um mr holliman that was the basis for the refusal there's one zoning refusal for extending into this
minimum side yard width required is eight feet as you mentioned and this is proposed to be 0.5 feet
thank you you're welcome
yeah so the the carport itself uh what i was aiming for was 20 feet wide but if i push it to
eight feet on each side to the for my neighbors i'm only left with
four feet carport and i won't be able to fit a car in there
what did the oh so the community opposed the right
yes they did thank you
You say, isn't it eight feet from one side?
You said two sides.
Isn't your property, isn't your building on one side?
So there's a 7424 on one side and 7426 on the other.
74 24 on one side and 74 26 on the other uh we have a uh backyard where we all meet together
uh so you need eight feet from the from the opposite you need eight feet from the other
property line from from your neighbor's property line right so you can you make it closer to your
building. I'm not aware of that. I think what they were saying is from each of the property
lines on the sides, but not towards where it's closer to my building. I think they wanted
narrower. They don't want it this wide. Yes, Tanya? I'm sorry, Chair. I hate to interrupt,
But if I could offer a suggestion for this applicant to maybe allow him a short continuance so that he can review and determine if he wishes to proceed, because I'm not sure if he understands exactly.
But it's totally your call, Chair.
I'm sorry.
From what I understand is why the refusal is too wide.
Not that it was too far from my house.
Yes, it's not too far from your house.
It's too far from the side property line.
Right.
If it's too close to the side property line, it needs to be eight feet.
It is 0.5 feet.
And that's the ground for the refusal.
So you need more time to get somebody to help you with this?
um to help me explain this or um chair i'm not sure that if there's anything else that can be
done it's fairly straightforward he is too close to the property lines the neighbors oppose it
yep i mean my my neighbor's rate uh 74 24 and 74 22 they have no uh no problem with this
all right is there anyone else here that would like to speak on this matter
i see no other hands mr or has any questions yes mr chairman i think he needs more time
to figure out what he's talking about okay uh he doesn't he doesn't understand
i don't know what he doesn't understand i i sir i really don't understand what what is sir are
you doing the job or you got a contractor doing it i am doing the job myself okay you might gonna
have to get a contract with somebody that will assist you with this okay uh sir all due respect
i i don't really want to go forward with this it's been a year okay okay let's just vote on it then
planning commission
good afternoon chair peter bernard planning commission
this property is indicated for single family residential use on the city plan
the applicant has not demonstrated the necessary hardship regarding the requirements of the code.
We recommend that the requested variance not be granted. Thank you. Calendar number MI 2020-001-196
7424 Reverie Street. My vote is no. My vote is no. My vote is no. All right, good luck. Calendar
number MI 2020, we're doing Oxford Street, correct? Yes. Calendar number MI 2020-003-237-7345
Oxford Avenue. How happened to my video? I'm sorry about that. Some happened to my video
there. One second. Mr. Jhin, there you go. I allowed you to have your video back, Mr. Jhin.
I know. I'm saying I have a virtual background video of something that's not me. So I've tried
to, pardon me one second while I correct that. All right, and now I should be in. Thank you.
There you go. Please identify yourself for the record. Yes. Hi. Good afternoon. Zenjen Z-H-E-N
J-I-N 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1838, Philadelphia PA 19103 here on behalf of the
Suite 1838, Philadelphia PA 19103, here on behalf of the African.
Captain.
Are you sure a firm to sell the truth, the whole truth, from nothing but the truth?
Thank you.
You agree to waive the reading of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
And have you emailed an exhibit packet with the required documents, proof of ownership,
proof of tax compliance, copy of the refusal, or referral, photos and plans five days prior
to this hearing?
I have.
Thank you.
Have you met with the RCO and have a letter?
We have a letter from the council office in support, I believe based on the RCO's feedback to the council, the councilman's office, Councilman Brian O'Neill's office.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
If I may, I'm going to go ahead and share the screen.
i have before you the cover letter for our submission we sent in the refusal councilman's
non-opposition letter photos plans tax clearance and related documentation to the application
this is an application for a use that is rather unusual but is fitting for this particular
property. Well, this is a residential RCA3 zone property. It sits on Oxford Avenue at a location
in a format that makes it viable for the use that has been proposed, which is actually an Asian
cultural exhibit and library of Asian documentation of the immigrants that have come from China,
as well as documentation, art, and other exhibits from China. In essence, a small museum
for Asian background and Asian culture. So the idea here isn't to make any substantial changes
to this beautiful twin house you see in the photograph here. What is going to be done are
primarily restructuring the interior rooms into individual exhibit rooms, which will contain both
family history, Asian art, cultural items, as well as documentation of the experience of various
Asian immigrants coming to America. So it is a joint effort by both my client's organization,
as well as organizations in China, Chinese Americans here in the United States working
together to kind of put documentation of our culture into one location as a way to give
the community of that area a way to reach out and visit and see Asian culture and experience
Asian cultural items. So there will be no residential use of this property at all.
The idea is to run this space essentially as a small museum. This is only half of two cases,
actually. The two addresses are connected in this twin home, but unfortunately they were
filed as two separate cases. So I'll be back again before the board another time with the
other half for the same exact purpose, which is, again, converting the individual rooms into
exhibit rooms and presenting cultural items. The organization that is in charge will monitor
the property. It is only going to be open during those hours where exhibits are open to the public.
However, majority of the upper floor rooms are likely to be initially used as a documentary
storage and library for information and history. So not all of the space would be open to the
public, but most of it will be once exhibits are set up. The property, again, has a large lot
with the possibility of providing parking in the future in the back. A parking lot was discussed
with the community as part of the process that we were trying to move forward with.
But at the present, there's no actual plan to put additional parking in.
The community actually was quite positive with the idea of preserving this building.
This will allow the organization to put money into the building, preserving it on the exterior
while making use of the space on the interior for the purpose of display and documentation.
So while this is an unusual request for an RSA3 building,
I would submit that this is not a use that would give any negative impact to the neighborhood.
It would also allow this otherwise vacant building to be once again...
It would also allow this otherwise vacant building to be once again revitalized and used in a way that would benefit the community and not cause any negative harm to the community.
So I would ask the board for positive review of this request.
And again, we will be coming back soon with the other half of the building for the same exact purpose.
So the overall twin will both be used as an Asian cultural exhibit hall if the board approves and once renovations are complete.
I'm happy to try to answer any questions.
It's very cold in my basement, so I might be a little shaky in my presentation.
I'm sorry about that.
No problem.
Does the board have any questions?
Anyone that would like to speak?
I see no other hands Mr. Plaza. Thank you. Planning Commission.
Good afternoon Chair, Peter Bernard for the Planning Commission. This property is indicated
for single-family residential in the comprehensive plan. We see, we feel that the applicant has
demonstrated sufficient hardship. We have no
objection to the grantee of the variance.
Thank you. Calendar number
MI 2020-003237
Oxford Avenue. My vote is
yes. My vote is yes.
My vote is yes.
Good luck. Thank you. Have a good evening.
Likewise.
Alright, we're back to number
6. MI 2020-
0-0, 0-1-2, 7158, Torresdale Avenue.
Yes, thank you, members of the board.
You got it.
Mr. Young, please identify yourself for the record.
Yes, again, Jeffrey Young, attorney for the applicant.
My address is 3900 Fort Road, Suite B, Philadelphia, PA, 19131.
I have on the line here is the applicant, Mr. Jay Monbram, and his wife, Mrs. Alvanna Monbram.
okay uh you swear a friend to tell the truth the whole truth for nothing but the truth
yes you agree to waive the reading of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy
uh again i i agree to waive the rating however we can't stipulate to the accuracy
okay and have you emailed okay i guess we already addressed that uh please proceed
thank you uh may i share my screen
again thank you members of the board um jeffrey young here on behalf of the applicant
um here uh is the table of contents uh going through the packet of material uh we have the
tax clearance at page two uh deed at page three current use permits uh refusals area map
zoning map, the plans, zoning notification letter, an RCO letter, and also pictures of the property.
Here is a tax clearance for Mr. J. Monbram issued by the Department of Revenue.
Here is the deed to the property titled to Mr. J. Monbram and his wife, Silvana Monbram.
the next exhibit um here uh is the current use permit for the property um so currently the
property is used as a church and was granted this use in march of 2019 our application today
is for an accessory signage should be placed upon the church
here's also a use granted in 2019 for a daycare center at the property however the signage
is not associated with the daycare use and here is a copy of the refusal the refusal states for
the erection of one internally illuminated static accessory flat wall sign and for the erection of
one accessory flat wall side flat wall led message board sign this is the part of the
refusal that we cannot stipulate to its accuracy for the flat wall led message board it is not for
the erection it is for the legalization of the flat flat wall led message board this sign was
previously installed by the applicant and applicant hired an electrician.
Because the property is a church, he was misinformed that there needs to be a zoning permit
for the flat wall message board. And so we are here today to ask for its legalization.
And so we are here today to ask for its legalization.
And there are three refusals all associated with the LED animated message board.
Here is an area map.
You can see there's an arrow pointing to where the property is.
We are a block away from a playground.
As you note here on this map, there are a number of commercial properties in this area.
This area is along Torres St. Avenue is a mix of both commercial and residential uses.
As you can see here on the zoning map, our property is currently zoned CMX2, and along
with most properties on our side of Torres St. Avenue.
here is a copy of our zoning plans for the sign we're asking for permission to install a 39 by
60 led animated and illuminated message board on our property as well as a permitted sign
underneath our message board with the name of the church.
Our message board is approximately 12 feet,
four inches above grade.
So it does not have a blinding effect
on anyone walking past or driving past our property.
Here is the notice letters that were sent to the RCO.
As you can see, this appeal was filed in 2019, and due to COVID and other reasons, you know, this appeal has been pushed back to today.
However, they did meet with the Tocconi Civic Association, and a letter is attached.
Here, the letter from the Civic Association explains the property history, being a CMX2
building. It was previously a funeral parlor.
There was some miscommunication amongst the applicant and the community about the meeting.
However, those things were squared away and the Civic Association submitted a letter.
Here, as you see with the provisals, I'm asking that the lights be turned off by 10 p.m.,
which is something that we agree with.
And there are a few other non-zoning-related issues with the proviso.
There seems to be a mistake on this letter to the board where they could oppose.
However, if you look at the actual tally, there were three in opposition, and two of those in opposition were not immediate neighbors who were not affected by our project.
And there was a five with non-opposition for our signs, with four neighbors being directly impacted within a 250-feet radius.
There's a current picture of the church with the sign installed. Again, as you can see, it's over 12 feet high, so there's no impact on pedestrians and vehicles driving past.
This is commercial properties, which is our neighbor to our east. If you can see, they have illuminated signs and lighting in their property.
this is directly across the street from us it's all commercial properties with the pizza store
the beer deli and a few others all having led lighting on their properties in their windows
again this this is the west view again our neighbor is a commercial property
with a gas station further to the west
and this is a picture of that gas station with illuminated signage
this gives you a sense of what the block looks like again it's a mix of a residential