Thank you. Ben, did you hear my presentation to the board today?
Yes, I did.
You went accurate to the best of your knowledge?
And you adopted as your own testimony?
Yes, I have nothing further questions from the board.
Yes, I have a question about the letter of support.
I understand that it's contingent on the CBA, but could you walk us through what the votes were when you had the meeting?
I didn't see any vote tally, but that was not provided to me by the RCO.
okay so can i can i say something yes go ahead i mean i know that the vote was 20 to 20 in favor
and five opposed there you go there's you know if the five opposed are people that live on the
immediate block we didn't get that information no that has not been parsed but everyone on the
immediate block who i believe initially had concerns about uh the operation are part of
and parties of the CBA that is being crafted.
I have personally been in contact with the leadership of the RCO
and the immediate neighbors who had some concerns.
All of their concerns have been met.
Can you share what some of those concerns were
and how their plan to be addressed?
They wanted to make sure that the speakers that were outside
would not face Fifth Street, that they would be turned.
that they would be turned. We've agreed to do that. And they wanted to make sure that
We've agreed to do that.
and they want
events with live music would be contained during certain hours by 9 p.m. We're containing that
amplified music after nine o'clock per their request. Also, they want to make sure that that
gate that I showed you earlier is closed most of the time, except for logistic reasons. And that
That gate is, you know, very important for us to, you know, of course, have things come in and out.
But other than that, the gate will be closed per their request.
Closed but not locked?
Just a clarification.
Closed but not locked?
Well, we wouldn't want to lock anybody in the building.
No, no, no.
But ultimately, it will be locked at night.
But, yeah, closed because that was the issue.
They wanted to make sure that the gate was closed so that if there was music,
And mind you, the garden and the rest of the building is 120 feet from the sidewalk.
It's rather deep.
They just want to make sure that if there is any noise emanating from there, it doesn't come out onto the sidewalk, which is why they asked for the gates to be closed.
And then for the events that you're planning to host, is there a plan to host events later than at 9 p.m. in time?
Well, sure.
But amplified music, if it would be past 9 p.m., it would then be contained to just the interior of the building, which is not an issue.
And then are there any time and operation restrictions currently in plan, like hours of operation?
Is there like, what's the latest that might run?
Oh, I don't think it would last past midnight.
And all of that is being worked out.
we'll have a final cba yeah well cbas have nothing to do with us at the zoning board but
we can that's correct hours of operation by proviso which is why i asked yep other questions
questions from our attorney
overwhelming majority of these events are events you know that are from those from those exact
neighbors those neighbors are there that those events that's what they do questions or comments
from the virtual audience planning commission do you want to vote today here i have a hand up
by the name of brian walkins they have been promoted to panelists sure why could you please
state your name and spell for the stenographer
my name is brian watkins b-r-i-a-n w-a-t-k-i-n-s do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the
whole truth nothing but the truth i do are you a neighbor yes directly directly across the street
yeah thank you chair um this is the first that i'm hearing about uh events going on until midnight
in their business plan and on their website and at the okna rco meetings they said that the
events would end by 10 p.m and so this is the first i'm hearing about events potentially
lasting until midnight i i need to clarify i threw that that time out obviously everything
IS SUBJECT TO THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT SO 10 P.M. IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH
WITH THE TEAM AND 10 P.M. WILL BE IT I CAN CAN I MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR BUT AND I THINK
MR. RICEMAN WANT TO ADD SOMETHING AS WELL CAN I YEAH NO THE YOU KNOW WE'VE UM WE WE'VE BEEN DOING
events that are indoors already that do go to midnight and they don't they don't bother anybody
actually what we're talking about in the cba is just particularly amplified music that is um
like downstairs and connected to the garden which is what okay so it bothers mr reissman let me do
this why don't we let mr walkins finish mr walkins okay yeah um i only brought that up because of the
board member had mentioned
as the first of my knowledge about hours of operation and provisos.
So I just was following up on what she said and what Vern had said earlier.
Okay. Do you have anything else, Mr. Watkins?
No. I mean, unless the board member... Are you in favor of this project,
Mr. Watkins? No, I am not. I object.
Mr. Watkins is part of the working group that we're putting together
a community benefits agreement we wouldn't have done all of this through all this time and all
We wouldn't have done all of this through all this time and all this effort working with Mr. Watkins.
this effort okay working with
So he's completely testifying to the exact opposite of what we've been doing since yesterday.
OK, well, we appreciate that. And we hear his testimony. Is there anything else you have, Mr. Watkins?
No, Mr. Chairman, I just heard you went across at night.
Pardon? You went across Mr. Watkins.
um no i mean he i mean if he had something to offer as far as exact evidence that
this community this proposal would be any more impactful than any other he he would have provided
it he didn't do that so thank you is there anyone else in the virtual audience yes chair i have a
hand up by the name of chris giuseppe they have been promoted to penalist
i could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
do we see do we see him yes chair he did join as a panelist i apologize i was muted
please state your name and spell for the stenographer yes chris gillespie c h r i s
g-i-l-l-e-s-p-i-e do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
i do are you a neighbor i am please i live it thank you i live at 1340 north 5th street which
is about half a block away from the moss building and i live on the same side as the garden um i
submitted a letter in support and i just wanted to attend today to uh demonstrate the enthusiasm
with which I support my comments in my letter,
including specifically to the noise issue
that current and past business practices
at the Moss Building have necessitated evening events
that have included amplified noises of all sorts,
and they have never been a nuisance.
And in fact, many of our neighbors
have discussed enjoying them.
I would also like to express that two of my neighbors
who rent in 1338 North 5th Street could not attend either virtually in person, but also
express their support for the Moss Building and its positive cultural impact on our neighborhood.
Thank you so much. Thank you. Is there anyone else in the virtual audience? Yes, Chair. I have a
hand up by the name of Catherine Tweek. They have been... Just one more, Chair, after this one.
No problem. Could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer?
hello hello thank you for your patience hi state your name and spell for the stenographer
yes my name is katherine twig c-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-e last name t-w-i-g-g do you swear or affirm to
tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes i do are you a neighbor yes are you in
favor of the project? Yes, I am. Is there anything you can offer that hasn't already been offered?
No. In addition, I briefly wanted to say that this project and the events held at the Moss
Building do not adversely affect our community. To the contrary, denying this appeal would adversely
affect our community. They are an asset. They are an important community space, and they have also
been a very friendly and collaborative neighbor. I'm confident of their good faith in entering the
community benefits agreement. They have taken great steps towards addressing any and all neighbor
concerns that they've heard about. And I'm confident that any amplified sound issue around
9 p.m. will be addressed. So I just wanted to speak in their support. Thank you very much for
Columbus. Thank you. Planning Commission. Chair, I currently
have three more hands up. Nicholas Swansman has been promoted
to panelists. Okay, and you have two more after this, am I correct? Yes,
Chair. Please state your name.
Nicholas?
Nicholas, please go to the next hand.
Yes, sorry about that.
Nicholas, could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, my name is Nicholas Swasman, spelled N-I-C-H-O-L-A-S, last name S-C-H-W-A-S-M-A-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes. Are you a neighbor? Yes. Are you in favor of this project or against? In favor. Thank you very much.
Yes. Are you in favor of this project or against? In favor. Thank you very much for calling in. We
appreciate it. Next hand, please. Chair, I have a hand up by the name of Michelle Lipson.
They have been promoted to panelists. Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the
stenographer? Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
do you have another hand up yes chair please move on i have a hand up by the name of just
pokes they have been allowed to speak i could you please state your name and spell for the
stenographer
the hand still up yes chair they came in as a penalist hi can you hear me
hi could you please state your name is spelled for the stenographer my name is jeff peltz it's
j-e-f-f-p as in peter e-l-t-z do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing
but the truth i do uh are you a neighbor i am i live directly across the street from the
in favor of this project or against i am an i am in favor yes thank you very much for calling we
appreciate it. Is there anyone else in the audience?
Mr. Chair, I'm sorry. Michelle Lipson
has been promoted to a panelist
previously and she's ready
to testify. Okay. Hi.
Could you please
state your name as Bell for the
stenographer? Michelle Lipson
M-I-C-H-E-L-L-E
last name Lipson
L-I-P-S-O-N. Do you swear
or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing
but the truth? Yes.
Are you a neighbor?
I live about a block away.
Are you in favor of this project or against?
Yes, I'm for it.
I think they're a very valuable community asset.
And it would be a real tragedy to see anything damage this business.
All right.
Thank you very much for taking the time.
Do we have any more hands?
Yes, Chair.
I have one more hand up by the name of Annie Moss.
They have been promoted to penalist.
Could you please state your name as spelled for the stenographer?
Hi, could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Any more hands up?
No, Chair, I do not have any more hands up at this time.
Hold on, is that Annie Moss?
She's the RCO leadership with whom we're collaborating.
Okay, could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Unmute, please, Annie.
Annie, you're muted.
Okay, can you hear me now?
I can.
Could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Okay, my name is Annie Moss, M-O-S-S, my last name, with an R-C-O.
All right, do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Are you in favor of this proctor or against it?
With the CBA, yes.
You're in favor of it?
With the CBA.
Thank you very much.
I appreciate it.
Do you have that listed, our concerns and what we agreed upon?
We're holding that open.
We're holding it open until the CBA is executed and delivered to the RCO for the RCO then to release their position.
Yes, and I know that Mr. Watkins was concerned because of the 12 o'clock.
That was something that was not discussed, and we weren't privileged.
But our concern is only the outside music and live entertainment, especially after 9 p.m.
Okay, thank you very much.
Which will be contained.
Mr. Chair, in closing, I just want to say, because of the overwhelming support of nearly everyone who lives around this property,