City Planning Commission recommends the board grant advance. UMI 2021-2167 East Cumberland Street
my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes
number four calendar number 0728 2234 frankfurt avenue
there were two letters of support one from east kensington neighbors
and another letter of support from fishtown kensington area business improvement district
right so we know that going into this
name and address for the record please and spell your last name uh yes good afternoon
members of the board my name is alan knockamson of knockamson pc 123 south broad street suite 1600
philadelphia pa 19109 have you been sworn in from this morning i was not here yeah yes oh no not
this morning but i actually was at the beginning of the listing i was this morning this morning
Do you agree to weigh the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership, tax compliance, a copy of the refusal or referral, photos and plans, five days in advance of this hearing?
And have you met with the RCO and do you have a letter?
Yes, in all respects.
Thank you.
You may proceed.
I know you may share your screen.
I always try to be polite.
I know.
It's a drill.
I know it is.
So I'm going to keep it short just because I know that you guys have, like, done overtime on many occasions.
I don't know who stated it, but we do have two letters to support, one from ECNA and another from the bid on Frankfurt Avenue as well.
I'm just going to give a general overview so you can see what we do have.
This is the front of our proposed building structure.
It's a single-family structure on the 2,000-square-foot lot.
This is a CMX 2 property that's owned by Gator 1 Properties, Inc., and that's the deed to the property.
The legal description to subdivide it into a 1,000-square-foot lot on 2234, which is currently approved as commercial on the first floor and two residences above.
What we are looking to do is subdivide the lot and put and here is the tax clearance
certificate.
What we are looking to do is subdivide a lot and put a single family structure facing
on Blair Street which is not uncommon.
Really this should be known as 2233 Blair Street because that would be the address assuming
the board approves this zoning variance request.
There is a single family home at 2235 Blair and 2237 Blair.
where we're actually mimicking the single-family home on 2235, which is new construction.
But here's our notice of refusal.
Again, CMX2 property, 2,000 square feet.
We're being refused first because this is CMX2 property.
And because we're trying to put a single-family home on Blair Street,
we're getting a refusal because the frontage, the first 30 feet on the first floor, has to be commercial.
We're asking for a variance in terms of the zoning code.
And then the other is the de minimis, dimensional variance.
The occupied area here for the lot on what's considered Blair Street for the single family structure. Occupied area is 81.9%. Excuse me, it's 81.9% worth proposing. What's allowed is 75% de minimis under the circumstances.
here's our application for appeal
here we are in the neighborhood again just off of
Frankfort Avenue but as you can see and you'll see from the
pictures many in the lots on this strip on Frankfort Avenue
are subdivided between Blair Street and Frankfort allowing you for eyes on the
street on a residential street of Blair
Street here's our pictures front of the property from Frankfort
from the rear of the property from Blair to the right of the property on Frankfort to the left
on the property on Frankfort to the right on the property on Blair as you can see here's 2235 here's
2237 we're going to mimic 2235 in terms of new construction height and all to the left of the
property on Blair and then here are architectural plans and drawings just simply to go through
and then here are architectural plans and drawings just simply to go through
to go through it here's our site plan showing how we're subdividing the lot
to go through.
and then here are our floor plans
again you go through the front first floor open concept go up a flight of steps there is
this is a little more unique where they're going to have the master bedroom on the second floor
in the whole suite, and on the third floor, they'll have two bedrooms and their roof deck.
And here's just a rendering of what our property would look like if built.
Here's the property next door to us, and here's another property to the left of that.
And then, as indicated, we have two letters of support, one from ECNA, East Kensington
Neighbors Association, and it's actually a letter of support, as well as the Fishtown
district and then behind that is our um notice that went out to the community when we had the
community notice uh with me i have uh josh uh wiener um of gator property so if he can if josh
you can virtually raise your hand to adopt my testimony the wiener has been allowed to speak
good afternoon mr wiener please identify yourself spell your first and last name
joshua weiner j-o-s-h-u-a w-e-i-n-e-r do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth
nothing but the truth i do thank you oh yeah shosh you heard everything i stated today
yes and is it true and correct yes it is and do you adopt it as your own testimony i do
thank you questions from the board no no no no anyone else would like to testify in this case
if so please raise your hand there are no other hands at this time mr chair thank you planning
commission good afternoon chairman members of the board Ian Litwin planning commission staff
Frankfort Avenue was zoned in CMX2 to encourage commercial uses on the ground floor.
However, lots that solely face Blair Street are zoned to RSA 5.
If these lots were subdivided prior to a zoning or mapping effort, the Planning Commission would recommend RSA 5 zoning for the lot facing Blair Street.
In addition, the open space relief is to minimus.
The City Planning Commission recommends the Board grant the variances.
Thank you.
mi 2021 that's 0007282234 frankfurt avenue my vote is yes my vote is yes my vote is yes
my vote is yes my vote is yes thank you dockington you're up again okay number eight
calendar number zero six six six no no no number five that was continued that was the one we were
going to hear and uh i think had a resumption in june correct i must have been sleeping
calendar number 3159 2535 west lehigh avenue mr knockamson uh can you put your name and address
on the record yes alan knockamson 123 south broad street suite 1600 philadelphia pa 19109
sorry about that that's okay do you agree to wave the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its
accuracy i do have you emailed the exhibit packet with the required documents consisting of proof
of ownership tax compliance copy of the refusal or referral photos um and or plans of the property
five days in advance of this hearing and have you met with the rco and do you have a letter
Yes, in all respects, other than we do not meet with the community, and we do not have a letter.
Okay, you may proceed.
Okay, I'm going to share my screen.
Yes, please.
All right, thank you.
Yes, I mean, just as, you know, just to start off, I mean, we really do make all efforts to meet with the community.
Obviously, that's part of the process.
We do embrace that.
I don't know if Bonita Cummings is here, and no disrespect to her organization, they work
really hard.
As all of us, during the pandemic, it's definitely challenging.
We did try to meet with the community in February.
The notices went out later than we would hope, but we didn't have the Zoom information.
They asked us for a continuance of the hearing.
We've been trying to schedule a community meeting since then through the date of the
hearing, and unfortunately we've been unsuccessful in that respect. So I just wanted to say that
we do embrace that process. But we're here for 2535 West Lehigh. This is a CMX1 property.
High. This is a CMX1 property and this is on the commercial corridor and what you'll see in front
of you is the deed to the property. Certificate of tax clearance showing that we're in good standing
with the City of Philadelphia. Notice of refusal, we'll go over the refusal which is just a use
refusal. Similar situated properties on the 2500 block of Wesley High. It's not uncommon to have
commercial on the first floor and multiple units on the upper floors. The application for appeal
with the ZBA. Maps of the area, we're between 25th and 26th on West Lehigh, again in commercial
corridor, where you would typically have commercial use on the first floor, which we do, a barbershop,
and residences above. The more density obviously created, the better it is for the commercial
corridor. We'll show you photographs of the property as well as, you know, until left and
right of it. Show you floor plans. A particular note, no basement living, no roof deck. We're
not changing dimensions of the property, so we're not trying to overuse the property.
And then item nine, correspondence from Strawberry Mansion,
will say that we have made good faith intentions to meet with the community.
So showing the deed to the property that all AS Investments LLC owns it.
All AS Investments is owned by Alfred Fields, who should be in attendance and will adopt my testimony.
after that a certificate of tax clearance showing that they're in good standing with
the city of Philadelphia from a tax perspective then you'll see the notice of refusal again this
is a CMX 1 property and we are abutting in the rear you know RSA 5 but we're only looking for
you know two you know two uh residences above and commercial on the first floor again it's
out character. You'll see you know all these properties on West Lehigh and our block where
you'll see there are multiple residences above commercial units. Our application for appeal
that we filed with the ZBA. Map of the area showing between 25th and 26th and we're between
Sterner and Oakdale. And you'll see that from a Google map perspective as well. Photographs of the
property, again there are two separate entrances, one for the commercial component which is a
barbershop and one for the residences where you go up a flight of steps and there'll be a residence
on the second floor and the residence on the third floor. And again we're not trying to overuse the
property, we're not trying to expand it out to try to increase this use, we're trying to have a
residence on floor two as well as floor three. I'm sorry pictures to the left to the right of the
property on West Lehigh pictures to the I guess left of West Lehigh are floor plans. Let me just
reduce them so you can see it but you'll see that there are two entrances one for the commercial
component which is a legal barbershop then the residences you go up a flight of steps you hit
the landing, you have the first unit on the second floor, and then you go up another flight
of steps, completely separate unit on the third floor.
And then we have made a good faith effort, so you'll see from the, and let me just increase
the size so you can see.
We did try to meet with the community through Strawberry Mansion Community Concern.
The date that we sent out the notice was February 3rd, but we didn't really receive the Zoom information until pretty close to then, and we were supposed to have a committee meeting February 8th.
We have made diligent efforts to meet with the community since then, unsuccessfully.
So with that, I will have Mr. Fields virtually raise his hand so he can adopt my testimony.
field good evening please identify yourself with the records by your first and last name
hello yes it's alfred fields a-l-f-r-e-d last name fields f-i-e-l-d-s thank you you swear or
affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth i do hawkinson yes uh mr fields
you heard everything i stated today yes correct i did and is it true and correct yes it is and
you adopt as your own testimony? I'm sorry I couldn't even say it again. Oh do you adopt as
your own testimony? Oh yes yes I do. Okay thank you. Questions from the board? No. No. No.
Anyone else like to testify in this case please raise your hand.
No further hands at this time Mr. Chair. Thank you. Planning Commission. Good afternoon Chairman
members of the board, Ian Litwin, planning commission staff. The comprehensive plan
the comprehensive plan recommends this parcel be zoned rm1 which would allow for multiple units
recommended this parcel be zoned RM1, which would allow for multiple units.
therefore the city planning commission recommends the board grant the variance
thank you and i believe mr knockamson earlier we agreed that we were going to do a resumption
uh you said that you would state whether or not if you heard from anyone else if there's
a resumption again i i respect the process so all right just in in i i would leave it up to
the board i i don't want to have a situation we appear in front of miss cummings and her
organization a lot i don't want to force this through by any means um so i i leave it to
discretion on the board yeah i think we respect i respect what you're saying and i think it's
your client your best interest because of the relationship you have if we do a resumption
hearing okay uh june 9th uh mr chair june 9th uh let me read this in mi 2020-003-159-2535
west lehigh this case this hearing will be resumed on june the 9th it's at 2 p.m tanya
yes chair at 2 p.m at which time the board will consider any feedback from the rco
thank you mr chair and members of the board
frank which case are we going to now which number seven seven okay calendar number zero seven
30 West
Highland Avenue. The attorney is
Steve Bertil.
Actually, Carl from
Avera.
And Carl has already been sworn
in, as has
Clinton, Henry Clinton, and
there's
another attorney I think is three.
good afternoon members of the board uh this is steve bertill i'm going to be handling the uh
the screen share um so okay have you been sworn in yes mr chairman clinton can i interject for a
minute yeah mr clinton yes uh there's a request by the councilwoman as well as myself for a
continuance and does this mean the board is not going along with that request? Yeah I think what
we're going to do Henry is get as much testimony as we can and we'll do a resumption. I just think
and I don't usually come before the board on the other side of projects because I'm usually
asking the board for relief like other developers. I got involved in this case because it seemed kind
odd that you had 220 neighbors opposed to a project and they really haven't had an opportunity
to meet with the developer other than through the board who voted on the project, none of
whom live near the project. Well without getting into the I respect what you're saying but
if we continue it it's that we're going to have a hearing anyway so why don't we get it and there's
a lot of people from what I understand I want to testify we're not going to have all 64 testify
we could resume we could do a resumption hearing
mr chair i think what you're going to hear when i think carl's trying to unmute is um