As you can see, the daycare center is next door.
The tenant would be operating in what was the former furniture store.
The residential properties are above.
this is a picture from the side of the building this is no if it's in this picture but the
surrounding buildings are one is a vacant building and one is a furniture another
furniture store this is the rear of the building
this is a view down the street across the street is the
Marcus Foster Stadium down the street there are a number of auto repair businesses
down further the this is what the interior of the space looks like
This is, again, an outside picture, another inside picture.
You can see this is not a very large space, but it's, like I said,
it's not proposed that the property is going to be a venue for very large events.
It is intended to be for local community events.
We certainly, we talk to the RCO and are open to allowing the local RCOs, local community organizations to allow them to use the premises if needed for any community events.
So why don't we bring, how about your client? Why don't we bring your client on?
Stop your testimony.
Michael?
Greenzang, could you?
We see a hand.
Thank you.
Hi, could you please state your name and spell it for the court stenographer?
Michael Greenzang, M-I-C-H-A-E-L-G-R-E-E-N-Z-A-N-G.
All right.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Please proceed, counsel.
Thank you.
Michael, have you been listening to my testimony regarding this application at 1600 Hunting Park?
And do you agree that my testimony is true and correct?
And do you adopt my testimony as to what your testimony would be had you testified?
I also have Samia Reeves who's going to be the operator if the board has any questions.
No, I was just going to say, I also have Samia Reeves, who's going to be the operator. If the board has any questions for her, I figured it would be a good time to get her on, too.
So why don't I see where the board stands first? Questions from the board?
No, Mr. Chairman.
No, Chair.
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
just wanted to clarify is there a specific unit in this building that the assembly entertainment
use is proposed so you know there's a lot of notes on the bottom and there was previously
a banquet hall um and you mentioned there's already a child care center there but i wasn't
i wasn't clear if there was like a specific area that this should be noted
um i believe it's uh it would be unit number two but michael could you confirm that
raise hands and michael what you what unit what unit number 102. okay okay thank you
and then and then um mr richardson from council member bass's office just did forward the letter
from the rco there were two provisos that if the board is inclined to adopt could um could be
included um one being the hours of operation which was mentioned by miss hamill and also
they requested a five-year temporary um variance so those were the those are the two that were
enforceable. Are you okay with that? Yes, we're fine. Okay, sure. Questions or comments from the
virtual audience? Chair, I have Mr. Charles Richardson with the hand raised. I've allowed
him to speak. Hi, Mr. Richardson. Just state your name. You've already been sworn. Certainly,
Mr. Chair, Charles Richardson, R-I-C-H-A-R-D-S-O-N,
Office of Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Room 508 City Hall.
Councilwoman is not opposed to granting the variance
with the five-year proviso, temporary proviso.
Thank you.
Anyone else in the first audience?
There are no further answers, Mr. Chair.
All right, Planning Commission.
Good afternoon, Chair and members of the board.
This is Greg Walden, Planning Commission staff.
the comprehensive plan recommends no change to the existing industrial zoning the proposed use for
assembly will not cause detrimental impacts to the neighborhood beyond what is normally what
normally might be expected the city planning commission recommends that the zoning board
grant the variance with the proviso that the use be limited to event assembly facility as detailed
in the section in the code under the assembly and entertainment section of commercial services
use categories under 14-601 use categories okay so mi 2023 005 992 1618 west hunting park avenue
i vote yes with proviso limited to section 102 hours 12 noon to 12 8 during the week on the
weekend 10A to 12P, and a five-year temporary variance that will expire 4-24-29.
Thomas Holliman, my vote is yes with provisos.
Ishmael Shahid, my vote is yes with proviso.
Thank you, counsel.
Thank you.
Number four, MI 2023-005-996-1118 East Montgomery Avenue.
Jared Klein is the attorney.
There's a letter of support from the Fishtown Neighbors Association
and letter of non-opposition from Council Member Squilla.
Mr. Klein.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, members of the board.
Counsel, could you state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Certainly. It's Jared, J-A-R-E-D. Last name is Klein, K-L-E-I-N, from Nockamson, PC.
Oh, there you go. Okay. Thank you. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Yes, I do.
All right. Could you identify your client and their relationship to the property?
Yes, certainly. My client is the owner of the building, Matthew Papajohn, and his wife, Catherine Recker.
Yes, certainly. My client is the owner of the building, Matthew Papajohn, and his wife,
the cat.
Chair, we don't see you.
Yeah, I seem to be having some trouble with my camera. I'm turning it on and off, but it is not.
Because it's going to be hard for you to make a presentation.
There we go. Okay. I fixed it.
Took me a second. Apologies for the technical difficulties.
Your vice chair, our vice chair once has a few questions.
Good afternoon, counsel.
Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal or stipulate to his accuracy?
Yes, I do.
Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that is needed to proceed with this case?
It's probably in advance of this hearing.
Thank you.
Please proceed and share your screen.
Thank you very much.
Hopefully that works more smoothly.
Can everybody see that?
We can.
Okay, excellent.
So, yes, we're here for 1118 East Montgomery Avenue, which is the home of my clients,
and they have resided there for some time. The application is to do an addition to the single
family home to allow them to continue to live there and do some aging in place as they head,
hopefully not too soon, but head towards their retirement years. The refusal that we got
are two of them. The required open area is not provided. Now, we're not adding to this condition,
so this is an existing condition on the ground floor, so it is something that's being carried
over from the way the property was constructed, and the rear setback at the addition level
is not provided, but I think you'll see once we get into the plans that this is fairly set back
and unobtrusive to everyone involved. The property itself used to be a firehouse.
So I'll show some pictures here. There used to be part of the Philadelphia Fire Department that
resided here in this structure. So it has an unusually large ceiling height on the first
floor with these large doors. And you'll see that there still exists when we get to some side views,
part of the hose and pole tower is still on the on the roof and that creates some challenges to
expand the building because of the way it was originally constructed for a non-residential
purpose. These are the blocks of Montgomery to the left and right of the of the property
and photo of posting. Just to orient the board about where we are this is East Girard Avenue
Montgomery Avenue is here. We're an interior mid-block property there.
Aerial view in context. And we did do a bit of a survey of properties in the immediate area
that also have less than the 25% open area. So our properties here, as you can see, it's a fairly
common condition amongst the surrounding area that we're in, where there is less than the 25%
open area that's being provided. In terms of the plans, this is the area of the addition is back
here. This is the existing structure. There is this proposed stair tower and addition that goes
on the rear of the building. For context and scale, the area that is in red would be the new
addition so we're not adding to any existing condition in terms of the rear yard or open area
we're going on top of um on top of those areas but not adding to them and this is uh more of
floor plan sample to show um the mezzanine floor this is the ground floor of the building as it
existed existing laid out and here is the area that's going to be the addition really what
they're doing is adding a larger bedroom and deck onto this third floor just to give them some more
space to continue to live in this property. Part of the reason for the stair tower that's being
reconstructed also is that the stairs currently, because of the building's former use, are very
steep. So the stairs are being reconfigured into a more gradual incline for people as they age. It's
a little easier for them to get up and down a less vigorously inclined staircase. As the chair
mentioned, I think as I was joining as a panelist, we did meet with FNA. They were very enthusiastic
about it, sent in a letter of support with some comments that it contextually fits and would
allow them to stay in their home and maintaining some of the historic features. The vote was
overwhelmingly in support, and we also received some correspondence from Councilman Squilla
um following the uh rco's position um with that i'd like to ask matt papajohn if he could raise
following the RCO's position. With that, I'd like to...
his virtual hand briefly
they've been allowed to speak good afternoon sir could you please state your name and spell
for the court stenographer matthew papajohn m-a-t-t-h-e-w last name papajohn p as in peter
a double p as in peter a j o h n you swear affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the
truth i do please proceed counsel thank you mr chair matt did you have a chance to hear my
presentation this afternoon i did and would you adopt everything i said and the evidence i submitted
is true correct in your own if you'd had a longer chance to speak yes i would thank you very much
We don't have anything further, Mr. Chair.
Questions from the board?
No, Chair.
No, Mr. Chairman.
Questions or comments from our attorney, Hillary Emerson?
Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
I do not see any further answer.
Planning, Commissioner.
Wait a minute.
Excuse me, Mr. Chair, I'm sorry about you.
I have a Robert Everett with her hand raised.
I have a lot of them.
Hi, could you state your name, please, and spell for the stenographer?
Yes, good afternoon.
My first name is Robert, last name Everett, E-V-E-R-E-T-T.
You swear a firm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Are you from the RCO?
I am from the RCO.
Please proceed, Mr. Everett.
Just here to confirm everything Jared said is absolutely correct.
the neighborhood is thrilled to see that building get repurposed and keep the papa johns in there
thank you thank you for uh calling we appreciate it is there anyone else in the virtual audience
no other hands mr chair planning planning commission
good afternoon chair members of the board um the comprehensive plan recommends no change
to the existing residential single-family zoning proposed dimensional variance will not cause
detrimental impacts to the neighborhood beyond what normally might be expected the city planning
commission recommends that the zoning board grant variance thank you mi2023-005-996-1118
East Montgomery Avenue. I vote yes.
Thomas Holliman,
my vote is yes.
Ishmael Shahid, my vote is yes.
Thank you,
counsel. Thank you very much. Enjoy your
afternoon. Number seven,
MI 2023-00633,
South 5th Street.
Alan Notkinson is the attorney.
There's a recommendation
of support from Dickerson Square