Additionally, DAPA did not attend the RCO meeting.
And Mount Vernon Manor is not a civic association.
They are CDC, and they are not an RCO, and we were not aware of either of those letters
of support until today.
So the issue of affordable housing, we very much would love for these to be affordable
units.
There's definitely a need, which is one of the reasons we were so anxious to work with
Mr. Carter.
But I have to say that what that is, it's a pretty broad term, and it's never really been defined what level of affordable housing these units would be.
Is it 60% of AMI, 40%?
That's never been defined.
So, you know, overall, we are unfortunately in opposition to three units, but would be happy to compromise and work towards something with two units.
And that concludes what I have to say. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you for your testimony.
Initially, I was thinking of the two units, but looking at the size of the building, and I think Mr. Carter did raise an interesting issue.
if you limit it to two issues you're going to have some huge apartments there which could
eventually turn into not there's anything wrong with students but could be turned into student
housing typically I would say I probably would agree with the two units but a couple thousand
square foot units are going to be I mean could work against what you're trying to maintain in
that community that that's just my opinion that Mr. Chair that was also we did look at and I
apologize for not getting back to Deborah sooner. I did reach out to her and say, hey, listen, I
needed to get in touch with the client. And I was having, you know, a little back and forth with
them and didn't want to, you know, overshoot the mark with giving her feedback when I had needed
to have some additional conversations, specifically asking him to make sure that we spoke with the
architect about the size of the two units and things of that nature, and also to run some of
the numbers to see. I think the reason we were hesitant about giving information on affordability
was because until he really gets in there, given the damage that's there, we needed to be able to
consider all the cost of restoring it before we gave an answer. And I didn't want to mislead the
RCO to give a number that we weren't really sure of until we get in there. So I think either way,
the thought was, you know, to have smaller units, given how large the building is, you know, and
also to, you know, make sure that we're able to restore it with some integrity and some quality,
given kind of how much damage is there so um from the photos it appears to me it's going to be a
total rehab it looks the way i can see it yeah he'll try to save as much as he can but yeah yeah
and i understand the push and pull from the the community i understand uh miss mccarty's concern
again my concern would be limiting it limiting limiting it to two units uh might actually work
against what the community is trying to protect that's just my opinion so okay thank you anyone
else like to testify in this case yes chair we have a mr george good morning mr george
Good morning, Mr. George. Please identify yourself with a record, first and last name, and provide us with your address.
please identify yourself with a record first and last name
Good morning. My name is George Poulin, P-O-U-L-I-N, and I reside at 3502 Hamilton Street.
You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Is that within 250 feet of this property, Mr. George?
I don't know the exact distance.
And yes, I do intend to tell the truth.
I just would like to know if that's within 250 feet of the property before we proceed.
I think it's a little far from...
Yeah, I was going to ask how far that is.
How many blocks away, roughly, sir?
It's about a block and a half.
Okay, please proceed.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
I just want to kind of affirm Debra's testimony and offer a little bit of context.
So I do serve on the zoning committee of the Palton Village Civic Association and was chair of the zoning committee in 2010 when 429 North 33rd Street did receive a variance for two units.
And at that time, we were similarly supportive of the variance for two units.
the developer came to us with a three-unit project, and through our conversations with them,
they were able to compromise on a two-unit solution, which seemed like both a win for the community
and also for the developer. And we've had no, it's a similar size property, and we've had no
issues with that property since. I also just want to add a little bit of context to say that
The zoning committee's decisions are not, you know, they're not done in a vacuum, right?
There's a couple considerations.
One is our own master plan, which we use and follow to look at strategic blocks where we encourage density
and other blocks where we work hard to make sure that the zoning, single-family zoning
or two-unit zoning, as much of the neighborhood is, is preserved. And so within the last several
years, the community has actually supported several thousand units of new dense development
in very strategic locations. We don't think this location, which really is at the heart
of the neighborhood, is appropriate for that three-unit use. And the other thing I'll just
add is and i appreciate mr carter and and miss pritzker's presentation i'm very cognizant of the
affordability issue um but in in looking at the layouts of the units um there's you know clearly
there there's opportunity to to design those in such a way that um provide uh viable and um well
laid out um you know two units um for instance um when you enter the first floor there's there's a
bedroom facing the front of the building typically we like we like eyes on the streets are you an
architect yes that's correct i i am okay um we like eyes on the streets with living rooms facing
the front and um uh and you know bedrooms that are you know um slightly slightly larger than
those shown in the plan so i just wanted to offer a different um uh kind of perspective and um and
again reaffirm that uh we'd love to work with mr carter for a two-unit solution that that hopefully
meets both his needs but also the the community's concerns about um setting a precedent for uh
conversion of of single-family housing stock in the the middle of the neighborhood so thank you
thank you miss pritchard it sounds like there's an uh some of the they're extending their hand
that continued this conversation yeah i mean i think that um to your point um we'd be happy to
have another conversation but if they're stuck on two units and we're at three units um maybe
we have another meeting and get those from that live on the block to try to show up to that
meeting um i don't know how there's no like a two and a half unit option so um um if the board
can i just be real quick i'm sorry uh rachel sure so um so as someone growing up on that block
the house 429 I think it is like those houses they don't in the daytime they look fine and
it's a great compromise at nighttime those houses turn to party houses when I used to come outside
there would be red cups littered my steps I might there would be a drunk student on my porch
All right, Mr. Carter, I understand that, and no disrespect to cut you short, but I think there's an opportunity to have further conversation.
I don't know if we'll be able to resolve the issues on either side, but you heard my statement.
the issues on both either side but you heard my statement I think you care to the community be
I think you...
careful what you wish for in terms of the size of of one of the units or both of the units if
you limit it to two but it may it may warrant further conversation. I think that I would agree
with the chairman and we would be happy to continue this to have some additional conversations if we
can't get anywhere we'll provide that information to the board but at least I think we'll take the
opportunity to engage in some additional conversations and i did have some concern
about the three-bedroom unit especially that when you come in the first floor i think mr poland
brought that out as well but i'm not going to redesign the building for you that's
we'll certainly take a look at that i think that's please do all right appropriate yep so uh
planning commission
thank you chair chico ian hegarty for the philadelphia city planning commission
The comprehensive plan recommends a zoning map change in this location to RM1, and so the variance use would conform to the proposed zoning district.
The proposed use is also consistent with documented previous uses on the property, and so the City Planning Commission would recommend that the Zoning Board grant this variance.
Thank you.
MI 2020-002567.
419 north 33rd street this hearing will be resumed do we have a date tanya or lakeisha
april 7th at 9 30. this hearing will be resumed on april
what was that 7th 7th at 9 30 a.m at which time the board will consider any feedback related to
the rco and the council person's uh council person's position thank you thank you very
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, members of the board.
Allow you, Eubectra.
Frank, you're muted.
MI 2020-000316, 4416 Germantown Avenue.
no hands chair no hands no exhibits this was previously listed so mi 2020-000
316 4416 germantown avenue my vote is to dismiss dismiss dismiss dismiss dismiss
Thank you. MI2020-0006684951 North 5th Street, number 5, 5th Street.
Chair, this is Sharon Saleta. We have no exhibits and this is the third listing.
okay just want to check again four nine excuse me four nine five one north fifth street
no hands are up we had a um charles richardson hold on mr richardson uh this case has been
previously listed on two occasions on november the third we call we had a must be heard no one
is here. My vote is to dismiss. Dismiss. Dismiss. Dismiss. Okay, Mr. Richardson. That's fine,
Mr. Chair. I want to ask for that as well. Thank you. All right. MI 2020, that's 002-527-537
in the league street mr perry mr perry is coming back in as a panelist
good morning mr perry please identify yourself with a record and i'll swear you in
okay thank you roger perry 734 south 4th street i'm i'm here uh you're swearing the firm to tell
the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes i do thank you please proceed mr perry you
agree to waste the reading of its refusal and stipulate to its accuracy? Yes, I do. Also, have
you emailed an exhibit packet with the required documents, proof of ownership, proof of tax
compliance, copy of the refusal or referral, photos and plans five days prior to this hearing? Yes,
we have. Have you met with the RCO and have a letter? Yes, we have a letter from the RCO and
petitions from the neighbors. Please proceed. Okay, can you see my screen? I shared it.
Please proceed.
Can you see my screen?
I shared it.
No, not yet, Mr. Perry.
Now that's coming up.
So I have a, I've shared my screen with you, and this is the package of materials that's
been previously supplied to the board, and I'm sharing with you today.
I represent the owner, who's Susanna Del Rio.
She's the owner of this property at 537 League Street.
It's immediately adjacent to her house.
As we can see from the deed, this property is approximately 14 by 23 feet.
It would be very small to be suitable for any kind of construction.
She has requested that this be used as a parking space ancillary to her house, and she lives at 535 League Street.
two of the reasons that are important for that both the RCO and the board to consider
is that she works when she is working they're laid off now but she works shift work for American
Airlines at the airport and is often coming home in the wee hours of the early morning
and to park you know down in that neighborhood other than next to her house is potentially
dangerous. She is also a caretaker for her mother who lives in Center City and her mother is
partially disabled and so she uses the parking space to transport her mother to her house when
she visits immediately adjacent because her mother is not able to walk or travel from anywhere
regardless of the weather. Let's see what else we've got here. Okay, this is the deed.
This is a notice of the refusal indicating that this is a single-family RSA-5 attached to the project information sheet.
The notice was sent out to all the neighbors.
There was a 191 neighbors.
There was a meeting with Queen Village Neighbors Association.
There's a tax clearance certificate attached.
and here's the plans. This is a request and I've submitted a change form to Ms. Saleto
to add this to show that we've requested a six-foot gate that the RCO, Queen Village
Neighbors Association, requested at the front of the parking space. So this would be a one-car
parking space on this small 14 by 23 foot lot immediately adjacent to her house which is here.
We have a letter of support upon a meeting with the Queen Village Neighbors Association,
which attaches Exhibit F to the package of materials.
And we've also attached a variety of photos showing where this space is, her house.
This is where the car would be.
This is her car, 537 League Street.
We posted the property with a notice.
These are other adjacent properties within the block of her house that have similar adjacent parking spaces here, here.
League Street is just sort of a dead end here where it connects with an adjacent street.
I think there's only three houses on this particular block of League Street.
But the neighbors on Fairhill Street, which this ties into, and as to League Street, have signed a petition in support of this particular application to use it as an ancillary parking space.
So we've submitted the change form.
We would ask that there be a proviso that the plan be stamped, which includes the gate that was requested by Queen Village Neighbors Association.
I can answer questions by the board if they have any.
Do you have a client with you?
I don't know if she's on.
She said that she was going to sign in.
She's not with me.
I meant to say signing in.
Your client's name?
Susanna Del Rio.
Del Rio, if you're there, please raise your hand.
And while we're waiting, Mr. Perry, how many?
Two pages of revised plans?
Actually, there's three, but two pages, I guess we submitted.
All right, Mr. Parley, you were saying?
I'm saying, I think exhibit E is actually, let me see.
We submitted two pages, but there is, I think, a third page.
Yes, there is a third page, just a reflection of the gate again.
Yes, there is a third page. It's just a reflection of the gate again.
So there are three pages that we've submitted. Okay. All right.
I didn't hear if Ms. Del Rio was there. Yes, I believe she signed in under your name. She
just had to unmute herself. Good morning. I'm here. Please identify yourself with the
record and spell your full name? Hi, my name is Susana Del Rio. My last name is D-E-L space R-I-O
and I live in 535 League Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19147. You swear and affirm to
tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Yes, I do. Thank you. Mr. Perry? Yeah,
Ms. Del Rio, were you able to hear my statement of the conditions there and the facts that I
related to the board yes i was okay uh are they true and correct and would you adapt those uh
as your own testimony if so asked yes thank you questions from the board no no