do sir
and is that accessible from inside the where the restaurant would be or do you have to
how do you access it we we we decide to get a commercial um commercial trash pickup i get
But where will it be stored between the days of operation and getting picked up?
In the yard, in the backyard.
All right.
So you have access to your backyard for trash.
You have exhaust mounted.
Yes, sir.
All right.
And what were the days and hours of your operation?
The days are from Thursday through Saturday.
Three days?
Three days.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
no other days it's going to be from monday through saturday oh that makes sense monday
through saturday yes sir and the hours of operation from we we wanted to do from 7 till 9
7 a.m till 9 p.m p.m okay uh am i leaving anything out i'm asking the board if you
have any other questions no
ma'am do you own this property yes sir
okay uh do you have anything else to add miss walker
um i i just have um um a concern um about what miss sandra brought us has said about um i heard
somebody already um addressed it but i want to address it also that we are not part of people's
we're Christian peoples. We do
not have parties. The only time
we ever had something there is to distribute
food to the community who was
happily to receive it.
Understood. Okay.
All right. Thank you.
Sharon, do we need to get the Planning Commission
again?
Chair, just an FYI,
we do have another person who wishes to testify.
Oh, sorry about that. I'm sorry. Okay. Whoever else is on to testify, please raise your hand.
Juliet, please identify yourself. Spell your first and last name.
J-U-L-I-E-T-T-E-C-U-R-E-T-O-N.
Swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
Okay. My address is 1638 Widener Place. I have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years.
I grew up in the neighborhood. And the location of 1530 West Champlois, there is no way that that should be a restaurant.
There is no way that that should be a restaurant. The neighborhood is crime infested. And I understand that the owner is a Christian. I am a Christian too. There's no place for parking at all. At all. And I am concerned about this.
I'm looking at a picture that Miss Sandra put in my mailbox.
I don't see where there is a dumpster.
I walk this way.
I walk and I don't see where the dumpster is going to go.
When I pass the area, the apartment building next to where they want to open up this restaurant,
I don't see an access where a dumpster can go.
I don't see the backyard.
So I'm not understanding that there's a backyard where that dumpster could go.
It's baffling to me.
But as Ms. Sandra stated, Champloss is a location where the sixth bus runs both ways.
and at night i don't see how you know people could come to a location to sit down there's
no parking is it's hard enough now for a scepter bus to go down champ loss um when there's cars
that the residents own is parked on both sides so i think that a restaurant at this location
would be problematic for the community.
Thank you.
Thank you for your testimony.
Anyone else to testify?
Chair, there's a David Burnow.
Mr. Burnow, you can unmute yourself and speak.
Mr. Burnow, please identify yourself
and something new and different, please.
Spell your last name.
I'm David Burnow.
My last name is B-U-R-N-O.
You swear for him to tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed.
I am the pastor of Temple Shalom next door, and I am very familiar with Mr. Andrew and his wife, and they are good people.
This situation, from what I understood last year, that it would be an events facility or banquet hall of some sort.
it was news to me when the hearing came up and it was going to be a restaurant that would be there
every day at the end of the day I think that it is true that there isn't any place for
trash removal that would be a primary concern the other concerns that you've heard are all true and
I had given a statement for the last hearing not anything different because nothing has really
changed um but the the area and and the location i would say if anything a provisional be uh
considered if there is an a sit-in restaurant it's not as much of a problem as if there was
a continuous outdoor events from monday to saturday and that i just wanted to go on record
in saying that there should be some consideration the trash the public transportation the lack of
parking are the primary issues that would be an area of concern. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Walker,
I don't want to delay this, but do you happen to have an exhibit that would show the rear yard of
the property? It shows where the trash container or containers would be stored. Sir, are you hearing
me yes okay so um we're gonna have um trash in the back of the yard we are building a ramp
okay we have to build a ramp for you know because we're preparing for um disabled or handicapped
people so we're building a ramp so we won't have trouble bringing those trash out we will make sure
that the trash does not mess with the neighbors we're going to try to go ahead you had a rear
yard do you have we do we do it's not really in the back rear but it's at this you know in the
back at the side it's a long yard so you know it's no yeah it's a big yard so it won't be out
on the sidewalk no it won't never be on the sidewalk okay thank you all right anyone else
to testify in something new and different please excuse me chair this is sharon you asked earlier
if the Planning Commission should weigh in again.
Yeah, I was going to get to that next.
This being hearing on reconsideration,
all prior testimony and exhibits
are incorporated into the record.
incorporated into the record planning commission did testify in opposition at the original hearing
Planning Commission did testify in opposition.
if they would like to weigh in again of course they can. Here's the planning commission
Greg do you wish to weigh in? There has been nothing that would change our
our testimony so um we are uh still in opposition thank you thank you
we have two more people with their hands up if you want to hear them testify
if they have something new and different please if you're going to repeat the same issues about
parking and traffic and trash which we understand is important but we just don't need to rehash the
same test so please if you have anything new and different to add put raise your hand if not we'll
move on here we have a jody edwards this edwards you can is that where are you doing this is mr
edwards you guys identify yourself spell your full name my name is jody edwards j-o-e-d-y
edwards e d w a r d s you swear for him to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
yes sir please proceed okay um i came on the last zoom meeting and i'm gonna say the same thing i
said last time i'm i live right on grain street so what on 1426 west grain grain ave and i think
a restaurant being there would be a great opportunity other business around the area
why is it a problem if another family is trying to open a business and they give me
and my little brother a job opportunity i already talked to the guy the gentleman i think his name
is andrew when i first met him i said when they did the cookout not the cookout but the event
around their house to give food to community i was like hey what's going on here he said he's
trying to open a restaurant and i was like hey would be possible i get a job i'm not a great
cook but i could wash a pot you know it keeps it keeps people in the community of the street
I understand what Ms. Sandra said, that it's other problems in the neighborhood, but what about the young people coming up?
I understand that's elder in the community.
We're trying to provide jobs for the new generation.
What about us?
I think two ladies came on and said that they lived there for 20-plus years.
I didn't live there for 20-plus years, but I went to the church that was previously there, and I met the pastor, a great guy.
And they've been part of the church the whole time.
Why wouldn't an opportunity arise for them to be able to open a restaurant and I'll still be part of the, be a part of the community and working in a restaurant?
That's a great opportunity for me and my little brother.
Like, I don't understand what the issue would be with opening a restaurant there.
I honestly don't.
We appreciate your testimony, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.