Vice Chair has a few questions for you, sir.
Good afternoon, Counselor.
Do you agree to either read another refusal or stipulate to its accuracy?
Good afternoon, Mr. Shahid.
Yes, I do.
Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits as needed to proceed with this
case five days in advance of this hearing? Yes, we have. Thank you, counsel. Please proceed and
share your screen. Thank you. All right. Is everyone able to see that? Yes, sir. Okay. Thank
you. Once again, good afternoon, everyone. Oleg Sokolov on behalf of 2350 Reed Street, LLC. And
as I said, I have my client, Matt Mullen, as a member of the entity on the line who will come
on a little later to adopt my testimony. What we have here is a request to build a three-unit
building on a CMX-1 lot, which is adjacent to RSA-5, hence the issuance of the refusal.
The lot dimensions itself support the three units, and as I just said, the only reason
for the refusal is because this CMX-1 lot is adjacent to the RSA-5 district, therefore
held to the zoning requirements of of that residential district so and you'll see that
here from the refusal it isn't a cmx1 and once again the refusal is issued because of its
being adjacent to the rsa5 the owner listed on the refusal has since changed and that's why
i represented that we are 2350 reed street llc so here is the deed for that purchase in july of 2023
This is an empty corner lot on the southeast corner of Reed Street and 24th, as I'll show you in the map.
It's been vacant for some time as far back as we can see into the zoning history, and it is located right on a park.
So it's a great place for some additional residential units in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Here's our tax clearance, only showing a balance for the 2025 year, which, as the board probably
hears over and over again, are not due yet, so we are tax compliant.
This is a view south down 24th Street and a view down Reed Street.
This here, where this tree is, is the park right across the street.
And this is the lot we're talking about. So it is a corner property. The frontage would be on Reed, not on 24th.
Our zoning map, you can see that this area is pretty ripe with this type of CMX1 unit on the corner.
This is the park that we're directly across the street from, but we are catty corner from a large CMX2 property, along with some CMX1s here that you can see.
And basically the entire neighborhood has corner properties listed as CMX1 adjacent to RSA5s or RM1s.
Here are the proposed plans for the structure.
Three-unit structure with a roof deck and a pilot house.
The first floor will be a little bit above grade.
And we are looking to do a unit each on each floor.
I'll go through those floor plans in a moment.
I can zoom in a little bit once we have questions or are there any technical issues.
I can also have Mr.
This is the side elevation.
You'll see that having the corner unit is very nice.
We can provide a lot of light along 24th Street to each unit.
and we're not closed in on the other side, so.
And here are the floor plans.
So you'll see we're proposing a three bedroom,
two bath on the first and ground and basement floor,
a two bedroom, one bath on the second floor,
and a two bedroom, one bath on the third floor
with only the third floor unit having access to the roof deck.
and then as the chair stated we do have 19 letters of support I did not count how many
were from the immediate block by a quick count I think we have five from the immediate block
and then a number on 24th street or 23rd street which are adjacent
we actually met with the RCO twice we met with them first in October where we had some discussions
where we had some discussions about the property, not any design changes were requested, but
about the property.
We, they, not any, uh,
further discussion with the community, especially the immediate neighbors was asked for. So that's
when Mr. Mullen went out and did some further community outreach and sought these letters of
support from both the immediate block and just adjoining neighbors. And then we ultimately did
have the formal rco once again on the um 25th of november at which time we we were fortunate enough
to to get support um after some some discussion about the the property itself and the fact that
there are a number of uh multi-fam properties in the area that have also been granted by
variance by this board. Here's our ultimate letter of our notice letter to the neighbors
for the November 25th. That's the second meeting. And our letter of support from
Point Breeze Community Development Corporation. A quick map of a number of variances issued by
this board over the years for the similar type of dwelling units. So you can see they're almost
within a block of the property.
They're all right along this park that are here.
So of a quick search, we found five variances
that have been granted for similar type of requests.
And our posters for today's hearing
and our certificates of mailing to 165 nearby residents.
At this time, if I can bring on Mr. Mullen to adopt my testimony, please.
Mullen?
Good afternoon, Chair. He has been allowed to speak.
Could you please state your name, sir, and spell for this phenomenon?
Matthew Mullen. Can you hear me?
I can.
It's M-A-T-T-H-E-W.
mullen m-u-l-l-e-n where or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
i do please proceed counsel thank you good afternoon mr mullen um were you on the line
to hear my testimony before the board here today yes and would you adopt it as your own yes okay
um along with entering our exhibits into the record chair that's all we have thank you
so how many on that your particular block or multi-family on that block i don't have the
the exact multi-family um number completely but based on um yeah there there was a three family
dwelling variance granted for 2330 reed street uh matt do you do you know how many other properties
on that on the immediate block are multifamily can you hear me but um i have four um on the park
not on that immediate block but on the perimeter of the park um i have four in my notes
and those are the ones that we've listed so not on the immediate block of the 2300 block
of reed street other than 2330 that you know of um not on reed street no
how wide is that lot the council uh i believe it's 16.
yeah questions from the board yes um how high would the building be in relation to the other
homes with the rooftop there let me get that for you so are you looking to the the top of the
building itself or to the top of the pilot house um well both just tell me both if you can sure
42 uh six 42 and a half feet to the top of the pilot house and then the top of the the structure
level it's 32 eight okay and and this in relation uh to piggyback off of the church questions in
relation to the size of that lot um with the other sizes of the lots on that house is anything
unusual about the um the size of that particular parcel or is it's relational to all the rest of
the parcels on that in the block they it's it's fairly relational to the rest of the parcels on
They, it's, it's fairly relational to the rest of the parcels on the lot. They are all 16. I mean,
the lot they are all
we don't have measurements for them, but in looking at them, they're, they're pretty narrow
properties. Um, okay. And so is there a particular hardship to have three units, uh, in this, in this
build? It's a, certainly a financial hardship given the, the cost of building, um, the ability
to rent the single family unit so we found that and also just the availability of units in the area
what's in the basement all up so the basement would be
here we have basically a utility room and two bedrooms
one bedroom upstairs it's yes one bedroom upstairs and then a larger dining living area
for that for unit one which is the first floor and basement unit the questions for the board
oh the so the so the first floor unit is by level with it's a four bedroom unit
it's a three bedroom unit um there there is this additional recreational room that that you know
it's a unclear how that space will be used but we did not want to put a second bed in a third
bedroom into the basement unit that's that's good you thought of that what's the um what's the the
depth of the basement slab below grade uh i will turn to matt who will be better equipped to answer
that kind of technical question so your your question was um how deep is a total basement or
how how how low below grade how low below grade is the slab right yeah um so you'll be about six
feet um below grade but these are all um conditions that will need to be um dealt with when we are in
the field um it's primarily based on where the neighboring footer is but as the plan right now
On the plan, it shows five feet below grade, not six feet.
I stand corrected.
And it looks like from this elevation that your egress well windows are below grade.
Correct.
Which is always a concern for me.
The higher you can raise the basement out of the ground, for me, the better, just in terms of livability.
um if somebody's going to have a you know a bedroom or any kind of living space in the
basement that's always a concern and you have a 38 foot max height i'm assuming so you've got room
to to go up the other question that i have where where is this building in relationship to
the house next door um now the house next door has a has a porch and so are you is your is your
build coming to the face of the masonry wall of the of the building next door or are you coming
out to the edge of the porch so we'll be um in line with where their front door is not the porch
okay it's basically where the grass is looking at it's basically the we won't be moving into the
the current concrete that's there for the sidewalk
okay so you're you so you're set back so you okay because you don't on your site plan you don't show
that on your site plan it's difficult to show see that on your site on your site plan it looks like
you're at the face of wherever the property ends next door you know what i mean yeah i think it's
just because there was the neighboring property wasn't set in the site plan you see there on the
left it shows as if you're right at the edge of where their property is and it's hard to tell
but but you're saying that your your your building will start the front of the face
of your building will be at the face of the maestri wall of the building of the house next next door
correct right yeah yes i believe so i would honestly have to check double check with the
architect but um from how it's laid out and the other new projects on the because i'm looking
yeah yep so i'm looking at the the pavement just the blocks of the pavement if they're all five
feet that's like 15 like maybe 20 feet and it doesn't look like you have that on your site plan
so that's all
So that's a concern. I don't know. How is it working in context with the block?
The intention is to be set to not block the front porch.
The intention is to be set to not block the front porch.
I think there needs to be some clarity.
But you're not going to have a porch.
Right.
They're not going to have a porch.
So that was my question, because since you're not going to have a porch, if you're going
to the face of the porch next door, then you literally are blocking their view, right?
Because you're going to have this wall.
this three-story wall next to the porch.
So, and it's unclear from the plan, the site plan,
you know, if that, you know,
the hatched area is the edge of the porch
or is that in fact the edge of the maestry wall
of the house next door.
So I think we just need clarity on it.
And I have a concern with the depth
of the basement below grade.
And I have a problem with the basement living.
period so that's not a question that's just a statement
uh matt do you do you have certainty on whether this this hash area is to the masonry wall of
the neighboring property that i'm correct the intention is never to enclose that porch obviously
from the one side no i believe we are in line we are not up to the front of the porch we're
in line with the masonry wall of the neighbor's house not the porch the front of our building
and then to touch base on the basement um we prefer to to raise the basement up out of the
ground when we do the excavation we dig a test pit to see where the neighboring footer is and
in most cases we try to match that and in this area it's uh known to be higher the the basement
um so our goal and it's best for us to not underpin as well uh we plan on um matching
the neighboring footer and raise that and get that extra 30 well i mean we have to 38 feet
to go so we have room to play right because you're at 32 feet you said yes yes 32 and a half
32 and a half, and then the max is 38.
They've got a ways to go.
They just don't want it to be called four stories.
We also don't want to be too high above the neighboring property with the pilot house on.
Right, exactly.
All right.
Other questions from the board?
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual audience
yes good afternoon again mr chair this is jason and i will be your co-host for the session
i have kimberly done i had a uh kimberly down with her hand raised but
they have put their hand down as of now what else so no no further hands wait
okay the hand is up again they've been allowed to speak
Could you please state your name as spelled for the court stenographer?
My name is Kimberly Daniel, K-I-M-B-E-R-L-Y, Daniel, D-A-N-I-E-L.
Swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.
Yes, sir.
Are you a neighbor?
I'm directly next door to the house.
Actually, Mr. Mullen knocked on my door to ask me if I would sign his petition.
At that time, I was still renting that house, but I'm actually in the process of purchasing the house right now.
Our closing date is January 10th, 2020.
The house next door you're buying?
Yes, sir. I'm actually living in it currently right now.