Anyone else?
Chair, we have an Alan Hopgood
Mr. Hopgood, you can unmute yourself and speak
I'm a member of Temple Shalom
Excuse me, sir
Please identify yourself, spell your first and last name
Sorry, my name is Alan Hopgood
A-L-L-A-N-H-O-P-G-O-O-D
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth
Yes, I do
thank you sir please proceed um the issue that i've seen arise was besides the trash was the
open air event there is no enclosure there's no way for you to control the sound there's no way
for you to guarantee that it's not going to disturb the neighbor what sound what sound are
we talking about um if they they have a lot where they say the lot next to them where they want to
have an open air event if you're having a festival a party or whatever you may have there whatever
event that's going to require music, sound system, it's still going to affect the neighbors behind
and across the street. The biggest issue is the open air event that I've seen. Not the restaurant
per se, but that open air event, the festivities area is going to be the major problem.
Okay, thank you. All right, we're ready to move on. Any other questions from the board?
no no okay mi 2020-000340-1530 west champholst my vote is yes with the following provisos
restaurant hours between monday from monday to saturday 7 a.m to 9 p.m no amplified music outside
roof-mounted exhaust system commercial trash pickup trash must be stored to the rear of the
Commercial trash pickup. Trash must be stored to the rear of the property. And a four-year variance to expire July 1, 2025.
My vote is yes with provisos.
Yes with provisos.
Yes with provisos.
Yes with provisos.
thank you i think number nine yeah calendar number one zero eight seven five zero four zero
dash 50 city avenue steve bertill is the attorney
mr bertill is coming back and is a panelist chair thank you was he already sworn in this morning no
No. Okay. Mr. Bertil, can you put your name and address on the record? Spell your last name, please.
Good afternoon. Steve Bertil, B-E-R-T-I-L. Claire Harrison, Harvey Brandsburg, 1835 Market Street, 19103.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
yes I do do you also agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy
yes have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance
refusal photos and or plans of the property five days in advance of this hearing
and have you met with the RCO and do you have a letter
Yes, I'll tell it above. I have a meeting summary report, not a letter, but it reports
what happened at the meeting. Okay. And you'll explain that. Thank you. You may proceed.
Thank you very much. Share my screen. Okay. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the board.
As stated, my name is Steve Bertil. I'm here on behalf of the applicant for 5040-50 City Avenue.
We're here requesting a variance relief to allow for the refacing of an existing double-faced freestanding sign
and installation of four flat wall signs with static illumination on new signages to replace the existing signage.
Just to orient the board, here you can see on the screen a zoning area of the parcel in question.
The parcel is on CMX 2.5.
It's at the corner of City Avenue and Bryn Mawr Avenue, as you can see here.
The property is currently being utilized as a Rite Aid pharmacy.
it will continue to do so. This is only a signage application. And so the proposed use is not
changing. We're just seeking for the signage. So the refusals that we received for our proposed
use is for the accessory wall signs and having the multiple signage. As you'll see in a second,
Basically, every sign that we're installing is just a replacement of the existing signage.
And therefore, the review that we receive would be in place due to the existing signage.
In the first place, we're not increasing the variance.
We're just basically refacing and putting new signage that is commensurate with the new branding logos of the Rite Aid Pharmacy.
So here is a part of the sign package that I want to show you can see an example of existing
signage and what's being proposed on the on the freestanding wall sign.
here's another shot on the frontage that's facing on Bryn Mawr Avenue that shows the
existing signage was E2 and E3 and the proposed new signage R2 and R3 again basically just
updating the logos to match the new branding for Rite Aid, but the location is generally the same
and the placement is generally the same. Here again is the opposite frontage that's facing
on City Line Avenue that's showing the existing signage and what the replacements are going to be.
and what the replacements are going to be.
Again, as with the other frontage,
Again, as with the other frontage,
basically same location and placement.
We did meet with the RCO.
Well, actually, we met with both RCOs,
the Winfield Residents Association
and with the City Avenue Special Services District
because of any variance request on City Avenue
subject to both whatever the RCO, the coordinating RCO is, which would normally be the coordinating
RCO, and in addition to the special services district. We met with them on April 13, 2021,
and there was unanimous non-opposition.
here you'll see a letter or a meeting summary report of the meeting itself there isn't a
separate letter that just shows everyone in attendance voted in non-opposition and so
because this again is just a replacement of the existing signage to match the the current
branding and logos of Rite Aid and there's not really an increased variance because all the
placement and it's the same
and the locations are the same
and the quantity is the same.
We believe this is the de minimis variance
and with the community
support, we ask for the board
to grant this variance. With me
I want to call is
Erica Bitzer, representative
from the applicant, who can affirm
and adopt my testimony as truth
if the board would recognize it.
Ms. Bitzer, you can unmute yourself
and speak now.
Hi, my name is Erica Bitzer. It's E-R-I-K-A-V-I-T-Z-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Thank you, Mr. Patil.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Bitzer, did you hear the testimony that I provided to the board this afternoon?
I did.
Do you adopt and affirm the truth of what I stated?
Thank you very much. And with that, I'll open it up to questions to the board.
questions from the board no no no no one else like to testify in this case please raise your hand
there are no hands at this time chair thank you planning commission
good afternoon this is Greg Walden from planning commission staff
the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the existing commercial mixed use zoning at this
location. There are no unique physical circumstances or
conditions peculiar to this property that create a
hardship to exceed code requirements related to the size
and number of signs. Planning Commission recommends that the
zoning board deny the variance.
am i 2021-0010875040-50 city avenue my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes
my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes thank you mabby
Yes. Calendar number 1003-625-29 Earp Street. The attorney is Henry Clinton.
Madam Chair, is Suzanne Sabani with his office because she has her hand up?
No, I'm just looking for Henry Clinton.
Suzanne is with the RCO.
I don't see his hand at this time.
Let's go to number 11.
I'm here.
You're there.
Mr. Clinton, can you put your name and address on the record and please spell your last name?
Henry Clinton, CLINTON, 1313 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia PA, 19146 Queen Memorial Building.
You're still under oath.
do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy i do have you
emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance refusal photos under plans of the
property five days in advance of this hearing and have you met with the rco and do you have a letter
yes all of the above okay great you may proceed
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Henry Clinton, for the applicant, Tim
DiPonturo, who is on the call, and also the architect, Derek Spencer of Nome Architects,
is on the call with me. This is my presentation binder, which I asked and made part of the
record containing AA to A11. My appearance statement
AA through A11. My appearance statement and the refusal, this is an RSA 5 zone.
The existing use is a non-conforming use. It is a family-run business, has been for in excess of 30
years. Apex Mechanical, it's a plumbing and heating outfit. Mr. DiProtoro is the principal,
and he's been using this location for in excess of 30 years. So I'll show you,
I'm sure the board is familiar, Earp Street is a very narrow street, and I'll show you some aerial
photographs and give you a perspective of what we're seeking today. But we're basically asking
for the partial demolition of an existing second story and for the erection of a second and third
floor addition with some rear decks and multi-family use, four units, with six interior accessible
mechanical parking spaces. So that's a mouthful, but I'll explain it as I work through this.
We have a letter of non-opposition from Paschel Square Civic Association.
And here are the photographs. So just for perspective, this is Earp Street, this is Sears
Street, this is Reed Street, and this is the property. It's 625 to 629.
The property is two stories at 625 and 627 and 629 is one story. It's 100%
light coverage. This building goes all the way back to the rear yards on Sears
Street, as does this building. There's an existing curb cut and garage entrance
here. And there's an entrance to offices right here. So currently right now, my client uses this
for his business and has for 30 years. And this is all open space, garage usage on a slab. And
this building is also on a slab. And that's important when I get to the heart of the
presentation. This is actually the best view, I think. We're looking northeast here. Again,
on Earp Street this is two-story, one-story adjacent to a three-story building then adjacent
to a smaller two-story building and again the homes are behind on Sears Street. Just again
another aerial perspective to show you that Earp is very narrow and most of the cars on the block
are actually parking on the sidewalk on the south side behind two large garages which
which go from Earp Street all the way to Reed Street.
A photograph looking eastbound.
The existing property is on the left-hand side.
This is the rear of the garages that are on Reed Street.
Another shot of the garages across the street.
And this is looking westbound.
Again, here's our existing property, two-story offices, one-story garage.
that's the garage existing garage door which obviously will be replaced so we do have a
request that the board looks kindly upon this application to have one page stamped because we
have reduced the proposed rear deck at the second floor by nine feet from 14 five to five feet five
inches and also the parapet wall on the second floor against the rear of the property is only
going to be six inches. We don't have a large barricade wall. We don't have a roof deck in
deference to the neighbors. So here is the presentation. Again, this is by Noam Architects
and Derek Spencer is on the call with me. You can see this is a rather large lot. I think it's the
largest lot on the block. And here it is again on the right hand side, basically smack dab in the
middle of the block. Again, some photographs to show you that the black line is going to be where
the build-out will be. So this whole space here in the middle is going to be occupied with
multifamily. So just by way of background, Mr. DiPertoro, again, has been on the block for
numerous years. And with the commercial establishment on a small street, it's kind of
unique circumstance where it's becoming more and more residential. And he's trying to, I guess,
weave his way between accommodating the neighbors and doing what he can in terms of using the
building to his best use. So his thought was to keep the building as is on the block, because
it's on a slab. And if you were to build single family houses, he would have to
obviously excavate down, underpin, disrupt the street. With keeping this property as is,
and I'll show you we've changed the elevation we're able to keep the garage door provide
provide six parking spots for four apartments and basically maintain the residential nature
six parking spots for four apartments and basically
of at least this side of the street. And the project has been well received by the neighbors
on Earp Street. So this is a side view. The second floor here goes all the way back. So we're going
to lop off the rear 14 feet of that second floor and then add a third floor onto the second floor
and then make the first floor at 627 and 629 the same height as we will 625.
And I'll show you a front elevation.
But what's important here is our original design that Derek Spencer did
had our deck going all the way back to the rear.
Now, from the aerial photographs, the homes on Sears Street,
their yards back right up against this wall.
So in conjunction with the community group and with the neighbors,
we originally pushed the deck back five feet and further discussions resulted in pushing the deck
back nine feet. So now the rear decks are going to be the same size. The deck on the second floor
and the deck on the third floor, both will project five feet, five inches from the rear wall. And I
think this has been well received now by the neighbors on Sears Street. So this is an aerial