we have uh excerpts from the lease agreement so this lease was signed in september of 2024
the location was previously a pool hall as well um zafara rakulov who's my client and a
representative of the tenant here thought that it would be good to not only bring pool but also
this smoking lounge experience to this location. It's quite a big location. It's 3,600 square feet
To this location, it's quite a big location. It's 3,600 square feet or a little over. So.
or a little over.
Just so you can get a sense of what the layout looks like here. So you'll walk in here. You have the pool tables.
You have kind of like a countertop bar food area little employee lounge closet bathrooms off to the side there, and then a seating area that I believe is set up and allowed for about 44 seats in the in the entirety of the space.
So at the at the countertop as well as in the seating area.
And then these are some plans that we put in, and the main thing I just want to show you from this plan is that this building has a ventilation system that specifically set up a diffuser run out so it can handle this kind of this use, this smoke.
it's not going to be impacting any nearby um properties who are all commercial and we'll get
to also the nearby it's interesting to say neighbors because there aren't that many
individual residential neighbors in the area uh it's mostly just commercial units that are that
are around but i'll i'll get to that issue when 128 people signed it all right so i'll get to
okay explanation of the petition because you know as as we usually do we we asked um well let's
let's get there and then we can discuss it all right so here is the zoning map of the property
and we'll get to it a little bit later but if you notice this is um this is woodhaven road this
primary where my cursor is moving right now. And while these two parcels are listed as RSA 4,
they're not actually residential properties in any kind of way. They're also commercial
properties actually owned by the same ownership group that owns this property. I believe I'll
have them testify as to what they are. But the residences, the homes begin behind them. So
our property is not in any way adjacent to any residences. And you can see that a little more
clearly here. So here is our client's property, Prestige Lounge. It is just one of the units in
this 4501 Woodhaven. Woodhaven, as you're aware, is a major thoroughway, so a pretty big road that
It separates this parcel not only from this the RSA for that we looked at across the street,
but even furthermore from the residences that are right here on on whiting.
So these buildings right here that I'm kind of highlighting.
Those are commercial uses, so we have quite a distance between ourselves and any of the
residential uses I guess I don't really need to see all you guys now a little
bit about the business itself so you know as I was describing this isn't like
willy-nilly put together location a lot of time effort and money was put into
this location. You can see that the decor is above none. This is a little, I don't think I
need to testify about this or get into this in the record, but a little bit about the art and
culture of hookah. It's a very old tradition. It originated in the Middle East. And again,
I think that goes to why it's so popular and prevalent amongst certain, I would say a lot of
immigrant communities and is certainly gaining popularity all over the country.
So the location features six professional pool tables.
They were brand new.
They're beautiful pool tables.
And then a seating area that has up to eight guests at each table so people can really
recreate.
That's what the assembly and entertainment classification is intended to be used for.
People can go there, have some food, sit around, smoke some hookah, play some billiards.
It's really a boon to the neighborhood to have this additional type of recreational activity and location so close.
And I don't think I need to speak much about this, but here are some pictures of the interior of the location.
These are not renderings. They may look like it, but these are actual live shots of the location.
I'll ask the board. We we put together a, um, like a video walkthrough of the location. I don't want to overuse my time. I think you've showed us. Okay. It's it's on there. So if the board would like to see it or look at it, you know, upon consideration, I I encourage you to do so and perhaps even visit visit the location. If you see fit to grant this.
That's right. Not crazy over to smoking, but that's me.
Well, you'll just play pool chair.
Not real good at that either. Keep going.
All right. I got nothing there.
Wanted to just present that, you know, this location already has a good reputation in the community.
So a bunch of five-star reviews, you can see that people really enjoy not only their time there,
but the this particular location and the thought and effort and money and time that went into
building it out so you can you know i again i won't go through those i did put together an
illustrative map of um hookah locations in the area so there are certainly some they're not
you know incredibly prevalent everywhere which i think is good you don't need to
have this kind of entertainment space you know every block or every in every neighborhood but
there's certainly some precedent of these kinds of uses in and around the area
all right as as for the RCO meeting so we had two RCO meetings in fact and this gets to the
chair's point about our our petition so as you're aware what we usually advise our clients to do is
go around to residential neighbors and get a petition of support signed if they're able to.
This particular location, because of its size, its commercial nature, the formal RCO notice list was only about 27 addresses.
And they were mostly all commercial addresses that are within the 2,500, excuse me, 250 feet from the location.
So Mr. Akulov went well beyond that and tried to go to the residences as they would be the ones theoretically most impacted by some kind of non-conforming use.
So that's why we had the original petition that has, you know, 53 signatures.
When we went to the first RCO meeting, which was, excuse me, September of 2025, and had a conversation with the community, what they wanted to see is customer feedback and that customers of this location would be supporting the use as well.
So that's why there's a second petition of support, not with listed residential or commercial addresses, but just stating customers.
So here is the notice letter for the second meeting, which was held in October.
And then thereafter, my client had this filled out by customers who frequented the location.
And to be honest with you, I hadn't until now realized how many it was.
As the chair alluded to, we do have a petition of support from the Millbrook Civic Association after the second meeting.
our application for appeal our project information form we have all your paperwork okay
all right and the rest is just the uh required documents our zoning poster for today's meeting
and then last but not least our certificate okay our tax clearance certificate at this time if I
may bring Mr. Akrakulov to uh be sworn in and adopt my testimony please
could you please state your name and spell for the stenographer try to get close to the mic too
if you would the mic yeah yeah my name is zafar z-a-f-a-r a-h-r-o-r right k-u-l-o-v do you swear
or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth counsel uh good afternoon
Zafar Zafar you've obviously heard my testimony here today before the board yes and would you
adopt it as your own yes and it's true and correct to the best of your knowledge yes
um nothing further if it if the board likes I have a representative of the ownership entity as well
but I don't think that's no we're fine we're fine all right questions from the board
I have a question about the restaurant capacity so now that we're adding in the hookah lounge
how are you handling exhaust between the two like I saw that there was you're handling exhaust for
customers but how are we making sure that like tobacco smoke isn't contaminating the kitchen
contaminating the kitchen so the kitchen is not like a food prep kitchen most the food is being
so the kitchen is not like a food prep
prepared off-site and and brought in this is like like snack eating yeah snacks and sandwiches and
things of that nature all the questions and then wait where is the where is it exhausting through
the roof or through the rear that's a technical question that i'm going to have to see if i can
get the the landlord's representative to answer it do you want to yeah do you want to come to this
morning can you just tell him all right i'm sorry i'm back kenneth allman last name a-l-m-a-n
why don't you do that one more time so kenneth and my last name is allman a-l-m-a-n do you
swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth uh yes please proceed sir
can you give the board an idea of where the the ventilation comes out on the building is it on the
roof is it towards the rear yeah so it the ventilation was installed it goes up towards
the roof okay and it was there smoking on the site previously under the previous renter no so
the previous renter just did billiards and he may have done some hookah but he didn't have full
licensing so this is why we started the process with it so far okay and then you installed the
system the hvac system our our mechanical uh vendor yeah okay other questions
questions from our attorney not at this time mr chair questions or comments from the virtual
audience yes alice udavik will be promoted okay yeah i didn't see him in there
why alice
i'm sorry good afternoon chairman members of the force could you please uh just state your name
as bell for this stenographer sure alice a-l-i-c-e udovich u-d-o-v-i-c-h on behalf of
councilman brian o'neill do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing
but the truth i do please proceed the councilman has no objection to the granting of the variance
due to this having the support of the millbrook community and surrounding neighbors all right
thank you very much for taking the time to call us is there anyone else in the virtual audience
no commission amy boy with the planning commission the comprehensive plan recommends
a change in zoning at this location from the existing ca1 commercial auto oriented to ca2
the proposed assembly and entertainment would be allowed under the proposed zoning
the proposed smoke shop would have minimal impact on nearby properties and there are no adjacent
residences the planning commission recommends the board grant their requested variances for
assembly and entertainment and smoke shop mi 2025 003 624 4501 woodhaven road number 1b
i vote yes for a temporary variance that will expire 3530
michael johns my vote is yes with proviso
sorry cheryl guest and my vote is yes with proviso
Tenetta Graham, my vote is yes with Proviso. Ryan McAdams, my vote is yes with Proviso.
Iowan, my vote is yes with Proviso. Thank you, Members. Thank you. Thank you for coming in.
Thank you. Number four, MI-2025-004-233, 5900-202, North 13th Street. Darlene Treat is the attorney.
There's a letter of opposition from the Concerned Community Association, RCO. However, granted
And the RCO request to filing provisos, numerous provisos.
Darlene Threat is coming in as panelists.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon, Commissioner.
It's Charlene Threat on behalf of the applicant.
Adiola E. Lenny.
And I've already sworn you today.
Could you please just state your name for the record?
Darlene Threat.
Right.
and our uh vice chair has a few questions good afternoon have you submitted your documents and
exhibits five days in advance of this hearing yes i have and do you wave the reading of your
shoes on stipulate to its accuracy yes i do all right thank you you can share your screen and
proceed with the case okay can you see my screen we can
Okay. Can you see my screen?
We can.
Okay, Commissioners, I'm representing Adiola E. Leamy.
Ms. E. Leamy applied to the CBA to have
5900 to 5902 for her to operate it as a child care center.
Currently, Ms. E. Leamy,
and I'll show you a picture later,
operates a child care much smaller center on
the adjacent street, which is Negro Avenue, and she has a playground adjacent to that
facility. She rented the house next door and is here today to see whether or not we can
get ZONE to expand her daycare. Now, I've entered a package of evidence up to the portal,
which contains the syllabus, refusal, lease, tax information, property information, buyer
certification, the curriculum for the daycare, daycare employee credentials, a bunch of pictures
which I've added to the exhibit, plans, community letter of opposition, as well as a proof of
mailing. Commissioners, Ms. Elame applied to the GBA to use this property as a child care center.
We were refused because it is a RFA3, which doesn't allow for a child care center.
They filed an appeal and they have a lease with the landlord of the building to run this daycare, this property.
I would like to say they really didn't get any advice before they entered into this lease.
and they've actually been paying rent at this facility without using it uh 1850 a month for
about a year now uh here is uh some just general uh property information about the um property
here is the uh fighter fire uh certify excuse me the fire excuse me here we go
uh license and inspections of fire certification for this facility
i put in here the educational curriculum uh again she does have a daycare around the corner and uh
she's been operating it for about five to six years and i just wanted to show you that she
prints a curriculum every single week and it's distributed to the parents and i just put a few
curriculums in here so you can see what they do at this facility it really is educational based
there are no televisions in this facility and basically it's really dedicated towards
are teaching these individuals on the students there now her facility and her employees have
many many credentials currently they are a two star and i was just informed by the client which
she'll testify to that they got the third that they've gotten their third star currently they
have five four to five employees operating in the side daycare but when the new daycare if approved
opens up they'll have seven employees all of their employees are very well
credentials they've all completed professional development courses and I'm
just going to just show you very quickly all of the professional development
certificate courses that many well almost all of her employees have his
certificate and infant toddler care toddler care another certificate for the
other employee and infant toddler care safety another certificate awarded to an
employee for professional development and training
Another certificate for the Employee for Professional Development and Training.
Another certificate here for American Red Cross certification.
Here is the actual owner and proprietor certification.
We've certified as a CBA and certified with director credentials from Lackawanna College.
And here is a side picture of the facility and the posting. Later on, I'm going to address the community letter, but I would like the board to note at this time, I've been out to this property at least three times since January at no time.
i've been out to this property at least three times since january at no time was the fence
damaged or broken this is just a picture of the side posting i'll show you a picture of the front
posting later this is a just picture of the intersection this uh property is at the corner
of a large intersection this is directly across the street i just wanted to show you how big and
why this street was and it is a one-way street i believe going south
here's a better picture of the full facility this is the current daycare in the back here
this is the playground area that the daycare uses and this is the house that was purchased
by the landlord that actually owns this facility here offering it to miss
Adiola to expand her daycare to facilitate toddlers from three to six
years old this is a duplicate picture this is the intersection looking down
13th street i'd like you to note also fence not broken that's a better picture of the
entire playground area you can see it's a pretty big area with a
society picture that's the full picture of the playground a nice playground area and i'd like
to mention I'll show you at a different time the trash is stored away from this
area and bends in the back of the building this is the trash storage area
in the back here not near the on the playground so now I'm going to take you
through the property to show you how it's set up i started out in the basement this is a bathroom
i'm in the basement that's an exit straight out of the basement area and this is a long shot of