good afternoon mr chair members of the board hi mr klein could you state your name and spell
for the court reporter please certainly it's jared klein j-a-r-e-d last name is k-l-e-i-n
from blank rome 130 north 18th street philadelphia right do you swear a firm to tell the truth the
truth and nothing but the truth yes i do could you identify your client in relationship to the
property. Yes, my client's the equitable owner, 3415 Haverford LLC, and Dan Iacovella should be
joining me on the line today. Our vice chair has a few questions, Mr. Klein. Mr. Klein, do you agree
to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy? Yes, I do, Madam Vice Chair.
Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership tax compliance, a copy of the refusal
or referral, photos 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 to all of the above. Okay great you may proceed
by sharing your screen. Thank you very much. Thank you. So we're here for 3415 Haverford and this is
So we're here for 3415 Haverford, and this is what I hope is a relatively uncomplicated application.
The property is zoned CMX2 and is already permitted and is under construction for seven residential units with a ground floor commercial space as required in CMX2.
What we're seeking to do is replace the ground floor commercial space with a single additional residential unit, so a total of eight in the building, and we're seeking to do so because commercial viability at this location is not strong.
There's a lot of vacancy in the area, and this section of Haverford Avenue is not a commercial corridor, and we think the best use of the property would be as a residential dwelling unit on that ground floor.
Just to orient the board to the property, this is the location of the property here.
There's an existing large apartment complex here.
There's a firehouse across the street here.
Zoning, as you can see, is CMX2 with a lot of RM1 multifamily surrounding us on the adjacent blocks.
Photos of posting of the zoning notice in the window of the property.
And this is the surrounding area.
This is the building here.
It used to be a church.
What my client is doing is some adaptive reuse of the existing church building.
They're attempting to preserve as much of it as possible because of this mural that's on the outside, a mural that was important to the surrounding area.
And so we're doing as much as we can to reuse the existing building.
This is a view of Haverford.
This is the firehouse that I mentioned earlier.
And then there's additional residential and a lot of vacant commercial down at this end of the block.
This is the new apartment structure that I mentioned previously.
And these are some apartment buildings that are on the sandblock of Haverford across the street.
This is the site plan of the building.
The proposed new unit is going to be a bi-level between the basement and ground floor.
There are no bedrooms in the basement.
We're showing bedrooms on the ground floor level and a den slash living space area in the basement.
We met with the Mantua Civic Association, actually met with them on the sidewalk out in front of the property, and their note of support is indicated here.
They did not give a letter of explanation, but the attendees generally agreed that residential use in the ground floor here was appropriate, given the surrounding community.
I'd like now to ask if Dan Iacovella can raise his virtual hand so that he might adopt my testimony.
Dan, are you out there?
Chair, I see no one by their name at this time.
Mr. Klein, you are an officer of the court. We will take your testimony.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I don't have anything further, but I'm happy to answer any questions the board may have.
Questions from the board?
no mr chairman no mr chairman questions or comments from the virtual audience
i see no hands at this time chair planning commission
good afternoon chair peter bernard for the planning commission
the comprehensive plan recommends no change the cmx2 commercial mixed use at this location
and the zoning was supported by the community during a remapping in 2017.
However, this section of Haverford Avenue is not a major commercial corridor
and does not currently have high commercial activity.
Accordingly, the Planning Commission has no objection to the Board granting experience.
Thank you.
MI 2022-002-922-3415 Haverford Avenue, I vote yes.
Carol Tenere, my vote is yes.
Thomas Holloman, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
James Snell, my vote is yes.
Thank you all very much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Number six, MI 2022-003-125, 6410 Rising Senate Avenue.
So, Alan Nockamson is the attorney.
Letter of non-opposition from the Longcrest Community Association with proviso listed.
And a petition signed by 14 neighbors, most of who live on that block.
And then four letters of support from neighbors.
Mr. Nockamson is coming back in now as a panelist chair.
Good afternoon, members.
Hi, Mr. Nockamson. How are you, sir?
could you stay now i'm sorry good go a-l-a-n last name knockinson n-o-c-h-u
good go a-l-a-n last name knockinson n-o-c-h-u-m-s-o-n one two three south broad street
suite 1600 Philadelphia Pennsylvania one nine one zero right do you do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth I do could you identify your client the relationship
to the property yes my client is the property owner design lab rentals LLC and with me in the
virtual audience is Kristen and Dante Gibbons, the owners of the property. Okay, our Vice Chair
has a few questions. Hi, Mr. Nockamson. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and
stipulate to its accuracy? I do. Have you emailed the exhibit packet with proof of ownership,
tax compliance, a copy of the refusal or referral, photos 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. Okay, great. You may proceed by sharing your screen. Thank you very much. Thank
you. Hi, so today I'm presenting 6410 Rising Sun Avenue. This property is owned by Design Lab
Rentals LLC. And with me in the virtual audience is Kristen and Dante Givens. Kristen is the
member of the LLC and they will adopt my testimony at the conclusion of my presentation. And at the
conclusion, we can answer any questions the board may have about this project. In my presentation
packet, we have the notice of refusal. So this is a CMX1 property on a commercial corridor.
uh it's it's strange that it's cmx1 uh because uh there is much cmx2 use um on that block and
it's very random that there's cmx1 in the middle of the block if this was a cmx uh two property
this would be a special exception we're seeking rather uh than a variance but either way we are
confident that we've met our burden for variance a letter of non-opposition from the long crest
community association actually it was a well-attended meeting of over 40 of 45 individuals
each one of them voted in non-opposition to the project with certain provisos which we'll share
with the board a petition of nearby neighbors uh to 6410 rising center avenue a full letter
a full page of signatures in support of this project as well as letters of support by nearby
neighbors maps of the area photographs of the property that surround the area floor plans
showing you uh you know the design of this proposed event planning space our rco meeting notice showing
that we sent uh notice of this of the community meeting uh to nearby property owners and the
proof of mailing our application for appeal to the zoning board of adjustments our deeds of
property showing that design lab rentals llc's the owner of the property and their certificate of tax
clearance showing they're in good standing with the state Philadelphia again to conclusion my
presentation. We will have Kristen Gibbons adopt my desk.
All right, our notice of refusal. So this is a CMX1 property. The proposed uses for an assembly and
entertainment at first floor in the same building with all other uses as previously approved. No
sign in this application. And we're being refused because this is a CMX1 property. Again, if this
was a CMX2 property, this would be a notice of referral, not a notice of refusal.
and then the letter of non-opposition uh from the long crest community association again we're in the
long crest section of philadelphia as you can see here 45 people attended the meeting 45 people were
in non-opposition that typically doesn't happen so i was glad that the community was in non-opposition
to this project on this project and then here's the letter of non-opposition as well
that's indicating that they do not oppose the granting of this variance.
And then here are the provisos.
Some of them are enforceable that we have no objection to
as part of any type of notice of decision granting the requested variance
if the board is so inclined.
Others are not ones that the board usually puts as part of our proviso.
So, the ones that, you know, A, mentioned just that Alex Hamilton, Alex Holberg presented the case and that this was an application for a special assembly license in CMX1.
The second one, capacity will admit to 50 persons.
We would, you know, gladly accept that as a proviso.
No cooking permitted on the premises.
I think that's something that could, I don't know if that's an enforceable one.
i don't know if that's an enforceable one but if so we would you know be amenable to that
But if so, we would be amenable to that.
no alcohol served or permitted again not an enforceable proviso uh they mentioned that
there was a petition that we showed the same one that we showed you today at the community meeting
people in support uh they mentioned that uh kristen and dante gibbons were you know present
at the meeting uh mentioned about security lights and cameras installed at the property that we
promise that's not enforceable proviso but actually obviously we wouldn't do that and that
goes you know more towards like the standards for a referral rather than the refusal uh we're
going to obviously sprinkler the property uh we're going to store our garbage at the rear of the
property outside so that would be an enforceable proviso um and that we would remove uh we would
have commercial pickup twice a week which is also an enforceable proviso um we we noted our hours
that we anticipated at the beginning would be friday saturday and sunday um but you know again
that was just noting what we're planning to do at the beginning um and that the hours of operation
would be from 10 a.m to 11 p.m with the building vacated by midnight we again anticipate that we
would have seven days a week availability from 10 a.m. to midnight. And if the board is inclined
to put hours of operation as a proviso, we would ask that it would be seven days a week, 10 a.m.
to midnight. In here, we propose on-site security will be provided after 9 p.m. I don't know if
that's an enforceable proviso, but that's what we're planning to do. Parking is available across
the street there's a philadelphia parking authority and you'll see a photograph has a lot
across the street which kind of goes to the fact that we're not making a detrimental impact to the
community in terms of traffic congestion or parking um also there's a bus line as well
because we're on a commercial corridor um and that the owners uh offer to use the property
for community events if available again not enforceable proviso but something that we're
willing to do. By way of a motion, 45 people then voted in non-opposition to this project.
Then before the meeting, we made a concerted effort to meet with our nearby neighbors,
including the person we have. And again, as you can see from this map, we really focused our
attention primarily on our block, the individuals or the businesses that would be most directly
impacted by our proposed use and as you can see uh there was overwhelming support uh we have 17
properties other than ours that signed signatures in support of our project including our next door
neighbor and then you know here are the backup data here's the petition that was signed by
those individuals here are separate letters to support and then the maps of the area again we
We are on Rising Sun Air Avenue, which is a commercial quarter, as you can see.
Again, here on this side of the block is CMX2.
Here next to us is CMX2.
Then CMX2 is over here.
But there's an infill of CMX1 properties, which is highly irregular.
Typically, you know, mid-block, if you're in a commercial quarter, it would not be CMX1,
especially if you were surrounded by CMX2 throughout.
out. And if this was a CMX2 property, this would be by way of special exception, not by way of
variance. And then you can see here just from Google Maps perspective showing that we are
part of the commercial board. And the photographs of the property, this is our building structure.
This is the entrance to the event planning space. Here's a separate staircase and entrance for the
upper uh floor that's where our office is and then you can see from here across the street is the
parking authority parking lot so there's ample parking on this street plus the public transportation
as well and then here's rising sun avenue to the right of the property rising sun avenue till
left of the property and then my client um kristen gibbons has been in the bed planning
business for some time. And that's why she wanted to open up an event planning space
that's dedicated, you know, to her events and as well as obviously events within the community.
But here's an example of some of her work projects for some of her events.
And then here are plans and drawings. Pretty straightforward. It's all on the first floor.
again you know the commercial space does have availability for the lower level
the basement level but there will be no use it's just merely for storage of the business
but here are the two doors door to the left and the door to the right the door to the left go
and the door to the right the door to the left goes straight up to the office the door to the
straight up to the office the door to the right
right you come into a main lobby area there's two bathrooms a cooking a kitchen area a kitchenette
no cooking allowed oops no kitchen allowed here and then here's the hallway to the event planning
space again it's just an open floor plan and that's basically it so and then our rco meeting
notice we met with the community on august 18th at 6 30 pm it was 73 addresses were notified of
the meeting but 45 people uh voted so this was a very well attended meeting
and here are the list of the addresses
and then proof of mailing to those addresses
And there are applications for PLW file to the zoning board of adjustment, along with
our notice of refusal and project information form, our detailed property showing that Design
Lab Rentals LLC is the owner of the property, and our certificate of tax clearance.
So with that being said, I'm going to share my screen for a moment.
I would ask that Ms. Gibbons virtually raise her hand, and then she, you know, take the oath.
Could you state your name and spell it, please?
Ms. Gibbons, please unmute yourself and wait for the chair.
Yes, my name is Christian.
Sorry, it's better.
It's okay.
Could you state your name and spell it, please?
Kristen, K-R-I-S-T-I-N, Givens, G-I-V-E-N-S.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Proceed.
Yes, Mrs. Givens, you heard everything I had to say to that.
And is it doing correct?
And do you adopt it as your own testimony?