yes i have and do you wait to be to know your refusals and stipulate to their accuracy
yes i do okay thank you show your screen and proceed with your case
did not see my screen huh did they share your screen as marked
here we go
should come up any minute
here you go good afternoon commissioners today i'm representing miss beverly towns
miss towns is a resident of grain street she's been living there for approximately 27 years
She used to have an after-school program that she serviced the kids in her neighborhood in her own home.
Now she would like to move it into a place, which is almost directly across the street from her home.
I've submitted a package of exhibits, which contain the refusal, appeal, property information form.
Just a little bit closer.
Property information in general, tax information, mission statement, daily schedule, plans, pictures, proof of mailing, letter of support, and the meeting summary report.
I'm going to start out by going to the refusal, and I would note that this is an RSA 5, which prohibits daycare centers, and I'd like to say that we're really not looking for a daycare center here.
Basically, we're looking for a before-school and an after-school program that will service the kids in the community.
We would like to have the before-school program from 7 to 9 a.m., the after-school program from 3 to 6 a.m.,
and on holidays, we will have a program from 8 to 6 a.m.,
and possibly a summer camp in the summertime, depending on how good the business goes.
We have the appeal, which I won't really go through, the property information form,
the general property information, which I would just like to note here that although this property
is a RSA-5, even the city records listed as a mixed-use, twin-mix commercial, residential
commercial.
So, basically, we would like to have a, here is the tax information here.
Basically, we would like to have a...
Here is the tax...
This is the mission statement for the program, which I'll have Ms. Towns addressed a little later.
I did submit a regular scheduled programming for the after-school program, a program schedule for the summer camp or day-off program.
and uh here is the posting uh of the property and i'm just going to flip down so you could just see
basically how the property looks this is basically the property on the right hand side
it didn't move could you move it up yeah i'm gonna move it up a little bit
it's a commercial front building with the roll-down gates it was previously used as a
chinese restaurant and actually it was a sit-down chinese restaurant for many years
this is the side of the building and there's a side exit to this building that i'll show
you on the plan. In the back of this building is a one, a residential use, and on top is also
a residential use that has been existing for some time. Here is where the trash will be
stored for the after-school program. We will not be serving any meals, but we will be serving
snacks in the morning as well as snacks in the afternoon. We do have a partnership currently
with ShopRite, who will be providing the snacks for the program.
And then I took some interior pictures.
It's just a straight shot, a straight back piece of property
whereby it's just one room that we intend to have this program in.
We have two tables.
There's a bathroom to the left over here.
And way in the back here is just a microwave and a sink
whereby we will have the snacks.
but we won't be doing any cooking in this facility
that's a picture from the back of the facility looking to the front
you can see the window in the front and this is the reception area
here's a better shot of the uh interior of the property i this is the door on the right hand
inside is the second exit to the building. That's a fuller shot of the whole space.
That's another shot. Little kitchen area.
I took this picture to show you the proximity to Lowell Elementary School. We also have a
partnership with Lowell Elementary School, whereby they have agreed to let us use the
playground for outdoor space and outdoor activities. That's also the Lowell School.
This is directly across the street to show you what the area looks like.
This is also directly across the street and it may even have the applicant's house in it.
It's the other side of the block.
this is the letter we sent out to the community notice in the meeting
that's the proof of mailing and we did have a meeting with the upper north coalition community
council they did have some concerns in this area specifically there's an overlay whereby they don't
want child care centers we did explain to them that we're really not looking to have a child
care center basically we're looking to have an after school program and a before school program
and now i'm just going to flip up to the plans
this is the actual plan this is how the property sits on the back this area back here is not housed
by the after school program it's a one this is an apartment in the back we're just occupying this
area here um just want to go down a little bit more so you would enter this property off of
grain street this is the area that the after school and before school program will operate
We do only have one bathroom. We do plan to house maybe 12 to 15 children. They're all ambulatory. They'll be from 6 years old to 17 years old, and this is the side exit.
17 years old and this is the side exit basically we'd like to operate this program six days a week
again from 7 to 9 a.m and from 3 to 6 p.m in the summer time once we build up we're thinking of
having a camp which would go from 8 to 6 p.m miss towns has much experience in this area
Ms. Towns is currently a Sunday school teacher at Second Baptist Church.
She teaches Sunday school there, and she preaches, and she's been doing that for approximately 10 years.
She also has experience at the New Life Alternative Christian Academy, where she was the administrator and the overseer of the after-school program.
Her mission is to assess kids and assess kids from the neighborhood.
She's been living in this neighborhood a long time, and she sees the kids aren't really doing anything.
And she wants to volunteer her time and her resources to provide services to the community.
Ms. Towns, could you tell the board a little bit about your mission?
Ms. Towns, could you please state and spell your name first for me?
Good afternoon, good evening.
It's Beverly Towns, T as in Tom, O-W-N as in Nancy, S as in Sam.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Counsel?
Ms. Towns, what's your mission and purpose for having this program?
The mission of the program, We Are Better, the acronym BETTER stands for Bringing Everyone Together to Encourage Relationships.
The mission of the program is to nurture young minds and spirits to cultivate a future where everybody can thrive and contribute to the community.
That's our mission. And we do that by structured programming that fosters confidence building, that fosters self-confidence and fosters community within a relationship within a community.
So that's what our goal is.
And Ms. Towns, what type of assessments or vocational assistance or training do you plan to offer in your program?
Well, again, our program is structured.
We're not just a monitored place for the youth to hang out,
but we have a scheduled itinerary where the kids come in from the moment they come in until the time that they exit.
Upon enrollment in the program, I have an assessment packet that will help them to assess their vocational gifts and talents, if you will, because everyone has a vocational gift or talent.
They just don't know how to identify or hone in on it.
And my assessment will help them realize that because you go into the kitchen and you prepare a three-course meal in five minutes, that could very well be your gift.
If because you pick up a needle and thread and you make this fabulous blouse, that could be your gift, but you're not aware of that.
And so our assessment and the program will help you to do that.
And we partner with the community in those areas to help hone in on your gifts.
Commissioners, the trash will be stored on the side of the building, and I have a picture for you somewhere.
We do have security cameras inside the building, and if, in fact, we are approved for this use, we will have security cameras on the outside of the building.
The front door is locked, and it will be a buzzer system to get in and get out.
We do plan on servicing maybe 12 to 15 individuals.
individuals and um can i interrupt what is the you're asking for the 12 to 15 because it changes
on the category you now are asking for i just thought it would jump in now it's easier
sorry group child care and that's usually seven through 12. but if it's a different age you can
go up to i believe 15 so that's why i'm asking what the age is that you're well originally
and thank you for that um we're we're thinking of servicing the kids from 6 to 17.
i think then most likely if you want to go up to 15 you're going to have to do an amended to get a
child care center maybe but if you're only going 7 to 12 children you're okay where you are that's
what we'll do okay so so you're changing it 7 to 12 children you can stay in the group child care
then. Okay. Yes. We did, again, meet with the community. We did have overwhelming support. I
don't believe that there was anyone at the meeting in opposition to what we presented that day.
And if you have any questions, that's all I have.
And if you have any questions, that's all I have. Should she adopt your testimony?
Should she adopt your testimony?
Towns, have you heard my testimony as presented today?
If you were to testify, could you adopt it as true and correct?
That's all I have.
Darlene, nothing on the second floor.
There's already a legal apartment on the second floor.
All right, good.
But the child care center, excuse me, wouldn't be.
On the first floor.
The first floor only, no basement use.
All right, good.
Questions from the board.
Yes, so what are the ages of the young youth that you want to service?
Well, taking into account what the board attorney has told us, 7 to 12.
The ages are 7 to 12, not the number of students.
I said the number of students with 7 to 12.
That's what it is.
Oh, good.
The ages were 6 to 17.
Okay, so that's my question.
That's a wide gap in ages.
So how do you propose to program for a six-year-old and a 17-year-old in the same space?
Okay, so again, we're in this one area.
There's just one room that we're utilizing, one space, continuous space.
I am able to teach the wide range of age where I can start the one group, the six to nine, six to eight,
and then prepare them and then move on to the next group.
and then move on to the third group.
I am not there by myself,
but I have the board members
that are going to also volunteer with me.
And how many do you think you would have?
How many?
Staff or volunteers, volunteer staff.
As of right now, it's five.
It's five.
And I failed to mention that
there are five board members.
They each have a different
um vocational uh skills and they will be assisting they are in the brochure here
they will be assisting uh miss towns in running this program
are the questions
questions from our attorney um i believe the chairman already asked this you're only doing
the first floor correct all right okay questions or comments from the virtual audience
mr chair i do not see any hands raised planning commission amy boy with the planning commission
the planning commission recommends no change in zoning to the current rsa 5 residential single
family the property has a history of commercial use and this use is compatible the planning
commission recommends that the board grant their requested variance for group child care
MI 2026-002-811-418 West Grange. I vote yes with proviso. Use limited to first floor and office.
Michael Johns, my vote is yes with proviso.
Cheryl Gaston, my vote is yes with proviso.
Tanetta Graham, my vote is yes with proviso.
Ryan McAdams, my vote is yes with proviso.
Taya Nguyen, my vote is yes with proviso.
Layla Beebe, my vote is yes with proviso.
Thank you, counsel.
So thank you very much, board members.
Number five, MI 2026-002-770-2046-50 East Lehigh Avenue.
David Orfinides is the attorney.
good evening mr chairman members of the board council could you please state your name and
spell for this photographer certainly my name is david orphanetes my last name is spelled o-r-p-h-a-n-i-d-e-s
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Mr. O'Fordini, could you identify your client in a relationship to the property?
Certainly. I represent That's Fetch Dog Grooming, and That's is T-H-A-T-apostrophe-S, Fetch, F-E-T-C-H, Dog Grooming, LLC.
And they're a tenant of the commercial space at the ground floor of the building that's existing at the subject property.
You have anonymous support from the RCO. Is the old city district correct for RCO?
No. I didn't know they went up that far.
Remember, we updated. That was...
I don't have an RCO yet, letter on that one.
We don't have a letter, David?
That was one of the updates for the afternoon.
Well, David Hasel has an RCO, right?
Yes. So they provided the letter after I submitted my exhibits.
They provided the letter on October 8th.
Who was it, David? Who was it?
It's East Kensington, the Neighborhood Neighborhood Association.
And then today, I had been following up with them with Council Member Squill's office.
they were copied on the letter or the email from ECNA on October 8th, and I was following up with
them. And apparently, even though they were included on the Planning Commission email
designating ECNA as the coordinating RCO, apparently they didn't have any information
that from the zoning board that they were the, according to Jennifer Slavik, that they were.
that from the zoning board, that they were the, according to Jennifer Slavik, that they were the