Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
I see no hands.
Just a moment, Chair.
We have a phone number ending in 3552.
They have been unmuted and allowed.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
yes adrian fernandez swamp little neighborhood process association rco
Yes, Adrian Fernandez, Swamp Little Neighborhood.
you swear or firm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth
yes please proceed adrian okay um we uh support this variance and are asking for
three provisos the first one would be a limit of two units the second one being um all trash
recycling stored indoors and a third one being no basement living
thank you
any any go ahead council i have no problems with two maximum two units where that's all
we're asking for i don't know if that's necessary in terms of proviso um trash indoors um i i leave
it to the discretion of the board, you know, to, to, to, as to that, um, there is outdoor space
for the first floor unit. Um, so, you know, they would be storing the trash outdoors. Um, the
third provides, so, uh, no basement living. I, again, uh, yeah, I think the picture showed that,
like, it's an unfinished basement to begin with. Um, the two, two hot water heaters are down there.
I don't know if that's not really a zoning matter. If there's issues in terms of egress, that would be a building code matter.
Any other comments from the virtual audience?
Planning Commission.
Planning Commission.
Amy Boyd with the Planning Commission. The comprehensive plan recommends no change in zoning and facilitation from the existing residential single-family RSA 5. There is evidence that the conversion from one-family to two-family was done without the benefit of permits. The appellant has not shown that there are unique conditions or circumstances that would prevent the property from being used in conformance with the zoning code. The Planning Commission recommends that the Board deny their requested variance for multi-family households.
Hello. Mr. Chairman, can I just respond very quickly? You can. Yeah. So with the MLS listings, a lot of times they gather the information through the city's website. So there may be some zoning permit that may have existed at one point that has been lost. I mean, you know, you have Eclipse now, you have Atlas now, anything that's been done the last five to 10 years, you can feel confident it's in the zoning file.
This may be a situation where a journey permit may have been lost.
There's a long documented history based on what we've seen online that there's two family households living here.
MI 2024, 005-786-3220 North Carlisle Street.
I vote yes.
John, my vote is yes.
Iowan, my vote is yes.
you're on me my vote is yes and sure you were on mute when you voted
carol gaston my vote is yes sorry thank you thank you thank you counsel thank you number
13 number 13 mi 2024 005 786 789 i'm sorry 235 north 61st street olav sokoloff is the attorney
There's a letter of support from Achievability and a letter of support from Council Member Jones.
There's also a petition with 52 signatures.
Mr. Sokolov is coming back in as a panelist now.
Mr. Sokolov.
Good afternoon, Chairman.
Would you state your name as spelled for the court stenographer?
Sure. Oleg Sokolov, O-L-E-G-S-O-K-O-L-O-V, on behalf of the applicant, Jeffrey Allen Jr.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Do you stipulate to the reading of the refusal, and do you agree with its accuracy?
Yes, I do.
Share your screen and start your presentation, please.
I mean, I'm used to Mr. Shahid asking me those questions.
Well, he's stepped out.
Fair enough.
All right.
Is the board able to see my screen?
We can, sir.
All right.
Thank you.
Well, firstly, good afternoon, everyone.
My name is Oleg Sokolov.
I'm here on behalf of Jeffrey Allen Jr.
This is a very similar request to the one you just previously heard.
We're seeking to legalize the existing use of a two-family located at 235 North 61st Street.
Mr. Allen purchased this property in May, I believe.
Mr. Allen purchased this property in May, I believe, of this year.
So as soon as he purchased it, it was the same kind of situation.
It was listed as a two-family.
It was marketed as a two-family.
Mr. Allen did none of the conversions of the property to make it a two-family.
And Mr. Allen actually lives in one of the properties.
And as you'll hear from him, he is a veteran who is looking to use the other space for veterans housing and believes that by having himself living there, he can really provide an additional service to veterans who are oftentimes alone or don't have a support network.
So the two of them being there together is something that he believes would be a great benefit to a potential veteran that lives there as well as the community in general.
So, I'll take you through the exhibit packet. As I said, this property was just purchased
in May of 2024. As soon as Mr. Allen identified the nonconformity, we undertook this zoning
process to try to legalize its use. As stated by the Chair, here's our tax clearance.
And here is the property. You'll see that it may not be able to see it very well behind the post. But, you know, upon inspection, it was it had two mailboxes. It has two electrical meters. So it certainly was properly converted, except for this current zoning into a two family.
The property itself is two two-bedroom, one-baths. It's one on the first floor, one on the second floor. It is just a two-story edifice with a backyard with access from the first-floor unit.
This here is the first-floor unit, and this is the kitchen-slash-living room of the second-floor unit.
Once again, the first floor unit, the backyard.
Let me try to zoom out a little bit.
You'll see that it's identical to the property next door, except for that it has the open porch.
And then just some views down 61st Street in both directions.
This is the subject property, once again, located on 61st Street between Vine and Race.
Our application for appeal, as stated, Mr. Allen did not create any of the conditions existent at
the property and is just seeking to legalize the use so as to be in conformity with the zoning code.
We had a meeting with Achievability on November 13th, where we, as stated by the chair, received a letter of support.
As part of Achievability's pre-RCL meeting procedure, Mr. Allen went around the neighborhood and gathered 52, I believe was the count.
Yeah, that's correct. 52 petitions. As you'll see in the letter of support from Achievability, many of those signatories to the petition were verified by Achievability as having signed it.
So somebody from Achievability actually called, and that's evident in the notes located here on the RCO letter.
Obviously, they couldn't get a hold of everyone in verifying the signatures, but they were very happy with Mr. Allen's actions in going around the neighborhood.
Mr. Allen actually has some ties to the neighborhood.
He's from there, so is very much looking forward to living in the property and providing service.
Are all the utilities separated?
The utilities are separated.
That's correct.
Is there a history of the property?
What was, it's always been.
There is nothing, much like Mr.
Nockamson's previous presentation, there is nothing currently available in the Eclipse system.
There was a rental license, but it was only for one unit that was generated.
I can pull that up.
It's not part of our exhibit packet, but.
There's a rental license that was pulled.
We're not sure if by the previous owner or the owner prior to that, but it was only for
one dwelling unit.
And that's the only zoning or other.
And that's the only zoning or other information available on the Eclipse system.
Mr. Allen also received a letter of support from Councilman Curtis's office.
And as stated, the petition, you'll see that many, many of the signatures, I'll zoom in a little bit, are from the immediate block.
So we have 242 here, 246 North 61st. I do apologize. I neglected to look through this and definitively ascertain if we were able to get the neighbor's signature, but I will ask Mr. Allen that when he is able to come on the line.
But again, you will see that almost the entirety of the block of 61st Street is in support of this request, likely owing to Mr. Allen's longstanding history in the neighborhood, as well as the type of residency that he wants to provide for the upstairs unit.
Pictures of notices on the property.
and our certificates of mailing for the RCO meeting.
So I believe it's around 140 people that were noticed.
So even of the 140 people that were noticed, you know, we have nearly a third, or excuse me, more than a third of those people have signed the petition.
If it pleases the board at this time, if I may bring Mr. Allen on to just answer any questions or adopt your testimony, please.
Please bring him on.
Thank you. Mr. Allen, if you're there, will you raise your hand, please? Your virtual hand.
Jeffrey Allen has been unmuted.
around could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
yes my name is jeffrey allen jr um and it's spelled j-e-f-f-r-e-y allen a-l-l-e-n junior j-r
you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
yes i do please proceed counsel uh mr allen i'll just ask you one question before i ask you to
adopt my testimony if you've heard it all here today. Could you give the board a little context
as to why you're hoping to use this for veterans housing and how that idea came about for you in
general? Well, like you said, Oleg, I'm a veteran of seven years, was a commissioned officer in the
Army. And I've noticed over the years that the veteran community is an underrepresented community
in terms of resources or knowledge or guidance when they get out, support, direction, things of
that nature. And I've noticed that there's a good chunk of veterans who have different challenges
on getting back in their feet and adjusting to the civilian world. So I wanted to use my VA home
loan to get a house that was in the area that I grew up in and try to provide affordable
housing for veterans like myself because I fully understand for the most part about the challenges
that they face and I kind of resonate with that. And Mr. Allen have you been in contact with some
agencies that place veterans in housing to pursue this potential type of renter? Yes I have. Okay do
you have the name of that that organization for the board? Yes I've been in contact with
the representative at the veterans affairs office and i can find a name in a moment um
no that's that's okay i don't think we need that how you heard the the presentation that i gave to
the board today correct yes and would you adopt my testimony as your own yes is there anything
you'd like to add for the board's consideration
you certainly don't have to um i just like to add that um i received approval written signature
approval from both neighbors on both sides and you will be able to find that in the exhibit
thank you that will be all questions from the board
i have a question about the trash for the second level
So I know the first level has access to the yard.
What about the second level?
Mr. Allen, is trash currently just stored in the unit until trash day?
It's been outside.
It's not.
Well, it's currently being stored on the side of the house.
um it's an area to the left where there's a gate um where trash has been being stored
It's an area to the left where there's a gate.
where trash has been being stored
okay so that's that's access for both the first floor and the second floor right
yes okay thank you any other questions from the board
questions or comments from our attorney hillary emberson
not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual audience
The comprehensive plan recommends no change in zoning at this location from the existing residential single-family RSA 5.
The appellant has not shown that there are unique physical conditions or circumstances that would prevent the property from being used in conformance with the zoning code.
The Planning Commission recommends that the board
deny the requested variance for a multifamily household.
MI 2024-005-789-235-North 61st Street, I vote yes.
John's, my vote is yes.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes.
Sonetta Graham, my vote is yes.
Iowan, my vote is yes.
Thank you, counsel.
Thank you very much, Congressman.
Number 15, MI 2024, 006-026-5543 Grays Avenue.
Bernard Astasio is the attorney.
There's a letter of unanimous support from Southwest Philadelphia District Services.
Council Member Gauthier has also taken a position of support.
Councilman Gauthier supports the requested variance at this land use change as part of a community-centered long-term planning of Southwest spurred by trolley infrastructure improvements.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair.
Councilman, I think early this morning, I think I swore you in.
Correct.
Sarah, could you identify your client in relationship to this property?
Yes, thank you.
My name is Vern Anastasio.
I represent Southwest Metals, LLC.
Sandra Morales is here this evening, this afternoon.
I'm sorry to testify on behalf of the applicant, as is her husband.
Stipulate to the reading of the refusal, and do you agree with its accuracy?
Share your screen and start your testimony, Sarah.
Thank you.
I have a 68-page exhibit packet that I will go through relatively quickly.
There is a zoning refusal, a floor plan and layout, some photos, RCO notification letter, proof of mailings, the zoning notice and proof of posting, the lease tax clearance, council support letter, and overhead views as well.
This is an I-2 district, so it's really an industrial site.
The proposed uses for junk and salvage yards and buildings on an existing structure, it is prohibited in the I-2 district, but the history of the property has always been industrial.
So with that, of course, this is now not working for some reason.
I want to stop sharing just for a moment.
and reshare.
I just got an error
computer. I'm so sorry.
and that's my second case i'm sorry about that hold on
my apologies while I try to pull this together I don't know what happened to my
Okay, can we see that or no?
Keith Fishtown Animal Hospital.
No, that's not what I'd like.
Okay, hold on for one moment.
This is the 5543 Grays Avenue.
We're good.