what i'm asking but that's not her responsibility i understand that what i'm saying
shakamba please it's been a while just relax i just want to point that out she has the applicant
it's not the applicant's responsibility people want to oppose they do exactly what you're doing
now they can call in and will listen to their company their concerns
and will listen to their concerns. Please proceed.
Mr. Comber has been muted. I've asked her to unmute.
They think my computer keeps going back and forth on this thing, but that's why I'm having a problem.
Anyway, the building that he's referring to, all the buildings in that block don't meet the zoning code.
Remember that this zoning code came to play in 2012, and all these buildings were built way back, maybe 50, 60 years ago.
So therefore, none of the buildings, in fact, a lot of the buildings in our area do not meet the zoning code.
Second thing is that it was a letter to the federal that was sent to you by Sazna because of the opposition from the people who did attend the meeting.
Thirdly, we are opposed to, because if you notice, she has a huge pilot house that she wants to build that goes beyond the existing regulations.
I wanted to know why she needed such a huge pilot house.
I thought a pilot house was one that would just give you access to the roof.
But yet hers extend beyond that.
And many of these people are now building pilot houses that go beyond what their regulations are.
And I noticed she didn't mention that in her presentation, nor did Mr. Monroe.
Okay, so that's another thing that we have a problem with.
Okay, we're trying to get more conformity in our neighborhood because of the various hodgepodge methods that are being taken place in the neighborhood.
A lot of these houses that have been built were done before there was any kind of regulations.
let's just stick to this property at 1929 cater as i'm speaking to okay well you're saying other
properties and apparently there are people who live on this block who have testified in favor
of these are the people who will be most immediately impacted well there were a couple
of people that two near neighbors or three near neighbors who were at the meeting well they have
And they were right next to her, and they were opposed to what she had to do.
Well, if they're wrong, we'll listen to them.
But as of right now, speak for yourself, please, and we'll appreciate it.
I just want to make two objections for the record.
I understand Ms. Chacombe is still speaking, but one would just be based on any hearsay statement about what other people who are not present at this meeting said.
I object to that on the basis of hearsay.
And then number two, I object on the basis of Mr. Comba's standing.
Wait a moment.
I represent the RCO, okay?
All right.
Let me tell you what I have to say.
Sustain on the first objection, overruled on the second.
What I'm saying to you now, if you look at Sassana's letter,
they themselves point out the people who were there and the vote that they gave.
So not that I'm saying anything on hearsay.
the vote shows that two people who
said they were near neighbors opposed
what she wanted to do and those near
neighbors were almost live right next door
to her so I don't know what he's opposing
me but the Sassner letter
will support what I have to say
we have the Sassner letter
he said two near neighbors
were opposed
to it okay and
one was in support
of and then the community at large it was
two who was opposed to it
okay what they mean the people some of them still live on the block but they too were opposed to it
well they they have an opportunity to do what you're doing and apparently
unless there's anyone else to speak on this case they chose not to well it chose to say
they didn't they didn't realize that okay it's hearsay okay if they have a problem with this
application they have every right and responsibility to make their voices heard
anyone else would like to testify in this case
no other hands at this time mr chair thank you planning commission
sir ron bednar city planning
property is currently indicated for residential use on the city plan given the documented site
constraints. We recommend that the variants be granted. Thank you, Ron. Mr. Munro, is there a
revised plan? Yes, and we emailed that. One page? Two pages. Okay, very good. MI 2021-0004481929
cater street my vote is yes with the proviso revised plan two pages approved today thank you
yes with proviso my vote is yes with proviso yes with proviso you calendar number
yes for proviso my vote is yes with proviso
zero four five oh two one two eight south 15th street the attorney is zhen
yes good afternoon hi name and address for the record please yes zhen jen z-h-e-n j-i-n
1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard Suite 1838 Philadelphia EPA 19103 here on behalf of the
applicant. And you're still under oath. 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, photos and or plans of the property, a copy of the refusal and or referral, and have
done this five days in advance of this hearing? Have you also met with the RCO? And do you have
a letter? Yes to all questions. Thank you. You may proceed. Thank you. Good afternoon. I'm going
to share with the board the information related to this case. We have submitted the refusal RCO
letter from Broad Street West Civic Association, photos, plans, and related documentation of
ownership and tax clearance.
This application is refused because it is an application
to legalize a two family structure
that exists at 2128 South 15th Street.
And the proposed use is prohibited in the zoning district.
We met with the RCO in person
and received a non-opposition from the RCO.
No actual neighbors showed up,
Although a neighbor did send in an email objecting to the request, but I believe we discussed the reason for the proposal because the building exists in its existing situation.
although there are no specific records of a legal application prior, my client purchased it to live
in one of the units and actually was seeking to rent the second unit. She did not realize,
of course, at the time of purchase that this is not zoned currently as a legal duplex structure.
The RCO board reviewed the situation, asked my client questions, and ultimately voted not to
oppose the project, partly because this is not a new structure, nor is this recent changes or any
changes that my client was involved in. And she essentially purchased the property, thinking that
it was a duplex property. The layout is as it exists in the property. The first floor and
basement is one unit, second and third floor, which is a half size floor, is a second unit.
my client does own the property and she is residing she's planning to reside in the property
as well so we would ask the board's consideration in this case based on the rco's non-objection
as well as on the prior existing conditions of the property being that it was set up as a duplex
prior to my client's purchase i'll be happy to answer any questions or share any specific
information the board would be interested in again this is the property in the photo
just for reference thank you is your client available yes my client should be here with us
miss lee first name is bi
the full spelling i don't know if she's here as her name on the um on zoom but it's bi xia li
I mean, Ms. Li is here, but she appears twice in the audience list.
She may raise her virtual hand.
Yes, Ms. Li, can you raise your hand on the computer system?
You might be logged in on both the phone and the computer.
I don't know if she's having technical issues.
Okay, why don't we do this as an officer of court
we'll stipulate that your client
would be adopting your testimony.
Any questions from the board?
Anyone else like to testify in this case?
If so, please raise your hand.
No hands at this time, Mr. Chair.
Thank you.
Planning Commission.
Ron Bednar, City Planning.
property is indicated for residential use on the city plan given the use history we have
we recommend that the variance be granted. Thank you. MI 2020 does
variants be granted. Thank you. MI 2020-000450-2128-South 15th Street. My vote is yes.
My vote is yes. My vote is yes. My vote is yes.
Thank you. Calendar number. Excuse me. Yes. Mary, before you proceed, can I interrupt for one
minute? There's a case. There was a rather a hearing on reconsideration that was scheduled
to be heard at two o'clock it is not on your list and it is being continued at the request of all
parties um so can i just read that into the record yes please okay mi 2020 001383 4003
filbert street the hearing on reconsideration is being continued thank you sharon calendar number
0398-2417 Coral Street.
The attorney is Matt Monroe.
Hi, Matt.
Can you put your name and address on the record and spell your last name?
You have to...
I'm muted, Matt.
sorry about that that's okay go ahead no worries uh yeah matt monroe uh uh m-o-n-r-o-e
2030 pemberton street 19146
um do you swear from well you're already sworn in do you also 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 refusal 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 those
thank you you may proceed uh good afternoon chairman de chico members of the board i think
this one should go uh pretty quickly uh faster than the last um my clients are uh jeff cullen
and i'm sorry uh jeff miller and cullen quinn uh who are partners who are jeff miller is a long
time tattooer in Philadelphia community and Colin is his apprentice who's becoming a full-fledged
tattooer as we speak. They've gone in together on a partnership on the studio at 2417 Coral Street in
the East Kensington area. The document that I have on the first page shows the building that they're
planning to occupy. As you can see, it's a recently renovated, very nice new construction
building with a commercial space on the ground floor. It's relatively small in an apartment
upstairs. Unfortunately, there was the photo building business that was on the ground floor
that became a victim of COVID pandemic and went out of business and the commercial space was
shuttered. My clients are looking forward to starting this place. Tattoo businesses were
one of the businesses that opened along with hair salons and professional services,
other personal services businesses earlier in the pandemic, and have been thriving since.
So what we have here is just an application. The hardship, of course, is based on the fact that
The zoning code makes it very difficult, near to impossible, to open a tattoo shop as of right in the city of Philadelphia.
And this is based on sort of archaic positions and opinions about tattooers and people with tattoos.
Jeff Miller, for example, is just another suburban dad who has been doing this business for a number of years,
basically comes in at 9 or 10 in the morning, tattoos one or two clients, and then gets home
to be with his kids in the suburbs by the afternoon. Cullen lives in the neighborhood
near the Coral Street property. They've got a lease with several options, and I'll just get down
to the details. We did send out, of course, the notification letters. We have the certificate of
service. We have the lease. We have the tax compliant documents. The zoning notice was
properly posted and documented, as you can see here in the window. And our meeting, we had a
well-attended meeting at the East Kensington Neighborhood Association, and we received a
support letter. There was only one concern that was raised by a single individual, and the only
concern that anybody in the community had about this after hearing from me and Colin
and Jeff was the type of art that would be posted in the window.
Without any basis, I think that he raised a question and was concerned that there was
going to be adult material in the window.
adult material uh in in the window uh they they don't do that they won't do that and um it was
it was unfounded uh there's an overwhelming vote in favor of granting the variance and um just to
to show uh the board they are in this small cmx1 property that's on the corner the area had been
uh recently uh or not i guess in the last 10 years rematch it's directly across the street
from an irmx property and there's um uh industrial properties in the area it's also a long time uh
working class rsa5 uh you know single family home neighborhood there's a tight-knit community
jeff and colin have already gotten to know their neighbors and um i believe they they could get
some out in support though uh in order to avoid you know dragging things out uh we we just wanted
to try to do a short hearing just uh for the record here's a list of other types of regulated
uses that are treated like tattoo shops and are differently in, you know, basically adult-oriented
merchandise, adult-oriented service, drug paraphernalia stores, gun shops, detention and
correctional facilities, etc. These guys are just going to be doing as a, by appointment only,
their, you know, their hourly rates are pretty high, professional services type rates,
um so it's not just going to be you know people coming in uh like they would and you know panama
city beach trying to get like a dolphin tattoo because they were drunk on vacation it's not that
kind of a shop uh this is pretty elevated stuff and they're going to be spending money um if the
board's interested here's uh some of their art uh which i'm putting up on the screen uh uh and
they've they've been uh these guys do good work uh they're clean and they just are looking forward
going in business for themselves after working for people for a long time with that if the board has
any questions i um will rest my presentation so my road do you have a client i do and uh jeff
or cullen if you're on if you could raise your virtual hand either one we don't need both right
just just one well good afternoon sir please identify yourself with the record first and last
name my name is cullen quinn spelled c-u-l-l-e-n last name q-u-i-n-n i do have my partner jeffrey
miller next to me as well if you'd like him to speak we're in the firm to tell the truth the
whole truth nothing but the truth i do all right uh mr uh mr quinn did you hear the factual
statements that i made in my presentation yes and um were they accurate yes do you adopt them
as your testimony i do okay great thank you questions from the board no
anyone else like to testify in this case if so please raise your hand
Mr. Chair, I have a Trevor Moran, whose hand is raised. I will allow him to speak at this time.