henry clinton here on behalf of mr and mrs abedini for 42 30 house street this is a table of contents
containing A1 through A10. I also have a rental license for adjoining property, which is a two
family dwelling. This is the refusal. So this request is for new construction for a two family
dwelling on a vacant lot, on a large lot, and on a corner lot adjacent to an existing two family
dwelling. Now the refusal says we're going to erect a two family home with a roof deck. We are not
going to have a roof deck that has been eliminated from this application.
There is no RCO letter. Here's photographs. This is the corner property that we're talking about
right here at the far corner. Again, vacant lot adjacent to a duplex.
Just an aerial view. It's basically about 24 houses on the block, counting both sides of the
street, and I'll have the designer testify concerning that. But basically, it's economically
concerning that. But basically, it's economically not feasible to build a single-family home
not feasible to build.
on this corner lot because, as the designer will testify, the prices of the homes on the block,
again, not being demeaning, the prices on the home on the block, the majority of them are less
than $175,000. And to build a single-family home, you're going to be in the neighborhood of $350,000.
So it would be basically economic suicide to build a single-family home, whereas you could build a two-family dwelling for about $75,000 more, and then you'd be able to have two families, no matter whether my client decided to rent or to convert them to condominiums.
These are the postings of the notices of the RCO meeting, as well as the meeting today.
So this is a pretty straightforward design.
it's a two-family dwelling. First floor, one unit, two bedrooms. Second floor would
be one unit with two bedrooms. Basement would have mechanicals and generally
storage. We have a large yard area or decent yard area and side yard for trash
in the rear yard. There'll be trash cans for each of the apartments and you'll be
able to just take the trash right out to the side street here again just some renderings of what it
would look like the property just more redundancy just a different shade of the of the renderings
the remaining documents are the pro forma documents you would see in an application
such as this. Tax clearance. Zoning map indicating this was a large lot at one time. It's been
subdivided, and both lots are 25 feet wide, wider than the other lots on the block. So again,
it could accommodate a two-family dwelling. This is the deed. Legal description. Mr. Chairman,
what I'd like to do is, if it's okay with you, can I call
a witness before I conclude my presentation and give a conclusion?
It's the designer of the property. Why don't you bring a witness on?
Mr. Luca Lacarini, could you please
unmute yourself? They've been allowed to speak.
Harold, could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer?
Unmuted. Thank you, everyone. Name is Luca.
Luka, last name La Curici, that is spelled L-U-K-A for the first name, and L-A-K-U-R-I-Q-I for the last name.
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Please proceed, counsel.
All right. Thank you.
Luka, did you design this two-family dwelling that I just presented to the board?
Yes, I did, with my partner, Michael Tark, correct.
Okay. And why did you design a two-family dwelling at this corner property?
well well as always client approached me uh the word of mouth had heard of me and approached said
hey uh i'm a builder i have this big big uh corner lot he said i'm tired of building for
other people i'm just dying to build something of my own he said can you help me out do an
analysis see what i could build there what i cannot etc okay and then why did you design
to family dwelling then well right so exactly after doing uh we we uh did an analysis we did
a little uh site we looked at the uh adjacent properties and the 24 properties on that block
um and it made sense for a long-term investment for him i said that this is not something that
you would want to flip because of the cost cost of the uh properties around is is very low and
it would not meet the expenses. But I said, you can do something very nice and have a long-term
investment. And given the footprint of the lot, we're talking about a 25-foot lot, which allows,
as a corner property, allows you to build 80% of the lot. We have only occupied 60% of that lot,
So almost half. And we are still able to fit two 1,243 square foot units, two bedrooms, very generous in volume, generous in light, et cetera.
Yes, the renderings can use some work. Maybe the brick can use a different color, et cetera.
But it is a very pleasant design and a lot of volume.
To make a house there would be very big for one, and it would not make any economical sense whatsoever.
Luca, just a couple of quick questions.
Luca, just a couple quick questions. Would it cost about $350,000 to construct a single-family home?
Would it cost about $350,000 to construct a city?
A little bit more, given the square footage of this house. We're talking 175 to 250 square foot for a new construction. Don't forget, this is not a row home. This is all four sides. So we're looking at higher numbers. So it would be more than that, Henry.
Okay. And then to build a two-family dwelling, you're probably talking about $75,000 to $100,000 more than a single-family home?
Yes, because it's an extra kitchen, extra bathrooms, et cetera. So that's correct. We're estimating to around $100,000 more, $75,000 to $100,000.
And isn't it true there's 24 homes on the block, correct?
That's correct.
And 17 of those homes were purchased for less than $175,000, correct?
Yes, over the years.
And the remaining properties were purchased between $200,000 and $246,000, correct?
Okay. And do you live in the neighborhood?
Yes, I do. I live on the other side of Harbison Avenue on the Taconi side.
I'm literally a seven-minute walk from this property at 6711 Glenlock Street and probably a three to five-minute drive.
I have no further questions of this witness.
Is there anything else you want to add, Luca, that I didn't ask you?
no uh as as a long term i've lived in the area uh northeast i'm speaking in general we always
attend each other zoning meetings uh we we all three neighborhood meaning um with the noming
to coney mayfair etc uh it's an area that's dying for some uh new development and uh we i personally
certainly welcome it. Responsible development, of course. But we'd like to catch up with the
rest of the city. That's all. All right. Thank you, Luca. Mr. Chairman, no more witnesses,
but I would like to just conclude. And in summary, we have a situation, vacant lot,
large lot, corner lot. It's not economically feasible to build a single family home.
There's already a duplex adjacent to this property. We're not impacting anyone's
lighter air. We're not affecting the open space, the height or the rear yard. We're not altering
the essential character of the neighborhood. We're generally in harmony with the code and we're not
impacting the development of any adjacent property. And we have no lighter air issues where we're
affecting any adjacent properties or properties across the street. And with that, I'd like to
conclude and asked if my client can adopt my testimony yes but mr clinton let me ask you a
question what happened at the zoning board meeting uh at the community meeting they didn't like it
to be honest mr chairman we don't have a letter from them as of yet no i i didn't receive a letter
but i mean i attended the meeting um and just people were generally not in favor of to be
candidate with the with the tribunal okay all right bring your client on uh harry can you unmute
yourself mr abedini can you unmute yourself please they've been allowed to speak hi uh my name is
Henry Abedini.
Could you please spell your name for the stenographer?
I am A-N-R-I, and the last name is A-B-E-D-I-N-I.
You swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.
Yes, sir.
Please proceed, counsel.
Mr. Abedini, were you on the call when I presented your project and when the designer,
Luca, testified?
And if you had the opportunity to testify, would you adopt his testimony and my testimony as your own and as true and correct?
Thank you very much.
Questions from the board?
Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chair.
Okay. Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
I do not see any hands, Mr. Chair.
Okay, so Hillary, I'm going to hold this to give the RCO at least a chance to respond.
I'm going to close everything else other than the RCO letter, or if they don't respond, and Mr. Clinton will have a chance to respond to that.
Ron, do you want to take a position today or do you want to wait until the RCO letter?
Yeah, we'll take a position.
Please proceed.
Okay, the property is indicated for residential use on the city plan or adopted district plan recommends no change.
This thing zoning it, residential single family zoning at this location, the applicants.
existing zoning it residential single family zoning at this location the applicants hardship
is not supported with evidence of any physical circumstances or condition of the property that
would prevent it from being used in conforming with the code therefore we recommend request
variance not be granted um so what we'll do hillary we'll give this a few weeks right
yeah why don't we why don't we hold it for two weeks um mr chair right and then we'll close it
other than um the letter from the rco and any response mr clinton yes the two weeks and we'll
vote at 2 p.m okay mr clinton sounds good mr chairman i really appreciate it thank you thank
you thank you miss emerson you're most welcome is there i think what's is there anyone in the
universal audience whose 330 case has not been called.
I do not see any further hands, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, everyone. We got done fairly well today.
Thank you, Chair. All right. Thank you all. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Thanks. Have a good night. Thank you. Have a good night.
All right. Good night, everybody. Good night.
Wonderful job as always, Chair. Have a good night, all.
Good night.
Thank you.