I think they are not, I'm talking about whole project because the, I mean, everyone, you know, complained about the construction went up almost 35 to 50 percent.
The lumber went up almost 100 percent and then all the materials went up almost 35 to 50 percent.
And it could have been built almost 200 range as a single family.
Now it's almost 250, maybe a little more.
So it's not easy to, I mean, build single family in terms of in that area, in terms of the sales price, which will be about a 350 range.
So we have a 350.
Oh, I'm hearing it's a 350 sales price, right?
If there were single families.
And then you have the construction costs, $250,000 or potentially even more, right?
Yes, because the lot size is about 800, 75% when you use it, it's going to be 2,400, 2,500 square feet.
Even you easily calculate $100 per square feet, which may not be possible under these circumstances, it may go up a little bit.
You have to add in acquisition costs.
that's right so and 50 50 000 per lot that's right and then transfer taxes right yes and
agent fees and it's going to be about at least seven percent for the closing costs for the
seller it's going to be about in 40 i mean 35 to 40 000 easily and then carrying costs and
interest on the construction loan yeah i didn't even count that yes i didn't even count the
carrying costs which we are about to getting the lending uh probably it's going to be 20 000 each
home for interest rate. That's right. So in your professional opinion, it's not feasible
at this current moment to build single-family homes on these lots, given the price? Not at all.
Yep. All right. Thank you. I have no further questions. Counselor? Yes. Can your realtor
tell us what the AMI is in that neighborhood, the percentage?
I actually do have that information myself.
Let's see.
I did have it.
So the average income of an individual, according to the census,
is $27,302 for that part of Mantua or Philadelphia. So I believe that the 50% AMI that would be the
low-income housing would be just about there. I think it's like $33,000. I don't know if
Ms. Amazon's on the line with me, but that's one of her expertise is that we've dealt with AMI and
low-income housing across the board in the city of Philadelphia because we take it very seriously.
We want to make sure that it's true affordability. So hold on a second. Let me unshare my screen
and let me see if I can find like what the actual AMI is.
Let me see, hold on a second, I know we did another project so I can kind of just go off
of those numbers.
But it's a little over $27,000 is the average income in the Manchuwe area, at least according
to my notes.
so you're going to rent your units at what percentage oh no they're going to these these
for sale you're going to sell them at what percentage um they're selling at 50 AMI 50
that's right that's that's low income housing according to the zoning codes
do you fill out the uh the uh city form for uh change in density for your project
So we unfortunately cannot because this is an RSA 5 property. We would agree to some type of
deed restriction as well as some type of proviso that's within the zoning permit that we would
have to fill out whatever similar type of forms under the circumstances. But because this is an
RSA 5 property, we couldn't do it. Excuse me, this is Sharon Sletta. First of all, I'm not sure
i'm first of all i'm not sure that affordability is within the purview of the zoning board
that affordability is within the purview.
i'm not sure it's a something that they can consider or add a proviso
nonetheless should there be a proviso at it i think there should be a significant delay at
least 30 days for the applicant to work with the planning commission on the specific language
language of the deed restriction and with um hell and i to confirm that it is enforceable
alan you'll understand that's a question that the board started discussing as recent as today
because we want to make sure that you know all parties are covered and that uh whatever we do
is enforceable oh and i agree too i mean as you know i'm a pretty i'm a straight shooter i'm not
going to say something and I want my clients to be held accountable to make sure that they do the
right thing as well and any successors in interest so I completely agree with you I would want to
make sure we do things the right way as well to make sure it's enforceable against you know my
client and successors. Sharon are you suggesting we hold a vote? Yes that that there be a
a second hearing scheduled at least 30 days from now,
that in the meantime, Mr. Nockamson be directed
to work with the Planning Commission and L&I
on the language of any deed restriction,
and that they'd be very specific about the kind of,
the level of affordability that's being provided
and the duration of the deed restriction.
Yeah, and we have no objection to working with the Planning Commission to actually have the deed restriction at the time of the hearing.
So it's introducing the record, so there's no doubt of what we're doing.
So I'm more than happy to work with the Planning Commission, preparing whatever deed restriction there is, and introducing it as an exhibit.
And if possible, to have that as a proviso, that that deed would be the one that would be recorded against the property.
Again, it's one of the properties. There's four properties. We're proposing to have one of the properties as an affordable housing property under low-income AMI of 50%.
Mr. Nockmson, is there any alternative way of doing this, of entering into a community benefits agreement that allows for this, rather than having the zoning board at it?
Because, again, I am concerned that this is not within the jurisdiction of the zoning board.
Well, unfortunately, I haven't gotten much support.
And Mr. Goodman, I don't want to speak for Mr. Goodman.
Sadly, I don't think their position is in favor of this project.
You know, that's their position.
Our position is like we're trying to do something that where we've heard time and time again in Mantua that there's an affordability issue.
And we're trying to make it so that when we do ask for a variance or there's enough units, right, not that, you know, dimensional, but there's enough units and it makes sense.
We are trying to push our clients to do that.
So I don't want to speak for Mr. Goodman, but we would be we'd be more than happy to do a community benefits agreement.
Why don't we get Mr. Goodman on, get his testimony.
I have a question or two for Mr. Goodman.
Mr. Goodman, please unmute yourself and wait for the chair, please.
yeah again mr goodman please identify yourself you're all you're still under oath from earlier
good afternoon andrew goodman a-n-d-r-e-w-g-o-o-d-m-a-n office of third district council
member jamie gaudier mr goodman you express your the opinion of your office and then i have a
question or two for you sure yes the council member opposes the variance is requested for these uh
address is on the 700 block of North Shedwick Street. I can kind of heavily, heavily condense
our testimony. There's multiple items we'd like to address, but in short, and we also understand
that there are, I believe, there are residents from the 700 block also on the line today, so I
don't want to speak for near neighbors, but our opposition is on the grounds of the burdens that
the use variants would place on a skinny block such as North Shedwick Street, which is, you know,
especially skinny and smaller than most of the other RSA 5 blocks zoned in the Mantua neighborhood
that Councillor referenced already. We're certainly open to the conversation, and we agree that
affordable housing is certainly an important issue, especially neighborhoods like Mantua,
but we want to make sure that the density is appropriate for the context.
Well, again, I hear what you're saying. I'm just wondering, and you may not have the answer,
in light of the conversation that's just been going on about the affordable housing
and some of the issues that this board would need to take into consideration
this board would need to take into consideration whether or not, if the board were to approve this with those deed restrictions, is it even enforceable?
whether or not if the board were to approve this.
So I guess where I'm going is, I hate to keep continuing things, but since I looked at the vote, which to me was pretty much dead even,
And depending if you count non-opposition as we normally look at it, non-opposition almost as a support to dead-even vote from the Mantua folks.
Do you think there's an opportunity to have further consideration given that Mr. Nockamson and apparently on behalf of his client might be able to figure out a way of getting some affordable units out of this development, low-income housing units?
right right and again maybe an opportunity here is what i'm saying that
you know may justify support at some point may may not i just don't know
right yeah no and i and again i don't want to speak for other constituents who very well might
be on the might be on the line so i don't want to be kind of a proxy for their testimony as well but
you know the the counselor's the counselor's testimony about the follow-up meeting you know
we did, you know, help connect him with a neighbor on North Shedwick Street who helped
schedule a second meeting to see if a resolution could be reached. I cannot corroborate the
assertions that it wasn't, in fact, residents who were at that meeting. We have every reason to
believe that the majority of attendees were near neighbors. And we also disagree with the claim
that neighbors don't want anything built there. That's not our understanding. We just understand
that a resolution was not able to be reached and it's not always possible.
But you would agree that, and correct me if I'm wrong, that in light of this recent conversation,
as it speaks to affordability, that that might be something of interest to the community.
Maybe not. I mean, we'll hear from them. They're hearing this probably for the first time as well.
I'm just wondering if it makes sense to have a further conversation.
Right, and I'll let any Shedwick Street neighbors certainly testify if they're here.
I certainly can speak for the community association as a whole in Mantua,
that affordability is a big issue for them,
and we're actively working with them on different approaches and solutions to that problem.
This could be another one of those opportunities.
That's all I'm saying.
All right, thank you.
Anyone else?
I'm sorry, before the board, did the board have any more questions?
Is there anyone else you would like?
I'm sorry.
We have Danielle Jones.
Please unmute yourself and wait for the chair.
Hello?
Hello.
Hi, ma'am.
Please spell your full name.
My name is Danielle Jones.
D-A-N as in Nancy.
Y-E-L Jones.
J-O-N-E-S.
Do you swear and affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, sir.
Thank you, please proceed.
So I live right next to these properties.
I live at 724 North Shedwick Street.
I've been at all meetings
for these particular properties,
just as the record had shown when we met with the RCO,
It was 6436 opposed for in favor, and then there were the other ones that were, that just didn't go, that did not go.
We had the follow-up meeting with Alan and the developers.
The neighbors that were there were all people that are active in this particular block.
and there was still opposition. It is untrue that we don't want anything built in that space.
This neighborhood is zoned for single family and we had expressed that if we were, if you're going
to build, please build single family residences. This is a very narrow street. The street is 15
feet six inches wide having the density of eight families on the corner makes no sense in this
particular in this particular area when um the commercial corridor is on mantua and you know
And, you know, it's real, there are no businesses or anything like that. It's just a wider, much more active street that we're not talking about, you know, commerce or anything like that happening in that particular area.
it's real there there there are no businesses or anything like that it's
So, you know, at 5 o'clock, it's jammed up with traffic.
At 6.30, 7 a.m., jammed up with traffic because we're right there at the corner of 34th and Mantua, right at the base of the 34th Street Bridge, very crowded.
So we don't really have very many parking options because that was one of the things that the residents were concerned about because there is barely any parking on Shedwick as it is.
People have to kind of pull up on the sidewalk to, you know, make clearance for the street as it is.
So, you know, bringing that much more people on that corner doesn't make any sense.
There are no supporting amenities in this particular neighborhood right at the moment.
So, again, anybody that you bring in more than likely will have a car.
As far as a bus route that is on the street, it's the 38 bus.
That's over here, not the 31.
And that bus stop is, you know, on the corner of 34th and Mantua.
So, you know, that could be a potential option for transportation for someone, but it's not likely that it will be, you know, for as many people as they're necessarily trying to bring in, you know, on that corner.
It just doesn't make any, it just, the density right there doesn't make sense.
And the neighborhood just did not support it.
Thank you.
anyone else i see no handshare your planning commission
good afternoon david effecto city planning commission mr chairman members of the board
the comprehensive plan recommends these properties for single-family use the zoning dates back to
2018. this is a narrow street containing single-family homes we are not aware of any
multi-family homes on the block. There are no unique circumstances of these lots that would
prevent them from being used as single-family homes. We recommend the board deny the requested
variances. Okay. Yeah, Mr. Chair, I would just indicate maybe not this block, but the next block
over, 638 North Shedwick, there is a two-family that this board did approve in 2020.
Thank you.
6-1-1, 7-3-2 North Shedwick.
My vote is no on all four.
My vote is no on all four.
No to all.
No to all.
No to all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
It is now 4-0-7.
I think that completes the two o'clock list.
It does.
okay so we'll come back in uh i don't know what time is it uh 4 20 okay 4 20 p.m okay thank you
everyone are we ready uh yes recording has been done okay thank you and uh fatina
yes chair i'm here ready yes okay thank you good afternoon everyone my name is frank de chico i'm
the chair of the zoning board of adjustment i'll be participating in today's hearing along with
our vice chair ms carol tenere board secretary confessor plaza and board members mr thomas
holloman and mr james snell board administrator fatina l and our board attorney ms sharon saletta
are also in attendance. For those of you who haven't yet participated in one of our virtual