we see people
so Ms. Miller
let me say this
the only thing we're looking at today
is putting six parking places
in that lot
and the question would be
are you in favor of that
or against taking six cars off the street
and put them on a lock? I'm against it because it doesn't happen.
Okay. Ms. Miller, thank you. Thank you very much. We appreciate your comments.
My husband would like to comment.
Please state your name. My name's Rich Miller.
I live at 8301 Algonne Avenue. All right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Is there anything you can offer
that your wife has not offered sure i can a lot okay this parking lot down here at the synagogue
they stoned it in and they said we only want six parking spots okay i'll go along with that but
there is a culvert there there is a handicap ramp there use that as a driveway there is also
but they destroyed that.
There was a tree there.
They cut that down so they could park there.
And then they stoned it in.
Now, the section there is roughly about 80 feet by 45 feet.
They packed 18 cars in there at a time or more.
They use the handicapped
Brant Bear
And behind their building
In the other part of the parking lot
They have six parking spots
So Mr. Miller
Listen
Listen to me
Mr. Miller listen
This is about
They want to put legalized six spots
On that lot there
Are you for that or against that
We're totally against it, and so is everybody else.
They did not have 100% permission from the Ronhurst Civic Association because I was at that meeting and voted off because they weren't members of the Ronhurst Civic Association.
Thank you, Mr. Miller.
Thanks for taking the time.
Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
I see no hands at this time, Chair.
Planning Commission.
Mr. Chair, may I just briefly respond before you have planning commission? I think I have just one point that I want to make.
So, first of all, the letter from Ron Hurst is very, very clear that most of the meeting attendees were in support of this and they were residents that live in this neighborhood.
And again, you know, the entire purpose of this application is to try and mitigate some of the impacts that, you know, some of the residents have seen and to try and take some of that impact off the street.
As board members know, religious institutions these days are very, very active in their communities.
So, you know, the use of this property is not in question.
And again, this is really just trying to mitigate some of that impact and pull it off the street.
Thank you.
Planning Commission.
This is Ron Bednar, City Planning.
Are we, did Hillary actually check if we want to go with a refusal on this?
because if so then hillary where do hillary where do we want to be with
Because if so, then.
Hillary, where do we want to be with?
so i think we could do one of two things it sounds like planning didn't get to review
these plans and the landscape trigger right plant the okay the trigger for review for
landscaping is four or more parking spaces um we could send this back for an amended refusal
for landscape review or um we could just have planning review and defer their testimony
till a resumption hearing in a couple of weeks um indicating if they notice any additional
refusals why don't we do that later mr chair i have a third suggestion i mean the the plans
themselves if if there's a landscaping requirement which i i don't dispute that there may have been
one that was missed in the review but the plans don't they clearly don't show any landscaping
uh and and the board generally speaking can acknowledge the fact that there may have been
a missed refusal without having to delay the application or or require an amended refusal
so i'm just wondering if that that may also be an option just to sort of acknowledge the fact
that the plans clearly do not show compliance with the landscaping requirements that may or
may not exist under the code for this application uh and yeah i think where i want to be is hillary's
second suggestion let planning take it review it am i correct hillary hillary um yes we can we can
do that and i will just i will just double check with the appropriate procedure to make sure
right l and i and planning are all on on the same page and maybe that it's better to amend the
refusal or l and i can just take a look at it i mean planning can just take a look at it so i will
just I will just check and we can schedule we can just schedule a resumption for for planning
testimony within the next couple weeks all right you're okay with that Ron yes okay okay thank you
thank you Meredith thank you
for seven MI 2024 004199 2036 Fairmont Avenue Henry Clinton is the attorney
Letters of support from Spring Garden Civic Association.
Letters of non-opposition from Councilmember Young.
Henry Clinton has been promoted to panelists.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the board.
Mr. Clinton, please state your name.
It's spelled for the court stenographer.
Henry Clinton, A-T-N-R-Y, Clinton, C-L-I-N-T-O-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Mr. Clinton, could you identify your client in relationship to this property?
Sure. My client is Gabriel Cohn, and he is a tenant in the building at 2036 Fairmount, or intended tenant at the building.
Okay. Our vice chair has a few questions.
Good afternoon, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal or stipulate your exact mercy?
Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that's needed to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing?
I have, Mr. Shahid.
Thank you, Mr. Clayton. Please proceed and share your screen.
Thank you, sir.
Is that visible, Mr. Chairman, of the cover sheet?
Yes, it is, sir.
Again, good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the board.
Henry Clayton for Gabriel Cohn, who is on the call.
This is a pretty direct request for a record shop on the 2,100 block of Fairmont Avenue,
which is lined with other commercial uses.
We happen to be in an RM1 zoning district.
This property has an apartment above with retail below.
It has historic retail over the last 50 years, which I'll recite based on my discussions
with people in the neighborhood.
This is my presentation.
Contains exhibits A1 through A10.
Refusal RM1 Zoning District. Again, we're requesting a record shop, literally a record shop with vinyl records.
There will be some CDs and cassettes, but mainly vinyl, which is becoming more popular nowadays with the younger crowd.
Refusal indicates that the record store in the bottom floor, an existing structure, is not permitted in this zoning district.
As you mentioned at the outset, Mr. Chairman, we do have a letter of support from Spring Garden.
The key point is property is located on a block of Fairmont Avenue that already has a number of compatible commercial uses for which variances have been previously granted.
In fact, that was before the board in June of this year on a wholesale goods shop on the first floor of 2026 Fairmont.
and we were successful in obtaining relief for that application.
And we were successful in obtaining relief for that application.
Photographs, this is the Eastern State Penitentiary to the north.
My client's tenancy is where the black line is.
The fare restaurant, F-A-R-E, is to the east.
And there are other commercial establishments.
And it's kind of a blend of RM1 as well as commercial uses on the 2100 block of Fairmont Avenue.
So a closer view of what the front of the building used to look like.
The first floor has been redone.
It's quite striking when you see the photograph.
And I'll show you that.
This is the interior of the building.
Currently, it's vacant.
And as I said, historically, it's been used.
Last usage was an office prior to that, hair salon, then a takeout restaurant before that.
They sold power tools in this location about 25, 30 years ago.
And way back in the day, it was a clothing store.
This is the front of the building now.
Again, it's been really spruced up.
We think because of the traffic on Framon Avenue and the number of visitors that visit the Eastern State Penitentiary on a regular basis,
that Gabriel is going to have a successful business here.
He is a sole proprietor.
He has no employees at this time. If the business takes off, he may. His hours of operation are basically 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but probably he's more likely to be open at 11 o'clock to 8 or 9 p.m.
This is the layout of the property.
Entrance is in the front.
Bins of records and cassettes.
We do have listening stations.
I mean, basically, the way it will work is similar to what you would see in some of the larger record stores or CD stores where clients come in and put headphones on.
So the noise level is relatively low.
Additional bins of records and cassettes throughout the property.
Back is a work area.
And also to store trash.
The only trash really he'll have is cardboard for delivery of records and cassettes, and that's going to be really recycling.
He also has access to the basement where he can keep excess cardboard as well as excess inventory, and there's also a full functioning bathroom.
The rest of the documents are the typical documents you would see in an application such as this.
our tax clearance.
Zoning map, again, indicating RM1.
But as the photographs indicate,
as the historical usage of this property demonstrates,
there really is a lot of first floor commercial uses
on the avenue.
And Fairmount Civic really encourages that.
This is a copy of the lease.
My client has gone ahead and signed the lease,
the landlord for the property.
and he's looking forward to hopefully a great run
in this neighborhood.
Proof of mailing, this is the letter that was sent out.
Proof of mailing and all the addresses
that were contacted about the zoning hearing
and as well as a community meeting.
So just in conclusion, we are requesting
a variance for a use, which is again, historical in nature,
never a record store, but similar uses.
We're not going to impact anyone's development of their adjacent properties, nor impact the
latent error of any adjacent properties.
It's in conformity with the general use of the 2,100 block of Fairmont Avenue, and it's
in conformity with the wants and desires of the community group.
With that, I'd like to conclude my presentation, ask my client to unmute himself, and see if
people will adopt my testimony and entertain any questions from the board or the public.
Mr. Cohen.
Hi, could you please state your name and spell it for the court stenographer?
Gabriel Cohen, G-A-B-R-I-E-L, last name is C-O-A-N.
Right.
Do you swear or firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, counsel.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Cohen, were you on the call when I presented your project to the board?
If you had the opportunity to testify, would you adopt my testimony as your own and as sure and correct?
Thank you very much.
Questions from the board?
I'm just trying to get an idea where this is exactly.
It's right across from the prison.
I know.
I'm just, because this is my neighborhood.
So you said it's a couple of doors away from fair.
I can't clear that.
Right here.
see the umbrellas in front of fair yep yep and so we're just so this is like an open area here