but really easily accessible to the whole city of Philadelphia.
And there are no indoor pickleball courts in the city, despite the tremendous popularity of it.
So, you know, we think people are going to be very excited about this.
We are including a bar and a lounge area because, as we've seen in other projects and other markets, people really do enjoy socializing, you know, during and particularly after all of these sports.
And we know Philadelphians love sports as well, so we're going to do a nice sports bar that overlooks the turf field, and we'll have a secondary bar on the second level so people can enjoy food and drinks while they're playing golf or having events.
enjoy, you know, you know, food and drinks while they're playing golf or having events for around
pickleball or the Padel. And David, naturally, you and the land are aware of your use and
their residents there, but neither perceive any conflicts or adverse impacts? No, I will actually
say the residential building operators can't wait for us to get in because they think this will be
the the best amenity ever for their uh for their uh residents great thank you um what would be
and and my uh statement about the occupancy was accurate correct yes sir um yeah anything you
would like to add from the days and hours of operation that would be relevant i mean i think
our our view is it will be open from you know generally during the week 7 a.m until you know
10 or 11 at night and then you know perhaps a little later on thursday friday saturday
um if there are you know events or you know special events going on it could go you know
to midnight or so but not a late night place for sure great thank you david mr chairman that's all
i have all right questions from the board no chair this is emily persico um i don't have a question
more of a comment i wanted to disclose that i'm a member of fish town neighbors association
but i have not been involved in activities related to this matter and my
capacity as a member thank you very much emily questions or comments from our attorney hillary
emerson i just wanted to clarify one thing um and i apologize if i missed it david goldstadt
was he from the owning owning entity or proposed operator yes okay are you representing the
owner in this case or the tenant both both okay all right thank you you're welcome questions or
comments from the virtual audience yes mr chair i have a robert everett with their hand raised i
have allowed them to speak at this time robert i think i swore you once today didn't i yes you did
this morning just just sure just for the record just identify yourself please sure first name is
robert last name is everett e-v-e-r-e double t please proceed sir okay uh just here to support
uh mr patterson and his clients it was a well-attended meeting that was overwhelmingly
supported by the neighbors and we did discuss the the concern that's listed in our letter
regarding the variance so i would assume it would be similar to the one we did this morning on
Dover Avenue prohibiting
club and the other thing.
Mr. Everett, thank you again for calling.
We appreciate it. Is there anyone
else in the virtual audience?
No further hands, Mr. Chair.
Planning Commission.
Amy Boyd with the Planning
Commission. The comprehensive plan
recommends no change to existing
CMX3 commercial mixed use
zoning designation at this location.
The proposed use is consistent with previously approved uses.
Planning Commission recommends that the Board grant the requested variances for assembly and entertainment.
MI 2024-001-939-1325 Beach Street.
I vote yes with proviso.
Nightclubs and public entertainment venues use is prohibited.
Ishmael Shaheed, my vote is yes with proviso.
Emily Persico, my vote is yes, with Provisors.
Thank you, Counsel.
Great. Thank you so much.
Is there anyone in the virtual audience whose case from 2 p.m. has not been called?
No, Mr. Chair, I do not see any further hands.
Okay, we're going to take a five-minute break, then we'll come back, and we're going to do the 3.30 list.
Thank you, everyone.
Understood. Thank you.
Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Bill Bergman. I will be chairing the 3.30 meeting.
With me is our Vice Chair, Ismael Shahid.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
Our Aldous Board Member, Emily Persico, from the Division of Development Services.
Present, Mr. Chairman.
Also, here is Hillary Emerson, our Attorney, and Tanya Sunken, our Executive Director.
Here's our virtual format.
Proceedings are being recorded.
With your participation, you agree to be recorded.
The video will be available by contacting TanyaSunkett at phil.gov.
For the sake of our court stenographer, we ask attorneys and witnesses to identify themselves before testifying.
If you're participating by phone, press star 9, raise your hand, and star 6 to unmute.
To enter an appearance statement, call 267-270-5548.
Leave your email address and address of the property in question.
Leave your email address and the address of the property in question.
And finally, the question.
And finally, the question box on the screen is not for comments or testimony.
All comments should be directed to our Executive Director, Tanya Sump.
Let's look at our schedule for this afternoon.
Case number two, MI 2024-000076-336-38 Maple Lane Parcel A, and also case number four, MI 2024-000102-736-38 Maple Lane Parcel B.
both cases have been continued. Number six, MI2024-000105-1328 West Clearfield.
That case has been continued. We're going to go to our regular list. We're going to start with
number seven. Mr. Chair, can we ask you if there are any other requests? I do see another hand
Okay. Are there any other requests for continuances?
I'm sure I have a hand up from a number ending in 0641. I will allow them to speak at this time.
Okay. Thank you.
Person at 0641, please unmute and wait to be sworn in.
Could you please state your name and spell for the sonographer?
you're breaking up you have a
hold on you have a couple devices on
you have to shut one of your devices off
hi could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer
m-a-r-l-e-n-e price p-r-i-c
You swear or for him to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
What case are you interested in?
The building at 2707 through 11 Federal Street.
I'm getting ready to call that, ma'am.
Are you one of the owners of that property?
I'm a neighbor.
okay that's okay that's going to come up in about maybe 10 15 minutes okay
okay thank you thank you ma'am thank you for calling okay anyone else in the first audience
i do not see any further answer mr chair so number seven mi 2024 000442 1209 south 18th street
Edward Ruan and Melissa Repco are the owner applicants.
It's a pro se.
They'll be rejoining us, panelists, soon, sir.
Melissa, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Yes, Chairman.
My name is Melissa Repko, M-E-L-I-S-S-A, last name Repko, R-E-P-K-O, and my husband,
Ed Rewan, will need permission to join as well.
Do you swear or firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
I do, Chairman.
Are you going to do the testimony?
My husband and I were planning to do it together.
He has the form and the paperwork.
Okay, fine.
Is he?
He is on, I believe.
Okay. Do we see another hand?
They've been promoted to panelists as well, Mr. Chair.
Okay. Sir, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Yes. Good afternoon. My name is Ed Ruan, E-D-R-U-A-N-E.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Okay. So first, you have a letter of support from the East Point Breeze neighbors and requests for temporary variance ranging from two to three years, right? And that this application is for use as a visitor accommodation in apartment B in an existing structure. The proposed use visitor accommodation is prohibited in the RSA 5 zoning district. Our vice chair has just a few questions for you, sir.
good afternoon sir have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that is needed
and required to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing i have thank you please
proceeding through the screen.
you were up and go back again
there you go you're up yeah are you are you seeing the uh the refusal or are you saying
i do see the refusal sir okay perfect so yes this is a uh this is a request for visitor accommodation
in a residential zoning district.
We had opened up an apartment of ours on the premises
for use as a short-term rental in 2019.
We've been operating for the five years since
with no issues, hosting over 320 visitors over that time.
We are not requesting any physical changes to the property.
the variance is requested to remain in compliance with the short-term rental regulations that were
introduced in 2021. As you mentioned, we do have, excuse me, we do have support from the East Point
and Breeze Neighbors Association, near neighbors overwhelmingly in support. Overall, the vote
total 2325 in support of the project this is just presented last week and um i would uh
i don't know melissa do you have any other things that you want to to add mr mr rouen what i would
do if i were you i would show pictures of the property absolutely and do uh so here we have
of this is I have some some pictures in the in the the evidence of our zoning notice posted here
this is the the front of the property fronting southeast street you can see this is spanning
two former lots that were combined in 2019 the apartments are on the the corner side which is
fronting uh this side here which is uh on the northeast corner of uh south uh southeastern
street and manton street uh with a separate entrance for the the apartments uh on that side
apartment b is a standalone uh apartment two bedrooms one bathroom um
so as you can see this is a completely um separate from uh our dwelling unit we do live
within the building on the first floor and uh the the uh the half of the building that was
created so so to the chairman and the board we did when we purchased this property we did come
in front of the board to combine the two units into one triplex we see received approval for
the variance at that time also at the time we worked with the the city to create an aka for
this lot with a separate entrance, 1739 Manson, and then as my husband shared, we've been operating
for five years, and the hardship with this change, because we have been operating this so long, it
will be an impact to our ability to pay our mortgage, as well as support the schooling needs
for our special needs son, which was part of the reason that we went the Airbnb route in the first
place was the supplemental income. Melissa, it's only, you're only requesting this for apartment
B, am I correct? Correct. Correct. Airbnbs are a lot of work, sir. And we are running this as a
family. So we have enough laundry already. Good. Good. All right. Questions from the board?
No, Chair.
no mr jay questions or comments from our attorney hillary emerson
not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual audience
yes mr chair i have oran pollock with their hand raised i have allowed them to speak at this time
Hello, this is Oren Pollack.
Hi, Oren, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
This is Oren, O-R-E-N, Pollack, P-O-L-L-A-K.
Right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir.
Mr. Pollack, are you a neighbor?
Please proceed.
I'm a neighbor.
I'm at 1711 Manton Street.
that's on the 1700 block of Manton Street, where the majority of the frontage of this unit is
located. I'm also the block captain for the 1700 block of Manton Street, as well as a Democratic
committee person for the district that includes this block. I, as well as the majority of the
The majority of the other near neighbors do support Ed and Melissa's application to continue using this unit as a short-term rental unit.
other near neighbors, do support Ed and Melissa's
There have been other short-term rentals on the block that we have not supported their continuance as such, and several have opened and closed over the last several years.
But Melissa and Ed have been very, very responsible owners of this unit, and we just support their application without any temporary restrictions.
Thank you.
I noticed, and I did notice as well from this, from these Point Breeze neighbors report here that there were, it does seem from here that there were two near neighbors who were opposed.
Neither of them have voiced their concerns to me directly.
Mr. Powell, thank you for taking the time to call.
So we appreciate it.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
Yes, Mr. Chair.
Sarah Blitzer, I have allowed them to speak.
Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
My name is Sarah Blitzer, S-A-R-A-H-B-L-I-T-Z-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and they'll see you about the truth?