The event space across the street would be an assembly.
As far as a community center, I personally have not seen anything community-wise going on there of the things that she listed.
I am familiar with event spaces.
Personally, I do not attend them in the city.
Most calls assembly, as far as the driveway in the back, you could best believe that parking would take place there.
It is not an issue so much of the parking, but the assembly that will take place with what she stated out of her words of armed guards at the facility.
So this neighborhood, someone had the, I'm sorry, Miss Meredith had mentioned of it being multifamily.
That is a residential neighborhood with corner properties being commercial.
And most are homeowners.
If you look to each street in each direction, north, south, east, and west, and just went two blocks, you would probably have about a few hundred houses. So 31 neighbors to say yes is a very small amount of whom's going to be affected.
businesses that come into our neighborhood bring something or take something away
i think that i personally feel that the using the word community center is is a smoke screen
it's my honest opinion because it is these so-called event spaces that are popping up
along uh philadelphia neighborhoods some and residential others and commercial so if they're
on a commercial corridor, it doesn't affect the neighbors as much. This is strictly residential
with a few commercial businesses that are on the corner. So I live here and I truthfully know that
bringing another assembly spot to that place as an event space and not being straight up about
telling the truth of how the armed guard story came along, I'm sorry. I think one thing false,
all things false. Mr. Chairman, may I ask him a question, please? Sure. Mr. Felder, what is your
specific address? 924 North 67th Street. Okay. And Mr. Felder, how far away is that from this
property? It is one block north, which lands down Lebanon, and one block to the west. Okay. Would
Would would would you would you agree if I stated that your property is about 900 feet away from the property and question?
I don't know the actual footage, but I could tell you this.
When a young man was murdered at that corner, I heard the gunshots.
So I hear the gunshots from 66th Street. I pass by there every day.
My wife catches the bus there. We walk by day and night.
That is our community. You call it what you want. It's our community and we are affected by what happens by that many feet away. So that's, I am voicing my, my opinion to that.
Are you done, Meredith?
For now.
Okay, thank you. Other questions or comments from the virtual audience?
Yes, I have Pauline Rosenberg on the line. I've allowed them to speak.
Hi, Ms. Rosenberg. Could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. They put their hand down.
Is there anyone else?
Yeah, there's a Justin Green.
I'll allow them to speak.
Justin, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Sure. Justin Green, J-U-S-T-I-N-G-R-E-N.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
are you a neighbor yes please proceed sir the question in regards to the the armed guard um
at the meeting when you presented that particular issue of the armed guard why would there need to
be an armed guard at the event space if it's more about educational activities and things of that
nature why would there need to be an armed guard that's you where you're not asking the question
you're making a statement right well no i'm i'm no no no i'm i'm really asking why was there an
idea of the i don't i don't i don't want you to you know you you make statements you don't ask
questions please so your question is your question is you're curious why there would need need for
an armed guard am i right correct yes thank you is there anything else you want to add
so i do want to add that we we did we definitely do not need an event space in this neighborhood
in this community at all we just do not need it as the gentleman mentioned earlier this is a
residential neighborhood uh with facilities uh churches uh schools
neighborhood, uh, with facilities, uh, churches, uh, schools, and we do not need any more assemblies
that will impact the neighborhood in a negative way in this neighborhood. We do, we definitely
do not need it. Um, I know that this young lady, I don't know, but this young lady is a business
woman. So I appreciate her wanting to do business. Um, but this is not something that we want in our
neighborhood and in our community as far as event space. Thank you. Myrna, do you have a comment?
For him, no.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, sir, for your comments.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
No further hands, Mr. Chair.
Planning Commission.
It's Ryan Bednar, City Planning.
Properties indicated for commercial mixed use.
Our adopted comprehensive plan recommends no change to the zoning at this location.
applicant has shown that the expanded private club use should have no detrimental impact to
the neighborhood beyond what might be expected. Therefore, the City Planning Commission has
no objection to the granting of the special exception. Mr. Chairman, if I might, just a few
quick points. First and foremost, just on the law, the law about special exception could not be more
clear that any objector has to present clear, documented, specific evidence that cannot be
speculative. And what was said at an RCO meeting relative to armed guards, this applicant has been
extraordinarily clear to this board that there are no armed guards proposed for this use. And that
that was a discussion based on concerns the community had, believe it or not, for other
uses that are in this particular community that are not in any way, shape or form related to this
proposed use. And that is the exact kind of speculative testimony that many, many courts
have said does not rise to the level sufficient to essentially overturn the applicant's burden
that it has already met today. Whether the community needs something or not, with no
disrespect to members of this community, that is also not relevant. The comprehensive plan
specifically allows for this type of use. And in fact, given the fact that this is a brand new use
in the code, that's even more evidence of the appropriateness of this use in CMX2 zoning.
What we would suggest to the board as a compromise to the community, certainly understanding their concerns, Ms. Richardson's lease, I'll bring it up here, her lease is for three years.
And we would suggest to the board, if the board would feel most comfortable, to impose a temporary approval that is consistent specifically with the timeframe of her lease.
The community center use is certainly already permitted and already in operation for a couple months now. And this is just looking to ensure that that use can see its highest and best value in this particular space.
So, again, the lease is for three years. So we would we would suggest that that would be a reasonable compromise, particularly in light of the challenge relative to the specific use.
okay um so hillary i mean i'm going to hold this and we're going to take this to executive session
next wednesday we'll vote it on at two o'clock and then hillary you can answer the question that
was raised before that meredith mentioned but we're going to look at look at all sides of this
and we'll vote on this next week at 2 p.m thank you very much sounds good and the record is closed
okay all right thank you all right um is there anyone else in the virtual audience whose 330
case has not been called chair i have a hand up by an ef i can have them to speak sure
hi could you please state your name uh eric spencer sir okay could um could you spell
for the court stenographer b-r-i-c-s-p-e-n-c-e-r right do you swear for him to tell the truth
the whole truth nothing but the truth i do sir what case were you here for sir uh the one you
were just talking about sir 66 in lansdowne are you a neighbor you want to testify to it yes sir
okay so i i can't allow that because the attorney's already gone that's fine sir but my only real
question was you said you were going to postpone this no i said no i didn't postpone i said we'll
vote on it next week after we have a
discussion. Will the public be
Will the public be privy to the Zoom?
privy to the
The public can get on next
The public can get on next, get on the,
if I'm not correct, Tanya,
they can get on and listen next week.
Am I correct?
Yes, most definitely.
They can get on.
The vote will take place next Wednesday at 2 p.m.
But sir, there's no more public comment.
That's fine, man.
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not here for public comment.
I just wanted to ask the question about,
yep you can get on you can listen yeah excuse me chair just for the public audience if you have
any questions or concerns please call our office i'll put it in the chat or you can visit our
website at www.philodot.gov forward slash zba we'll be gladly we'll be glad to assist you with
any of your concerns thank you miss thank you very much thank you thank you both uh is there
anyone else in the virtual audience questions only related to cases that we have today thank you
3 30 do not see any further all right okay thanks thanks everyone we're good thank you
wonderful as always have a good night thank you all thank you
good night everyone great job bye-bye good night